To kill bacteria in your air conditioner you need to clean every component, including the ducts and vents or even just the air.
Your air conditioner cools down air within the unit and then blows this air back into your space for you to inhale, which is why you should keep it clean.
However, the best way to kill bacteria and prevent bacteria from growing in your air conditioner is to clean the unit regularly, use UV lights in the ductwork, or sanitise your air.
Why it is important to keep your air conditioner clean
Your air conditioning system takes in the hot air from your space and then runs this air over a system of fans, evaporator coils, and refrigerant coils to remove excess heat and humidity from it. The air conditioner then blows cooler, dehumidified air back into your space.
This is why it is so crucial to keep your air conditioner clean and germ-free, since the bacteria and germs that are within your air conditioner will be blown back into your space for you to inhale.
How do you kill bacteria in your air conditioner?
Unfortunately, air conditioners of all types, shapes, and sizes are the perfect breeding ground for bacteria, and this can have serious health consequences, or at the least, it can be the cause of bad odours and allergens that will emanate from your air conditioner.
The main ways to kill bacteria and to ensure that it cannot grow in your air conditioner is by cleaning the air conditioner regularly.
Harsh chemicals and detergents can degrade your air conditioner over time, but if you keep the filters, coils, and fins of your unit clean, you will not need to use any of these chemicals to kill bacteria in the machine, as bacteria will never get the chance to grow.
Cleaning the ductwork and vents of your air conditioning system, especially for larger central air and mini-split systems, is a bit more complicated.
In most cases it is safest to get a professional to clean your ducts and vents if you suspect that bacteria are growing on them.
Fortunately, the invention of UV lights for air conditioners can help you kill any bacteria in the air conditioner before it reaches the ductwork.
In this same vein, it is often easier to spray the air in your room with anti-bacterial spray to get rid of any bacteria before it enters your air conditioner or as soon as it exits the air conditioner, as it can be difficult to clean every part of an air conditioner to kill bacteria.
Cleaning your air conditioner regularly to kill bacteria
In order to kill any bacteria that may have gotten trapped in your air conditioner, you have to clean the unit regularly.
Although you can use store-bought anti-bacterial spray cleaners or diluted bleach solutions to clean your air conditioner and its components, these will be harsh on the components and may cause them to degrade quicker, so it is best to always try water first and to then move on to harsher cleaners if you see any mould or mildew growth.
This step involves the regular cleaning of various components of your air conditioner, such as:
| Component | What you need |
| Clean the air filters |
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| Clean the evaporator coils |
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| Clean the drip pan and drain line |
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| Clean and straighten the fins | |
| Clean the body |
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Cleaning your vents and ductwork to get rid of bacteria
A UVC cleaner light can help you actively fight bacterial growth within your air conditioner and this can prevent the bacteria from spreading into the unit’s vents and ductwork, which is difficult to clean and may require that you hire a professional.
This REKO Lighting R2000 Air Purifier UVC Light is made to be installed right in the ductwork of larger central air systems and will help you sanitise the components of your air conditioner that are difficult to get to.
It will also prevent bacteria from spreading any further through your air conditioning system.
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| Buy it on Amazon |
How to sanitise the air in your space
If this deep cleaning of your air conditioner unit and its ductwork seems too much or you want a more sustainable solution, you should consider sanitising the air in your space rather than worrying about sanitising the air conditioner.
This can be done by spraying anti-bacterial spray in the air, or installing an air purifier with HEPA filters, which will capture the bacteria in the air in your space.
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| Buy it on Amazon | Buy it on Amazon |