Germs are everywhere and they can be tough to avoid no matter where we go. We have germs on our hands, in the air, on surfaces — you name it and there are germs nearby. You should know that humidifiers also harbor a fair number of these pesky microscopic bugs, but do cool mist humidifiers kill germs?
This post will tell you all about the bacteria lurking in your humidifier as well as what you can do to avoid the spread of disease without having to throw out your cool mist humidifier altogether.
If you require a humidifier and do not want to read the entire article, below are the recommended items from the article. (Low, Medium and High Price)
The best humidifier is the LACIDOLL, 2.1Gal/8L Top Fill Humidifiers for Large Room, Quiet Cool Mist Ultrasonic Humidifier
However, this will depend on several things, like if you want it to do several tasks – like Dorm Room, or Cold and Flu symptoms.
There will also be costs for the humidifier - like Mist Type, Water Tank Capacity, Coverage Area and Noise Level. So as you can see, there is a lot in picking the right humidifier!
In short, cool mist humidifiers do kill germs. In fact, studies have shown that humidifiers reduce the number of certain types of bacteria in the air. However, the same studies found that cool mist humidifiers increased bacterial growth on nearby surfaces such as tables and floors.
It is important to remember that these results were only seen for a specific type of bacteria: Pseudomonas aeruginosa. This type of bacteria is considered a contaminant in most cleanrooms (cleanroom testing laboratories), but it is also commonly found in the environment outside of cleanrooms as well.
This post will cover almost all the precautions you can take to make sure your cool mist humidifier is as germ-free as possible.
In winter, you must fight this dry air if you boost your health and quality of life. Using the only lotion on your skin, however, won't work. It would be best if you raised the atmosphere's relative humidity to keep the germs and pollutants out of the air. Address the root cause of the problem.
Viruses and other bacteria are more likely to spread in winter because the air is dry. The humidity helps to trap viruses and bacteria and prevent their spread if there is adequate moisture in the air.
In cold air, viruses gain from a decrease in temperature because their external layer hardens to protect them efficiently from the environment—helping them to propagate and avoid moisture. Furthermore, the absence of water in the air causes the nasal passages to dry out.
When that occurs, germs such as airborne viruses, dust mites, and bacteria can attack your body more quickly through your nose and throat. The dry air is essentially setting you up to get sick. Pathogens spread quickly because of the lack of moisture, so your body will become more prone to infections.
Humidification is an ideal option to minimize the risk of being sick in the winter and from dry conditions. Not all humidifiers, though, are similar. Choose whether you need a humidifier with cool mist or a humidifier with warm mist.
The size of the required humidifier varies with the room's size, but you'll need a more significant device and likewise for small areas that have not much square foot space if you want a vast room for expansion. There are other solutions if you're searching for a whole-house model.
Although there are many advantages to different kinds of humidifiers, they function in unique ways. Warm mist humidifiers also referred to as vaporizers, use heat to bring moisture to the air, as the term suggests. These humidifiers use a boiler to heat the tank water until it hits the boiling point.
Later, the steam rises out from the device. As a result, the moisture that reaches the room from the humidifier is hot steam. Although this can sound good to have hot steam entering your house, it also raises certain dangers. For instance, if you have kids, keep them away from the humidifier, or else, it might not be the right humidifier for you.
When the humidifier boils water and uses a boiler to do so, it will seriously hurt the children. Since a warm mist humidifier depends on heat, it needs electricity. You need resources to keep your warm mist humidifier running frequently.
If you choose a warm mist humidifier, you will need an automatic shut-off system to reduce the chance of burning. Consider a cool-mist humidifier for these two reasons alone. Yet, cool mist humidifiers still have a lot of advantages. They add moisture into the atmosphere without you having to boil the water—the risk of injury disappears.
There are many kinds of cool mist humidifiers on the market, but ultrasonic and evaporative humidifiers are the most common. Both models of cool mist humidifiers are more energy-efficient than a humidifier for warm mist. More so, they're cost-friendly and can also be personalized. For instance, in your cool mist humidifier, you might apply various soothing vapors or essential oils and use it as a diffuser.
This will not only bring a lovely smell into the room, but also it will relieve health complications like coughs and sinus symptoms. While cool mist humidifiers do not destroy germs actively, they minimize the number of germs in the atmosphere by applying moisture.
Most cool mist humidifiers use filters to minimize the release of impurities into the environment from the water so that you get the best cool mist free of germs. Although they are not particularly antimicrobial, the air would be clear if you use purified water in your humidifier.
Evaporative cool mist humidifiers are the norm when choosing cool mist humidifiers. This is the model that most individuals prefer when they think about cool mist humidifiers. These humidifiers use a fan to transform the tank water into a vapor released into the air.
In the evaporative cool mist humidifiers, the fan draws air out of the atmosphere into the device. The air flows into the wick filter, which transforms the water tank into vapor. Then the water vapor is expelled through the fan into the room. As a result, these cool mist humidifiers use a fan to transform water into steam, which is far more energy-efficient than using a heating system in a warm mist humidifier.
Plus, it's still considerably less risky. Even so, the ventilator in the cool evaporative mist humidifiers can be a little too noisy for some. As you use a wick filter in this humidifier, it needs a replacement now and then. This is essential because it is vulnerable to bacteria accumulation.
The filter clears away bacteria and other germs from the air and water. Although this is incredibly effective in air quality and cool evaporative mist, the humidifier needs considerable maintenance.
The ultrasonic humidifier is the most sophisticated and probably the most excellent form of cool mist humidifier. These humidifiers function in what appears to some consumers to be strange because they do not use any fan or heat to create mist from the vapor.
They're filter-free as well. The ultrasonic cool mist humidifier keeps water in a storage tank, much like a warm mist design. Activate it with energy so that it can bring moisture to the atmosphere. The ultrasonic humidifier derives its name because of the use of ultrasonic frequency vibrations.
The system provides a versatile flat disk that oscillates rapidly to produce these ultrasonic frequency waves separating the tank's surface water into small little water droplets. Using a thin, soundless fan, it then releases these droplets into the atmosphere.
Cool ultrasonic mist humidifiers create a brief buzz, so they are significant additions to any room. Like the evaporative design, they also don't use any filters. This implies that they require less maintenance. These devices create white dust contaminants.
This is when the humidifier is used with tap water or hard water since it is full of chemicals. If you use purified or demineralized water, it reduces the amount of white dust created.
You can prevent germs from growing in your humidifier by following these simple rules:
Properly maintaining the humidity inside your humidifier is one of the most important steps you can take to limiting the spread of germs. When a humidifier pump gets hot, moisture evaporates from it and takes with it any bacteria or viruses that are living on it.
Even if your cool mist humidifier is certified to be free of lead that doesn't mean it is safe to use. Lead is only one of the many harmful substances in tap water, and even tiny amounts of lead can be dangerous. To reduce your exposure to harmful chemicals such as chloramines, chlorine and heavy metals, you should try using distilled or bottled water.
Too much moisture in a home can cause mold and mildew growth as well as increase the spread of bacteria and viruses via contaminated surfaces (such as hardwood floors).
When the humidifier is in use, you should change the water in it about every two weeks to prevent bacteria from multiplying and affecting your health. You can also change the water in your cool mist humidifier once a month if you want to kill the germs on it even faster.
When you touch surfaces that have touched a surface with a warm or hot humidifier, there is a good chance you will pick up some of those pesky germs onto your hands and then into your mouth (or eyes or nose).
If you are unable to clean the humidifier after every use, at least try to clean it every few days. This will prevent mold from growing in the reservoir and water from becoming stagnant in your humidifier.
You can clean your cool mist humidifier by either running it through one cleaning cycle without adding any water, using a special cleaning solution made specifically for humidifiers or using a mixture of vinegar and warm water (Durden DA et al 2005). Taking these steps will help keep your air clean and free of bacteria as well as prevent mold growth on nearby surfaces such as sinks, faucets and tables.
Even small amounts of bleach or ammonia can cause problems and should only be added if instructed to do so by the manufacturer.
To prevent bacteria from spreading to nearby surfaces such as countertops, you should place your cool mist humidifier in an area away from any open sinks, faucets or toilets.
As the chlorine will react with the materials in your cool mist humidifier and make them more susceptible to bacterial growth. The same rule applies to filters that were made for use with tap water (such as Brita filters).
Cool mist humidifiers are significant contributions to every family. They offer various health advantages, including changes in skin disorders, reduction in signs of asthma, and calming itchy throats. However, the most significant advantage is that such machines decrease the number of germs in the air considerably.
Any infectious contaminants like viruses or bacteria cannot spread because of the cool mist released into your house. Besides, the cool humidifiers support the body to avoid infections through hydration.
Please Note: Just because a humidifier is marked, for example “Baby Room”, it will still work for other things, for example “Living Room” or “Plant Humidifier”
Again, the humidifiers below are probably the ones that you will need to buy!
The prices of these are low, medium and high. This will give you the best range. The lower prices will not have all the bells-and-whistles, and the higher price one's will.
It's best not to do that. Although vinegar is used to clean the humidifier, you should not use it in your humidifier as it can irritate your skin, nose, mouth, and lungs. Vinegar helps protect a humidifier's health benefits. A little vinegar is an efficient way to minimize bacteria's growth, which causes odors and other health issues.
Using vinegar is also an excellent way to clean your humidifier's filter. It is a natural cleanser that can help loosen the odor of the portable device and disinfect it.
Yes, so don't use tap water in your humidifier. Use demineralized, distilled, or filtered water. Ensure you and your close relatives enjoy clean, humidified air by finding the water to put in your humidifier. Conversely, if you use tap water in your humidifier, you can find some unpleasant side effects.
Tap water comprises minerals that can generate contaminants that stimulate bacterial growth within your humidifier. You are likely to breathe in some chemicals that are emitted into the air. The mineral content in purified or demineralized water is lesser than what is in tap water.
Mix 1 gallon of water with one teaspoon of liquid bleach or hydrogen peroxide. Disassemble your humidifier. Insert the tank at the bottom and empty the tin of bleach solution into the storage tank. Open the tank, clean it, rinse, and assemble again.
Hydrogen peroxide acts as one of the cheapest solutions for disinfecting a humidifier. It destroys bacteria and mold. You can do the job with a few drops into the water tank. Adding one cup of white vinegar to the water would also actually hinder mold growth in your humidifier.
If you require more information, please check these references
Home Humidifiers as a Potential Source of Exposure to Microbial Pathogens, Endotoxins, and Allergens , article, "onlinelibrary.wiley.com", retrieved on, Fri 19-February-2021
Humidifiers and vaporizers , article, "search.proquest.com", retrieved on, Fri 19-February-2021
Indoor particle concentrations associated with use of tap water in portable humidifiers , article, "pubs.acs.org", retrieved on, Fri 19-February-2021
