Kara Zorn on October 9, 2014 48 Comments If you are using a humidifier to help improve annoying allergy symptoms caused by dry air, such as scratchy nasal passages or throat or dry, tight skin or eczema, watch out for mistakes you might be making in the care and use of your unit. You should follow each manufacturer’s instructions for using and maintaining your humidifier; otherwise the unit can exacerbate or cause new symptoms for allergy sufferers. Here are the five most common mistakes you should be aware of and try to avoid making when using your humidifier. 1. Ignoring Humidity Levels in Your Home Simply put, humidity is the level of water vapor in your indoor air. And, the level of humidity in your indoor air can either help your allergy symptoms or hurt them if humidity gets out of control. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, you should keep humidity below 60 percent in the summer and, ideally, between 25 percent and 40 percent relative humidity in the winter. While many types of humidifiers come with a built-in humidistat for measuring relative humidity you can also buy a separate moisture or humidity meter, officially called a hygrometer to more accurately measure and check your indoor relative humidity. If you’re using a humidifier to help specific allergy symptoms, check your humidity often and keep your humidity relatively stable. 2. Letting Humidity Levels Rise Too High Along with keeping humidity stable, watch out if it rises above acceptable levels, because while a little humidity can improve your allergy symptoms, excessive levels of humidity can actually make allergy symptoms a lot worse. This is especially the case if you have specific, known allergies to dust mites, molds and mildew. Higher relative indoor humidity levels cause all three of these known allergens to grow, proliferate and thrive in your house. Check the humidity and reduce it immediately if the room feels particularly dense and moist, curtains and pillows feel damp, or condensation is building up on windows or window sills, which are all signs that the humidity is too high in the room. In fact, dust mites die at humidity levels between 40 and 50 percent. So, if you have a dust mite, mold or mildew allergy problem, check your humidity levels often and don’t let the humidity rise beyond that 40 percent. 3. Neglecting to Clean the Humidifier Often Enough Since you are breathing the air affected by your humidifier, you must follow the manufacturer’s specific directions on how to clean and maintain the unit most effectively. If you do not clean filters and tanks as often and in the exact manner described by the manufacturer, the unit can grow and breed mold, mildew and even bacteria and then spew those allergens into your air along with the mist. Dirty mist may significantly worsen any allergy symptoms, so be sure to clean your unit according to manufacturer’s instructions. 4. Using Tap Water in Your Humidifier Many Ultrasonic room humidifiers work by breaking up water particles as well as splitting up and disbursing mineral particles. This creates a “white dust” mineral residue around the room and in the tank, if you fill the unit with unfiltered tap water, against manufacturer’s instructions. These mineral deposits can promote bacterial growth in the humidifier, and you will also be breathing them as they are disbursed into the air. For these units, manufacturers will specify filling the unit with distilled, demineralized or purified water, or using a water demineralization filter or cartridge. To avoid exacerbating allergies because of minerals in the water and build up in the unit, don’t use tap water against manufacturer’s instructions. 5. Letting Water Sit in Your Unit Never let water sit in the machine for days between uses as a film can form on the top, which can breed bacteria in the enclosed tank. Always empty water and clean the tank when not in use or even when skipping use for one day. Follow manufacturer’s directions for cleaning and/or wiping down the unit with hydrogen peroxide or bleach to inhibit bacterial growth and then rinse and dry thoroughly so harmful chemicals never get released into your indoor air. If you notice that bacteria or algae is building up in your unit, it’s recommended to use a special water treatment formula to help you get it under control. If you have allergies, follow the manufacturer’s directions carefully in using and maintaining your humidifier to keep your allergy symptoms at bay. Learn More: Shop for Humidifiers The Difference Between a Hygrometer & Humidistat Why Your Heater & Humidifier Go Hand-in-Hand During Winter Why You Should Have a Humidifier in Your Baby’s Nursery
Myrna Sanchez says March 21, 2017 at 8:20 pm I need you guidance. I’ve been using tap water in my humidifier since December. I’m just realizing that we’re not supposed to use tap water. Yes there’s been a white film all over my furniture. I’m feeling like I’m getting sick. Please tell me what yo do. Reply
Stanley Plock says April 2, 2017 at 1:39 pm Tap water gives me a foggy room and minerals condense on my reading glasses. I wonder if this is also harmful to breathe. I would think so. Brita filtered water does not seem to help at all. Zero Water filter is great but the $15 filter only lasts 2 weeks. Distilled water would cost $2 per day (2 humidifiers). The Zero Water filter comes with a TDS Total Dissolved Solids meter. Tap water is about 500 ppm and drops to near zero! Brita only drops from 500 ppm to 480 ppm and has the same airborn residue as tap water. I would not recommend drinking Brita water. Maybe the local osmosis water stores will be a little cheaper…? Reply
Juneface says May 29, 2018 at 12:00 pm My son recently bought a humidifier which he keeps by his bed. I also started having the white dust despite filters he buys which is supposed to be rectify this. What I find alarming is that now I am opening drawers and finding white dust on items in the drawer. This is crazy! I am also coughing quite a bit; seems to aggravate my allergies rather than help, Reply
JB says June 8, 2018 at 11:13 am Use a hygrometer and check for humidity levels. Make sure to maintain indoor humidity levels between 30% to 50%. Any higher than 50% will promote the growth of molds and other harmful things in your home. Also, if you use cool mist humidifiers, make sure to clean the water tank/reservoir daily, and replace filters from time to time. Bacteria can grow in dirty reservoirs and filters. I hope this helps! Reply
Clare LaCour says November 6, 2019 at 4:32 am What outdoor temperature should I start to use my humidifier?
Narendra Pawar says September 15, 2018 at 4:55 am use better technology humidifiers like Cold Evaporation technology. You wont face white dust issue at all Reply
Clark Elliott says March 1, 2019 at 9:28 pm Use distilled water instead of tap water. The white dust is the dissolved minerals in the tap water. Reply
Patricia Alt says September 24, 2019 at 1:06 pm Are you using distilled water? Never use tap water on distilled. Reply
Tracey Wallis says November 5, 2017 at 2:22 pm Can I put my humidifier underneath a closed window? Reply
Dennis Arcangel says November 23, 2017 at 11:28 am in a three story house where is the best place to place one humidifier? Reply
bob says May 23, 2018 at 2:27 pm Put your humidifier where you spend the most time, or put it where you sleep. If your humidifier is smaller move it from day to night to keep it close by. Lastly, consider getting 2 humidifiers as 3 stories is not going to be effectively covered by 1 humidifier in most cases. I have a 2 story house, I use one large humidifier down stairs and a smaller unite upstairs in my bedroom at night. Each of my units can be set to cut off at a certain level of humidity. My wife has sleep apnea and the bedroom humidifier has helped her tremendously at night, and me to. Reply
Dixie says December 21, 2017 at 8:43 am I purchase a new humidifier Holmes and it uses all the water and I don’t think it’s putting humidity in the air because my meter says it’s still really really dry in house. I actually set it a foot away and it did not change. Reply
GeorgieB says December 21, 2017 at 7:16 pm I have a portable cool mist humidifier. I use filtered water from my reverse osmosis system so I feel it is ver y clean. My issue is this, I tried to inhale the cool mist through my nose as it gets very dry in the winter. It causes me to cough. Same if I try breathing it through my mouth. That surprised me. Why does this happen? Reply
n says February 17, 2019 at 1:11 pm reverse osmosis does not remove minerals it simply purifies it for drinking, keeping the good minerals for ideal drinking water Reply
Eddie says October 5, 2019 at 1:21 am It’s because you are blocking your lung with the mist. It’s similar to smoking shisha or Vape. Too much smoke/ mist into your lung will most likely cause the coughing. Reply
Peter says November 28, 2019 at 1:57 pm Filtered water is not the same as distilled water. You’re coughing from the minerals that are being expelled into the air, as your lungs aren’t meant to inhale those. The minerals are turning into a dust and that’s what you’re coughing from. Reply
Rick says December 28, 2017 at 7:14 pm When you fill the humidifer evaporative…..do I wait a while before I start it I have an aircare…. Thanks When it shuts off I fill it then start it right away…. Reply
Gaynor worden says January 7, 2018 at 5:16 pm Go on and off in minute or two what is the problem? Reply
avriel045@gmail.com says January 20, 2018 at 11:52 am Why the bottle wont stop dripping when the water level is okey already ? Reply
Kenn32 says March 29, 2018 at 8:14 pm Ultrasonic humidifiers require mineral free water to prevent a mineral powder film from covering every surface if tap water is used. That gives you three options. Distilled water is one, but that will cost about $2.00/day for what you’ll use in each. A second is buying a mineral removal filter, but the expense for a filter that will require replacement after a small amount of time is high. The third and cheapest option is to use clean rain water or melted snow. Using old plastic, water or milk jugs for storage will give you some reserve for refilling. Plan on using about one or two gallons each day for each. I have a Total Dissolved Solids meter. My cold tap water reads about 220ppm. My hot tap water is about 500, likely from minerals that precipitate from contact with the electric heating element. The rain water I collect is at 0.005, so I have no problem with white powder film. You will still need to clean the water container and humidifier reservoir with a little bleach to remove any algae or slime that forms at least weekly or when noticeable. Reply
Jayne says January 4, 2020 at 12:15 am Kenn32 Had not thought of using rain water up until reading your comment. Think I’ll be giving it a try. I’m gonna place cheesecloth over the containers to filter the dirt the rain catches as it drops. Reply
SHIRLEY LANGHORNEj says July 19, 2020 at 9:09 pm Shirleylanghorne@yahoo.com I’m using vinegar in my water chamber Reply
brown says October 13, 2018 at 12:04 pm is it safe to use ultrasonic humidifier after water has been in it a long time before cleaning Reply
Mike says November 15, 2019 at 12:12 pm Is it okay to use reverse osmosis water, rather than distilled water, in a portable humidifier. At $3/5gal I find it more economical. Reply
STB says November 17, 2018 at 10:09 pm While I’m sure its not the best but is using the filter water that is filtered though my Fridge better than regular tap water? Reply
n says February 17, 2019 at 1:13 pm No, filtered water removes chlorine and other solids but does not affect mineral content significantly, the minerals are the issue for humidifier use Reply
Nickester says December 27, 2018 at 4:09 pm Can I use boiled water after its cooled? It’s expensive using bottled water so I’m trying to figure out a better alternative Reply
Jcubed says February 20, 2019 at 2:45 pm Just boiling the water would provide the most benefit, but that energy is expensive too. Reply
Sally says January 2, 2019 at 9:52 pm Boiling only sterilizes water. It does nothing to demineralize Reply
Rebeka J Detert says January 11, 2019 at 11:03 am Can I use a humidifier in my son’s room everyday. He has trouble sleeping, but the last 3 days he has been sleeping fine with it in there, but he did get a bloody nose Reply
Tari says January 20, 2020 at 8:34 am Yes I read that water from a dehumidifier is good for a humidifier Reply
martin spencer says November 30, 2019 at 12:00 pm i bought a humidifier and this is what it says under description “Please add water below the maximum line of the water cup. 2. Please use tap water. It is strictly forbidden to use distilled water, chemical oil such as essential oil, etc. 3. Do not use high temperature water. this totally against what google says about which water to use could there be a reason for this or just a poor translation Reply
CompactAppliance.com says July 17, 2020 at 6:03 pm While tap water can be used in humidifiers, it definitely is not recommended as the mineral content of the water can cause bacterial build-up in your humidifier, which can then be spread throughout your room/house. It’s entirely possible that the instructions you are referring to are a result of an error or poor translation. Reply
Celia Madden says December 12, 2019 at 9:41 am What to Place under a humidifier to protect the floor or carpet? Reply
CompactAppliance.com says July 17, 2020 at 6:18 pm Any plastic tray or water-resistant surface would be able to protect your floor or carpet from any water droplets the humidifier may produce. Alternately you can place a towel under the humidifier, provided you change it each time you use the humidifier to prevent mold and bacteria from forming. Reply
Krista says January 25, 2020 at 10:04 am Thank you for all the information. I bought a humidifier that works by evaporation so I don’t have to worry about the white powder, but I’m wondering if this style requires distilled water or if I can use tap. I read through all the instruction booklets and they never say to use distilled or not, so I’m wondering what your thoughts are on that. Thank you so much! Reply
Harvey says February 4, 2020 at 3:58 pm Thank you for all the information. I want to ask, “Is Distilled water recommended in humidifiers after lung surgery.” My wife is having surgery and she uses a good humidifier with distilled water. We want to make sure she should continue doing it during recovery. Reply
sue says February 24, 2020 at 3:56 pm @ Harvey I would ask your wife’s surgeon! I wish your wife all the best with her surgery. Reply
