I have had a really hard time cleaning this unit. Has anyone else had problems with black mold build up inside the housing of the unit?
1177315
I've had two of this same unit for three years & have no problems with mold. All I do weekly is take out the tall plastic unit from inside & wash it in the dishwasher with my other dishes oh also the cap of the water bottle then fill the bottle & base of unit with water & bleach & let it soak for a half hour.
1177316
No problem with black mold. Just a problem with it not misting. I threw it away.
1177317
Yes, we have had the same problem. My husband takes to our laundry room weekly. He hooks up a hose with an adjustable sprayer and sprays water in the top and bottom. It realy cleans it out. He is amazed how much black gunk he has removed. Good luck.
1177318
I've had the very same problem. After three months it has become so congested that the motor labors hard and then the unit stops working altogether. I've twice tried flushing it out with water through the top and bottom. A lot of black debris comes out, but it still doesn't work properly after cleaning. I had to return and get a different unit.
1177319
I get pink mold, but white vinegar takes it right off. Also, I remove the interior part that comes out (not the water tank) and put it in the dishwasher.
1177320
I find cleaning this unit very difficult and I was so grossed out the first time I found the mold. Be careful how you clean any humidifier. My respiratory therapist told me never to clean a CPAP or a humidifier with anything I wouldn't eat because you'll be breathing that cleanser. Vinegar, yes. Bleach, no. The interior part can go in the dishwasher. Also, make sure the black gunk is mold and not rubber. Pieces of the black rubber seal are breaking off and there doesn't appear to be a way to replace it.
1401959
Mine does the same thing. You can't return it to the store. There are signs all over it that say(DO NOT RETURN TO STORE. CONTACT so and so #, blah,blah,blah). I have mold all over mine now and am in the process of trying to get it clean, but I think my mold problem is on the inside, too because of the water that got caught in those areas of the inside. Wish me luck cause I have a feeling this is not gonna work and I'm not storing a moldy slide all winter. I would call the manufacturer while you still have time!!!!!!!!!!
930949
After seeing the question, I checked mine and see no mold. I confess I remember to empty the reservoir only about 50% of the time. Perhaps a full reservoir is not a friendly environment for mold.
431188
Had the same issue. I could live with that but not the interior cleaning issue. Food results great but after about four or five meals interior was impossible to clean. Started to set off my smoke alarms. Decided to return it.
1999196
I've been running it the past 3 months and for the first time I don't have black mold on the floor finished basement floor. It probably works by constantly moving air through the basement so it doesn't have as good of a chance at leading to mold and the musty smell. It uses only up to 60 watts so its very efficient. It dehumidifies because when you exhaust the moist basement stale air it has to be replaced by the upstairs air which is usually drier. the upstairs air should be drier regardless if you are running the AC.
775213
Not that I know of. I never knew that it ever had a mold problem. Let me look. Nope!!! No mold here!!! It looks just as new as when I bought it and installed it on my air rife. I should still works perfectly!!! : )
1975462
I use bleach (evil, I know) during an occasional cleaning cycle. If you are past your warranty, hook up the unit to the hot water supply instead of the cold water. I've been running mine like this for 3 years and no problems. If your water is super-duper hot (>180F), you may experience warping of the bowl.
1093357
I'm not pleased with mine. I had more than a few refuse to seal no matter what I did. I'm in a desert so I don't know about mold/mildew.
1202428
There is no need to clean the unit after every use if you do not choose to, though I would reccomend cleaning intermittently to maintain cleanliness and maintaining the unit. I am not clear on why some find it so difficult as I have no issues cleaning mine.
900020
I have the exact same problems with mine that Grace has with her's! We make sure it is empty and drained after each use but it has gotten disgusting with the mold (actually I believe it is a bacterial growth). Despite this major problem I truly love this machine and I used mine several times a day!
1341993
Have not used mine enough to have this problem. If build up includes grease, I.would clean. Otherwise,it's yourCall.
1501558
We live in OH and love this mattress. We have had it for 2 years now. Last year, in the spring, we noticed our platform frame was beginning to mold and the mattress was extremely damp. We thought we had fixed the issue by drilling holes into the platform to aid airflow, however, this year we are once again experiencing mold problems. We thought buying a slotted frame might help, but all the research suggests platforms. Has anyone else had issues with mold with this mattress or with platform beds?
1127455
I used bleach to clean mine. You have to rinse about 100 times to make sure to get it all out but it worked. All mold gone. I left overnite. Only use enough bleach to cover the bottom
201131
Cleaning isn't required or possible, since the unit burns mold particles rather than filters air. Ours seemed very effective. We use it to reduce molds that come in from the open window. Our first unit lasted 2.5 years before burning out this past weekend. We'd already bought a second unit for a different location. I'll be buying a replacement for the one that just died.
900024
Wow, mine has never gotten moldy, so the only thing that I can suggest is that you make sure you pour all the excess ice and water out and make sure that it is dry. I don't use mine every day so I don't know how much extra work that will add to your usage. Sorry I can't be more helpful.
1170944
We have very hard water and have cleaned our unit a couple of times with vinegar. It works fine. About a quarter cup of vinegar and fill the unit with cold water. Turn it on and let it shut off automatically. Be sure to rinse thoroughly. I may use Louise's suggestion to run plain water in the unit but I haven't had a problem. this is a great unit. We use it several times a day.
946926
You might have a defective unit. Mine works great. I have had it for a year now and it works great! Haven't had to clean it once.