How To Clean Portable Air Conditioner Coils

Today I will teach you how to clean the inside of your portable air conditioner to make it cool down a room faster, use less electricity, last longer, and remove any musty smells it may have. I will take you step by step through the easy removal of the outer casing to give you access to the coils inside so you can clean them off. The manufacturers try to make it difficult but I make it easy. Save the planet by using less electricity and extending the life of your AC before it needs to visit a landfill.
Air conditioner coil cleaner: ComStar 90-298 Coil Safe Professional Grade Neutral pH Evaporator and Condenser Coil Cleaner, 1 gal Container, Green www.amazon.ca/...
#airconditioningservice

[@0412videos]

Easy to install and doesn’t take up a whole lot of space. Keeps my apartment ice cold in the summer.Also cuts the power bill in half compared to running the in house unit.

[@BillOfAllTrades2016]

Yes portable air conditioners are amazing. I have two and they are great. Thanks for watching. Please like and subscribe

[@pat__4]

As soon as I heard your accent I knew I could trust you. Thank you from your downstairs neighbor in Massachusetts!

[@BillOfAllTrades2016]

Thanks for watching neighbor. I heard people say we have accents but I can’t hear it. Lol. Greetings from the north. Please like and subscribe to help support my Canadian dream. Take care

[@pat__4]

@@BillOfAllTrades2016 subscribed i am! Ill always leave you a like take care buddy

[@BillOfAllTrades2016]

Thanks man. I appreciate it.

[@danachablis4434]

This comments the best!!! Also from Mass 🫡

[@Mgdthmom]

There are two screws at the bottom front panel of my unit and slide lock clips. Sharing to help others avoid frustration. Additionally mine had been used and all the gunk was really moist so I broke it up with the brush and wiped it away.

[@BillOfAllTrades2016]

Thanks for the tip. And thanks for watching. Please like and subscribe

[@Anna_kandy]

Oh my. Thanks a million. I live alone and this is so helpful when its a challenge to find a ac tech.❤❤❤. My ac keeps working and shutof off for a minute and then picking up itself again. Plus its beginning to smell. So i thinj its the coils that need cleaning cause i usually clean the filter

[@BillOfAllTrades2016]

Yes that could be the issue. Too much air restriction may overload the motor. Hopefully cleaning the coils fixed your issue. Thanks for watching. Please like and subscribe

[@visualimagery9919]

Did it work after the clean?

[@becka_45]

Thank you ! I didn't know I could open it up and clean it out. It's starting to smell.

[@BillOfAllTrades2016]

I’m glad you found this video. And I hope your ac smells better with this as your guide. Thanks for watching. Please like and subscribe

[@becka_45]

@@BillOfAllTrades2016 thanks again for the video. My ac is working perfect now and no smell !

[@BillOfAllTrades2016]

That’s excellent. Glad to be of help. Enjoy and please spread the word to family and friends about how easy portable ac cleaning is

[@DopeBass]

what did it smell like? im wondering if thats whats going on with mine lol

[@valeriefauteux90]

@@DopeBass Smells like mold, mildew. I'm glad I found this video I have this problem too so it's time to clean it up!

[@AaronMetallion]

This was very helpful. It's so hard to find videos on Portable AC Maintenance. Quick question, my AC fills up a bucket of water everyday. It's actually pretty crazy. It's a self-evaporating ac, but after about 1.5 years of use, it progressively got worse. I can't set up a continuous drain because there's no drain hole in my room, so it's elevated and draining into a bucket. Besides the coils / fins, what else would require cleaning to fix this? Vacuuming the actual copper line or using something like a "Gallo Drain Gun" / compressed air?

[@arizonarebel5706]

How about attaching a garden hose long enough to reach a drain... like a shower one?

[@BillOfAllTrades2016]

@AaronMetallion the cleaning is only on the fins. No other cleaning will affect the water buildup. After you clean the fins you will experience more water because the dirt and dust that you cleaned off used to absorb a lot of the moisture so now that it is clean it will flow more. Also how cold do you run your ac? Running it a couple degrees warmer should not be noticeable in the way of comfort, but it may greatly reduce the water output as the condenser is running less when you run it warmer. Hope this helps. Thanks for watching. Please like and subscribe

[@firehorse9996]

Same here. Did a bit of research and concluded that the water pump is broken or else the water tank is far too small to handle July-August humidity. Unit shuts off and red water light comes on after approx. 20 minutes. Guy at the hardware store told me that amount of water is totally normal for our climate/humidity and it's gonna release water constantly. He cut off some tiny sections of hose for me to try and I went back and bought 3 metres of PERFECT FIT plus a metal clamp. It's pretty ugly, takes up a lot of space with a big plastic garden table in my room but it works! Bonus: soon afterwards noticed big clumps of what looked like mould being released into the bucket so letting the unit run at full capacity and free drainage cleaned it out a lot.

[@liliansabrinanyanau5932]

Extremely helpful! Quick question,is it okay if I clean the coil and fins using can of compressed air i.e. air conditioner cleaner? And as per instruction on the product, it just need to be sprayed onto the condenser, left for 2 mins before turning on the AC for at least 15 mins to let the dust flow through the exhaust. However this instructions is for wall mounted ac. So is it safe to use this for portable air cons? Please advise, thank you! 😁

[@chriscadman5715]

Thanks for the coil cleaner link! That's what I needed.

[@BillOfAllTrades2016]

You’re welcome. Thanks for watching. Please like and subscribe

[@dieterhammes454]

Only thing I hate about these units is they don't make a room as cold as a split unit

[@BillOfAllTrades2016]

That’s true. I’ve always wanted one of those. They have them in a lot of hotels. Very efficient. Thanks for watching. Please like and subscribe

[@salimk992]

First day is cold 🥶 after no

[@TinusTegenlicht]

I have 2 mobile units, one with a hose and one with a split unit. The latter makes less noise and cools way better. I was lucky to bu a good used one on the cheap. There are also other monoblock units, they are better and quiter as the mobile ones with a hose. But you have to be able to make 2 holes in your wall. It also helps to keep your house cool, so close all windows, doors before it gets hot and close the blinds. Or better use a sun screen or those films or foils you can put on your windows. Those heat reflecting films works well if you buy the right one. I have to cool less because of it

[@lyricsfromnick2077]

Hey, I saw some videos and blogs saying that I can wash the portable ac with a hose, is this safe? Do you have any tips or a video on it?

[@joanbaczek2575]

How do you clean the reservoir tank so mold don’t grow in it?

[@BillOfAllTrades2016]

There is no tank. They just have a tray under each coil set. Cleaning the coils with coil safe cleaner will allow the chemical to drip to the tray and thus clean the tray as well. Thanks for watching. Please like and subscribe

[@doubllechief6926]

I didn’t even know you were supposed to drain these units, I thought that was only for the Dehumidifier mode. I just checked the drains on my unit and nothing came out and I’ve had it for a few years. Does that mean I’ll need to try and drain it more often after applying this chemical?

[@BillOfAllTrades2016]

Yes. If the. Coils are dirty then the dirt will absorb the moisture. Once you clean the coils the moisture will flow properly off into the tray. It also depends on your unit. I have one in my room that collects an inch of water in a bucket every night. But the one in my daughters room doesn’t collect any water. Both are cleaned regularly hope this helps. Thanks for watching. Please like and subscribe

[@lovedrreid1]

Most newer portable ACs are self evaporating now and rarely need to be drained in cooling mode unless you live in a climate where it is damp/humid all the time.

[@BillOfAllTrades2016]

Thanks for the tip. Please like and subscribe

[@KimMDarden]

Thank you. Great information.

[@BillOfAllTrades2016]

Glad it was helpful. Thanks for watching. Please like and subscribe

[@leslievalentine4415]

Thanks, your video is really helpful! I have only ever vacuumed it so I’m hoping that cleaning the coils will give it new life. At the end of last summer, it was not blowing as cool and smelled like baby powder. Do I need to wait for it to dry before I run it?

[@BillOfAllTrades2016]

I usually let it dry for a couple hours before using it again. Then you will be good to go. Thanks for watching. Please like and subscribe

[@agems56]

One important note! Never brush the fins side ways, or vacuum with a tool rubbing the fins, because they bend sideways and therefore reduce cooling efficiency! I made that mistake and had to purchase a fin comb!

[@BillOfAllTrades2016]

Great tip! The $10 fin comb comes in handy when you bend the fins. Thanks for watching. Please like and subscribe

[@ladyxixi_Lexi]

Mine doesn’t have that large snail shaped thing at the bottom when I take the back off-also; my front has to be taken off with ALOT more trouble. Is it safe to just pour water down the back coils like that? What if it gets into the electronics?

[@BillOfAllTrades2016]

The snail shaped thing is the blower motor. Every unit is different and some have different shapes for the motors that are also in different locations. And yes it’s safe to pour water on the coils. It will not harm the electronics. The coils gather moisture as it is running which is why it gets so dirty. Some units are easier to take apart than others. Once you take it apart once, the shell comes off easier the next time. Hope this helps. Thanks for watching. Please like and subscribe

[@Revvwz]

Are these portable AC units prone to growing mold inside of them? I honestly had no clue you was supposed to clean them. And I’ve had it for years never cleaned the inside of it lmaoo. Gonna buy some of the coil cleaner spray and vacuum and clean it out real soon lol

[@BillOfAllTrades2016]

Yes they often grow mold on them because of the dust collection followed by moisture. The fins are a perfect breeding ground. Glad you found the video. Thanks for watching. Please like and subscribe

[@Revvwz]

@@BillOfAllTrades2016 I appreicate you for responding, I cleaned mine out and inside there was Styrofoam over the fan blower whatever it is and the inside was full of black mold... crazy i been breathing that in while i slept for years... but cleaned it out with bleach and vacummed the coils etc. will be making a routine and cleaning it for now on. how often do you clean yours?

[@BillOfAllTrades2016]

I do a simple vacuum before storage every year. But every third year I clean with the chemical.

[@brokenmould7058]

my portable blows cool air, but it doesn't seem to cool the room. would cleaning the condensor help this?

[@BillOfAllTrades2016]

Absolutely it would help. Even a thin layer of dirt can drop the cooling ability down significantly. Every time I clean my ac I immediately notice a difference. It will also cool the room much faster. Thanks for watching. Please like and subscribe

[@brokenmould7058]

@@BillOfAllTrades2016 liked, appreciate for the reply!

[@BillOfAllTrades2016]

All good. Glad to help

[@usfanlovesminho5085]

Iv'e never seen one this dirty. How often do you clean it?

[@BillOfAllTrades2016]

This one was sitting in someone’s backyard for a year or two. They gave it to me for free for the purpose of the video. For my personal ac I clean it at the end of every summer before I put it away. Thanks for watching. Please like and subscribe

[@patriciahall2223]

Thank you very helpful informative video ....🇨🇦

[@BillOfAllTrades2016]

Glad it was helpful. Thanks for watching. Please like and subscribe

[@kranlaymen8829]

What about checking coolant levels???

[@BillOfAllTrades2016]

I’m not sure how to do that. I just know how to clean them

[@YoungShizzie]

I Made the mistake of cleaning it without safety glasses and let me tell you something flew in my eye and I can’t get it out 😂

[@BillOfAllTrades2016]

Better get to the hospital then. Always use PPE with chemicals

[@BnJiggyTV]

good video brother :) I have little skills with handy work !

[@BillOfAllTrades2016]

Thanks. Glad you found my video to help you with This maintenance. Thanks for watching. Please like and subscribe

[@Amaryllis88164]

Hi , I have an LG and the compressor doesn’t stay on. I called an LG repair man and he said I should just replace the unit. Do you think he’s correct? Or do you think it can be the coils that need to be cleaned. Thank you in advance.

[@BillOfAllTrades2016]

It’s hard to tell without looking at the unit in person. Best bet is to just try cleaning it first. Won’t know till you do.

[@goddessk3740]

This ac was pretty dirty, I am wondering if there is an alternative to the coil safe? I took my AC apart for cleaning before the winter and upon turning it on today; it still stinks. Any advice?

[@BillOfAllTrades2016]

This is a fairly strong cleaner. You may have missed some areas. I would give it another soaking and a good scrub to see if it helps. This has always removed smells from all the units I’ve cleaned. Hope a second cleaning helps. Please like and subscribe and thanks for watching

[@crackerjackrappr]

AC worked fine but coils needed to be cleaned. Cleaned coils with coil safe and now my AC won't stop spitting out liquid. I thought maybe it was the coil safe but it's been almost a whole day since I used it and the water tray is filling up insanely fast. Any ideas? Think the coil safe got onto something it shouldn't have?

[@BillOfAllTrades2016]

After you clean the coils it’s normal to fill up the tray much faster because when the coils are dirty, all the dirt and dust collects most of the moisture whereas when you clean the coils, there is no dirt to hold the moisture so it flows fast. The more humidity in the air means the more moisture. Some nights I’ll almost completely fill a 5 gallon bucket with water. That’s normal. If you want less water then adjust your temperature to a couple degrees warmer. I used to run my ac at 22 Celsius and now I run it at 24 Celsius and there is significantly less water in the pail than before. The colder you run it the more water you get. Hope this helps. Thanks for watching. Please like and subscribe

[@BELIEVE3711]

I thought I could get some help, learning how to take mine. But that one your doing is not close to what I have Sylvania SYL-12PE portable air. conditioner. Well, thanks anyway. Now to keep looking. Take care

[@BillOfAllTrades2016]

Best of luck

[@sarahh1331]

My cover doesn't come off. There's so much dust and dirt on the back coils that it doesn't cool as good and water leaks out if the coils. :(

[@BillOfAllTrades2016]

My suggestion is to modify your ac vent like I did in the video in this link: kzbin.info/www/bejne/iZ6Wn6OfjsiVaNk Also the water is probably leaking because there is debris blocking the drain. After cleaning coils via the method in the link, dislodge anything stuck in the drain and all your issues should be solved. Hope this helps. Thanks for watching. Please like and subscribe

[@Scaveets]

I used this cleaner and my ac is blowing bubbles is this normal? (I’m actually being serious)

[@RXSVN_2]

That means you did not rinse off the cleaner very well after you finished using it. So you probably still have some of the cleaner left on the coils when You turn the AC on and that might be why it's blowing bubbles.

[@BillOfAllTrades2016]

Yes agreed. Just need to rinse more thoroughly and you should be A-OK. Thanks for watching. Please like and subscribe

[@Scaveets]

@@BillOfAllTrades2016 It says on the coil safe jug it was a rinse free formula that’s why I was a little confused.

[@Scaveets]

I let the unit run and kept draining it seemed to have worked but I’m unsure if it’s normal for the bottom could to drip water as well it looks like it’s flowing into a channel and it’s a bob on it. (Sorry first time cleaning it just unsure)

[@lorettalopez5500]

And where do you buy that cleaning stuff at

[@BillOfAllTrades2016]

I bought this one on Amazon. You can buy aerosol coil cleaners an Lowe’s, Home Depot, Rona etc. thanks for watching. Please like and subscribe

[@otherantking]

how old is your portable a.c?

[@BillOfAllTrades2016]

No idea. Picked this one up used.

[@viper3053]

Hey my ac unit is on blowing cold air on one side what should I do?

[@BillOfAllTrades2016]

Ac units are only supposed to blow air from one side. I’m not sure what the issue is that you are having

[@BnJiggyTV]

can we just use warm water ?

[@BillOfAllTrades2016]

Yes you can. But best to put some soap to kill the bacteria.

[@BnJiggyTV]

@@BillOfAllTrades2016 very happy I did too find your videos. What is the spray you are using?

[@BnJiggyTV]

@@BillOfAllTrades2016 can people use an air dust to clean it out too?

[@BillOfAllTrades2016]

I used a spray called Comstar Coil Safe Cleaner. It’s an ac condenser cleaner. Can be bought on Amazon.

[@lisaguerra6253]

Thank you so much! There is one less reason to need a man. lol.

[@BillOfAllTrades2016]

Don’t tell that to the guys. They get insecure and may shut me down to try to make women depend on them lol. Thanks for watching. Please like and subscribe

[@lorettalopez5500]

What temperature do you put that unit on

[@BillOfAllTrades2016]

I don’t own this unit. I cleaned it for a customer. But my unit I keep at 24 degrees Celsius. If it’s a super heat wave I go 23 degrees Celsius.

[@CheMathiewNgayihiAbbe]

So what's the difference between 24°and 23°, i think it's insignificant

[@riskybusiness3413]

Very helpful information but man, next time consider putting a towel or cardboard under that old unit so as not to scratch up your dryer. My girlfriend would go berserk if she saw me do that. Otherwise, thanks for the tips.

[@BillOfAllTrades2016]

I’ve seen this type of comment many a time lol. The machines are free handmedowns from my father and they are around 15 years old. My wife knows that I do tons of work ontop of the machines and she has said she is ok with it after I asked her about it. She says they are there for washing clothes, not for decoration. The tops already have tons of scratches. All is well. I appreciate you looking out for me though. And thanks for watching. Please like and subscribe. Ps you should have seen when I renovated my basement, people went nuts when they saw me mixing tile mortar in a bucket ontop of my pool table lol.

[@klopek007]

Why would they need air conditioners in Canada?

[@BillOfAllTrades2016]

I’m going to take you seriously here as there is no lol or smiley face at the end of your sentence. We just experienced a heat wave of 40 degrees Celsius last week. Canada is not all blanketed in ice. Just saying. They ought to teach a little more thoroughly in school I guess.

[@ryan9020]

Please tell me you're joking lmao..... You don't think we're all Eskimo's up here and live with snow 365 days a year, do you? That's definitely not the case.. I personally have 4 12,000 btu units going this summer, and it's almost not enough.. it's bloooody hot!

[@amiekim]

Mine is extremely different.

[@BillOfAllTrades2016]

Yes every brand will be different. This is just showing the basic concept. Not every unit is identical

[@oldtimerthom]

Hunny the new washer and dryer WTF

[@BillOfAllTrades2016]

That washer dryer set is 15 years old. No worries. Thanks for watching. Please like and subscribe

[@rustynail8203]

is this fella still alive? my wife would have buried me if she seen me use the washer to set the unit on like that lol. question, where did you purchase the coil cleaner ?

[@BillOfAllTrades2016]

The washer was a free handmedown from my father and it’s more than 10 years old. Not to worried about the machine and neither is my wife. I’ve used the top for many a video. The cleaner was purchased on Amazon. Here is the link a.co/d/aOfpswU Thanks for watching. Please like and subscribe

[@realcartoongirl]

the fins are so damaged from your cleaning

[@BillOfAllTrades2016]

The fins were already bent. But thanks for pointing that out. They can easily be straightened with a fin comb tool. Thanks for watching

[@laryangel4082]

3:33 mm

[@BillOfAllTrades2016]

What’s mm? Your comment doesn’t make sense

[@mweimorts]

I saw that you had the unit plugged in while cleaning it. It is the better practice to always unplug an electric appliance before servicing it.

[@BillOfAllTrades2016]

Umm ya.. I already know to unplug stuff before opening it up. Where exactly are you imagining seeing the unit plugged in? When it was on the floor the plug was on the ground out of frame. And when it was ontop of the washer the plug was hanging out of frame. I plugged the entire time. May wanna check your assumptions pal. Thanks for viewing though.

[@mweimorts]

​@@BillOfAllTrades2016​@​ I'm not your "pal." I was trying in the kindest possible language to point out a dangerous condition. Your reply to me did not indicate "in the beginning of the video, I clearly stated the the unit should be first unplugged." So, you didn't mention a warning and the video does not show an unplugged power cord, only a cord with unraveling electrical tape (whatever that is about). I reread my comment several times and I still do not understand how you took offense. I used no harsh language and was attempting to help you. So much for subscribing to your channel. Good luck in< in your pursuit of success on this platform.

[@BillOfAllTrades2016]

Lol It’s not my job to tell everyone to unplug something before servicing it. Just like when I do my automotive videos I don’t show where the axle stands are and speak about safely lifting a vehicle. My videos bring the knowledge of service. The viewer has to bring the common sense of safety. Maybe this is a good lesson about assumptions for you. Just because I don’t dangle the unplugged plug on camera the whole video, doesn’t mean it’s plugged in. And also I never took offense to your comment, I just found it confusing. Thanks again for watching. Take care.

[@johncallahan2256]

I can’t help but wonder how your wife felt about this.

[@BillOfAllTrades2016]

I’m not sure what you mean. How she felt about me cleaning ac coils?

[@39neilm19]

You are not serious right, most people do not have a garage of work area??????? utter madness!!!

[@BillOfAllTrades2016]

Doesn’t require a garage or work area. This video was filmed in the basement in my townhouse. You can also do on the floor of your living room, bedroom, kitchen etc. you just have to open your mind up and get creative. Life isn’t that difficult.