7 Useful Tips for Using A Humidifier! (2024)

TaoTronicsinvestigates the best tips for using a humidifier, from where to put it to whatkind of water you should be putting in it!

Humidifiersare a fantastic item that you never knew you needed. Effectively moisturizingthe air, they help save your body from the effects of dry rooms and the harshrealities of winter.

Butplacing them in your room to get the most effective use is a fine art akin to fengshui.

Shouldthey be close to your bed or as far away as possible? Do you need to usedistilled water, and what happens if you’re using a humidifier for a nursery?

We’ve gotthe answers to all your questions, and some you might not have thought about!

Here are 7useful tips for using a humidifier – your very own humidifier FAQ. And don’tforget, if we’ve missed anything feel free to comment and our TaoTronicsexperts will get back to you ASAP!

Quick Jump:

Where Should I Place My Humidifier?

How Close Should a Humidifier be to My Bed?

Where is the Best Place for A Humidifier in My Bedroom?

What Humidity Should I Set My Humidifier To?

What Kind of Water Can You Use in A Humidifier?

What Should I Put In My Humidifier To Prevent Mold?

How Often Should I Clean My Humidifier?

WhereShould I Place My Humidifier?

Obviously, there are two key things to bear in mind when deciding on a spot for your humidifier.

1. Firstly, the humidifier should be placed on a small table, or other piece of furniture at least two feet off the ground.
2. Secondly, you should be able to place a towel or some form of sheet under the humidifier to protect your furniture.

These aregreat basics to bear in mind because it doesn’t just narrow down your options,but it will prevent any damage to your floors or ceilings!

You wantto place the humidifier at least two feet off the floor in case of any leaks,and so that you can’t accidentally knock it over. Some humidifiersautomatically switch off if the tank is tipped; this is a great bonus.

Humidifierscan also have a large mist plume to cover larger rooms. If you’re placing ithigh up – on top of a wardrobe, say – this plume will hit into the ceiling,adding moisture and reducing the effectiveness of the device.

Placing atowel or mat under your humidifier is a good way to protect any furniture fromdamage, like if you spill water while filling the humidifier. It can also addsome glamour to your room!

How CloseShould a Humidifier be to My Bed?

One of the key tips for using a humidifier in your bedroom is placing it at the correct distance from your bed.

Specifically, we recommend that you keep your humidifier at a distance of around 3 feet from your bed – although there’s no inherent harm in placing it closer, if you’re restricted on room.

Thisdistance is recommended for a variety of reasons. Not least, if you own a warmmist humidifier it needs to be far enough away from your bed that if it fallsit won’t spill hot water over you!

Unless you have a humidifier that is precision designed with patented technology to keep noise at a minimum, it’s best to keep it further away from your bed so you can sleep. The sound of a fan or water dripping right next to your head can be something to focus on, disturbing your sleep.

Plus, youwant the moisture to be diffused throughout the air rather than concentratedright next to your nose and mouth. Moist air keeps mucus thinner, allowing youto breathe more easily. So while having your humidifier next to your head mightfeel like a relief at first, it isn’t recommended long term.

Where isthe Best Place for a Humidifier in My Bedroom?

Locationwise, this is up to you and based on the layout of your room. If you follow ourprevious advice, you’ll probably have a location in mind already!

Otherthan that, we can recommend that larger humidifiers are placed in the corner ofyour bedroom. Not only are they out the way, it means they’re in the optimalplace to provide full room coverage.

If you have bought your humidifier solely to sleep better, somewhere nearer to your bed would make sense. Make sure it is only cool mist! A warm mist humidifier should be placed somewhere it can’t harm anyone if it falls.

Quick tip– don’t keep it near a window or in direct sunlight.

What Humidity Should I Set My Humidifier To?

Obviously, you can choose whatever setting feels best for you. But to avoid the problems of too little or too high humidity, we recommend you maintain a humidity level of between 45% and 50%.

Thisshould make it comfortable for you to sleep without too much humidification.

What Kindof Water Can You Use in A Humidifier?

For the best results, you can’t just put any old water into your humidifier! One of our most important tips for using a humidifier is that you need one of two special types of water.

Distilled Water

Distilledwater is water that has been boiled and then cooled again to remove all of itsimpurities including bacteria, salts and minerals. The water is boiled and thesteam is captured and allowed to turn back into water. The impurities won’trise with the steam; what’s left in the new container is distilled water.

This isthe most common form of purifying water. You can buy it from stores, andusually that will have been through an extra filtration process (seedemineralized water, below!) to make sure it’s as pure as possible.

On the other hand, you can make it yourself (though it’s not going to be quite as pure!) – learn how to do that here!

Demineralized water

Demineralized water is water that has had all of the dissolved minerals in it completely removed. It’s more economic than distillation, though that is a way you can achieve it. In addition, you can also get demineralized via deionization, membrane filtration (reverse osmosis or nanofiltration), or electrodyalisis.

Demineralization doesn’t remove bacteria and viruses like distillation does.

If the water goes through one of these systems then the amount of mineralsin the water can be bought right down, even as low as 1mg a liter! However, youshould note that this kind of water definitely isn’t for drinking. It is saidto taste gross, for one, and not quench your thirst.

WhatShould I Put in My Humidifier to Prevent Mold?

One worry when you have water in any device is mold. There are a few tips for using a humidifier that will help make sure your humidifier stays clean!

1. Add White Vinegar: Fill your humidifier with water, distilled or otherwise, and also add a cup of white vinegar to the tank. This will help prevent any mold from growing.
2. Humidifier Tablets: You can also purchase humidifier tablets to drop into the tank. They dissolve in under ten minutes and can have aromas! They help to extend the life of your humidifier by keeping the tank clean whilst the water is inside.
3. Add Other Materials: There’s also other things you can add to your humidifier’s tank. These include drops of tea tree oil and even a small amount of chlorine bleach, although whether you want that material in your bedroom is up to you!

How Often Should I Clean My Humidifier?

Even using distilled water, you will want to make sure you clean your humidifier regularly. In particular, this is to get rid of any mineral traces, and also to make sure that no water is left to go stagnant.

The American Lung Association’s Assistant Vice President of National Policy, Janice Nolen, recommends cleaning your humidifier daily. However, if you have a busy routine this simply isn’t possible. In that case, we recommend that you clean your humidifier at least once every three days. Although if you don’t use is as often, clean it once a week. It’s up to you how often you choose!

Quick Cleaning Guide

1. First, unplug the humidifier, and take it apart by removing the tank/tank opening. Make sure you know how to fit it all back together!
2. Second, use white vinegar to clean all the areas that come into contact with water. They’ll need to be soaked for around 15 minutes.
3. Next, while these parts are soaking, fill the tank up to around half way and add a teaspoon of bleach. Make sure the lid is on tightly and move the water around to get full coverage of the tank, and a full clean. Again, leave the mixture in to soak for around 15 minutes.
4. Rinse off all the parts – tap water is fine for this! Make sure there’s no smell left, as this is a good guide for the humidifier being clean.

That’s it! You just need to reassemble the humidifier. Replace the filter as often as is recommended and you’ll easily get purer air.

Now you know the basics, we’ve written a more in-depth explanation on our blog, so be sure to check that out!

Tips for Using A Humidifier – Conclusions

To round up, getting a humidifier is a great way to help ease your breathing in winter and help your skin, when dry air can wreak havoc. Now you have learned, from our tips on using a humidifier, that simply placing it in the right area of your bedroom and cleaning it once a week will make all the difference.

If you’re interested in buying a humidifier, you should check out the TaoTronics range. We have a guide to our different humidifiers here, so you can find the one that’s perfect for you!