With temperatures reaching as high as 35ºC (95ºF) in the summer, it’s common for homes in Japan to have air conditioners, especially wall-mounted models. It’s important to clean your air conditioner on a regular basis when you’re using it often to avoid it circulating dust and pollen around your home and to keep your electricity costs down. The good news is it’s not difficult to clean a Japanese air conditioner — you can easily do it yourself to avoid spending a few thousand yen or more on a professional service.
Step 1: Buy the Products You’ll Need
Start by gathering the products you’ll need to clean your unit — you may have some things already. Key is air conditioner spray, which you’ll find in most drugstores and grocery stores. There are unscented options as well as those with fragrance, including floral and forest scents. Other cleaning equipment you may want includes newspaper, a cloth or toothbrush, and a handheld vacuum.
Step 2: Prepare the Unit
Before doing any cleaning, turn off the unit and unplug it.
You should be able to access inside of the unit simply by pulling the tabs on the ends to remove the cover — most models don’t require any tools to do this. Then, you’ll need to remove the dust filter (if it’s a large unit, it may have two filters), again by pulling the tabs.
Step 3: Clean the Filters
Depending on how dirty the filters are, you may need to give them a vacuum, laying them on top of the newspaper to do this. Make sure you just vacuum the side that’s covered in dust — otherwise, you may push the dust further into the mesh.
You should then give the filters a wash to remove the rest of the dirt — taking them to your shower is a good way to do this. Use a cloth or toothbrush to gently scrub out any remaining dust. Leave the filters to dry, but avoid leaving them in direct sunlight, as they could warp in the heat.
Step 4: Apply the Air Conditioner Spray
Follow the directions on the air conditioner spray to apply it inside of the unit. Typically, you’ll need to hold it around 5.0 cm from the fins of the air conditioner and apply a decent amount. Make sure none of the liquid makes contact with the electronic components. It’s a good idea to do this with your windows open, especially if you chose a scented spray.
Step 5: Reassemble the Unit
Wait at least 10 minutes after applying the spray before putting everything back together. Make sure the filters are completely dry, then snap them back into place and close up the unit. Remember to plug it back in once you’re done.
If you don’t already have an air conditioner in your home in Japan, it may be worth purchasing one to cope with the heat. You won’t find any central air conditioners for sale because it’s customary in Japan to just cool the room you’re in — it’s considered wasteful to cool the entire house. This means you should purchase units just for the rooms you use the most often. Luckily, the installation will be easy, although you do need to request permission from your landlord.
RuinDig/Yuki Uchida, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
