Are you tired of paying too many expenses or electricity bills for air conditioners? If yes, then a window air conditioner is the best choice for you! In some spacious rooms, the central aircon does not reach every corner bringing up the need for a window air conditioner. Not only the window air conditioners are cost-effective, but also they cool down the room quite enough just like split air conditioners.

Despite the benefits of a window air conditioner, one thing that bothers many people is that it can grow mold and mildew in it, if not cleaned properly at least once a year. Also, when heat, water, and dust are mixed, they give off an unpleasant smell which leads to a smelly environment. Isn’t it the worst feeling when you expect to relax in a pleasant environment, but instead you smell something musty? It surely is!

Are you facing a similar problem? Don’t worry! All you have to do is just follow some professional cleaning methods, and you will get rid of all the unpleasant odors. But before discussing the maintenance methods, let us see what causes these bad odors.

Burning odor:

If you don’t turn on the AC for a significant time, there is a chance that dust may get accumulated in it. After this gap, when you turn on the AC, the dust starts burning which causes an unpleasant smell.

Although it isn’t dangerous if this is the cause, the burning smell can occur due to other reasons as well. For example, the actual burning of any part of the window air conditioner. In this situation, you have to be very careful and turn off the AC until it is repaired.

Musty Odor:

Sometimes, you can smell a musty odor from your window air conditioner which also feels very awful. This smell develops due to microbial growth as a result of moisture present in the window air conditioner for quite some time.

Gunmetal Odor:

Have you ever smelled something like gunmetal coming from your window air conditioner? You might have! But what’s the reason behind it? Let us tell you!

In some cases any part of your window air conditioner, for example, the circuit board or fan motor, can short out and give off such kinds of scents. In such cases, it is very important to turn off the window air conditioner immediately.

Exhaust Fumes:

You might have smelled exhaust fumes odor in your kitchen or coming out of your refrigerator. The same scent can be felt near a window air conditioner.

When there is a leakage in the refrigerant line of the air conditioner, multiple chemicals are released into the air filling it with the smell of exhaust fumes. It is suggested to ventilate the area as soon as possible by opening all the doors and windows and not to operate the AC without getting it repaired by a professional.

Steps to remove the smell of window AC:

Take the AC’s power plug out and detach the window air conditioner from its place. Put it somewhere outdoors where you find it easy to clean.
Now open the window air conditioner by removing the front filter cover. To open most of the window AC parts, all you have to do is press them upward or downward and they will be unlocked easily.
Pull out the foremost filter cover from the appliance. Clean out all the accumulated dirt and fluff from the filters by using a brush. Put some drops of dust cleaner on the filter and clean it by brushing very gently. Wash out and then let it dry.
Now, have a quick look at the screen behind the filters, and make sure there is no filth present on it. Try to get rid of all the dust by sweeping it using a cloth or any gentle brush. But if the dust doesn’t come off, try using a cleaner to remove it instead of leaving the screen dirty.
At the edges of the cabinet housing, you will find some screws that are holding all the parts of the air conditioner together. Grab a screwdriver and take out all the screws to open the window AC and clean it from inside as well.
Find the fins and condenser coil of the window air conditioner, and clean them efficiently using a smooth yet gentle brush and soap cleaner.
Next comes the lower part of the window air conditioner. To clean it, go to the bottom pan and remove all the dust from its surface you may rain set with clean water to sleep out all the dirt perfectly. Also, it is recommended to clean the drain hole at the back of the AC to make sure there is no blockage.
Now recheck all the internal parts in the cabinet of the window air conditioner to make sure no mold or dust can lead to an unpleasant smell when the AC is turned on. If there is any dirty area, don’t hesitate to use the cleaner or rinse those parts with water.
Make sure all the parts of the air conditioner are well dried and clean. Attach all the removed parts and place the window air conditioner in its place. You are good to go!

How to prevent your air conditioner from giving off a bad odor:

What’s better than preventing your AC from such a mess beforehand? Absolutely nothing! Here we are going to mention some of the easy steps that can maintain your AC very well. Have a look!

It is recommended to turn the fan at a high speed so that a maximum amount of air passes through the filters avoiding the growth of mold.
Check the drain pan regularly to make sure it isn’t holding water to minimize the chances of mold growth. If the mold has already grown, then rinse the drain pan using bleach and warm water.
Clean the coils regularly to get rid of mold or mildew and keep your window air conditioner clean. You can use a coil brush along with bleach mixture and warm water, and spray it on the coils. Now use the cleaning solution to flush the coils and rinse them afterward. Do not put the wet components back on the air conditioner; make sure they are dry.
If it has been a month or two since you haven’t changed the filters, then it’s time that you consider replacing them. Usually, it depends on the usage of the air conditioner but if you turn it on regularly, then make sure you replace or clean them every couple of months. You can use warm soapy water to wash the filters and then dry them properly using a mild cloth to avoid any damage.