If the grille doesn't come off with a little bit of pressure, use a putty knife to pop it out of place. Dust, hair, and lint have a way of drifting toward air conditioner window units, so they should be cleaned periodically. While it’s turned off for the season, take the opportunity to clean the interior side of your AC unit. Use a vacuum's brush attachment and an old toothbrush to clean the fins. Using a vinegar-and-water solution can assist in cleaning the dirt and stains. Let the unit dry completely before you move on to the next step.Īfter this, lightly hose down the unit and scrub down the dirt where required. After the unit has been cleaned of dirt and debris, rinse it off with plain water. Liquid dish soap will work fine for this. Use a garden hose or a large spray bottle to thoroughly clean your AC unit on the exterior side. Use a water hose to thoroughly rinse both the outside and inside of the condensing unit to remove dirt, bird droppings, dust, and leaves. You will also need to don your work gloves and remove any foliage, weeds, or other debris from around your outdoor condensing unit. You can do this with a high-pressure hose or your hands just get out as much gunk as possible. Step 2 - Wash the AC Unitīefore you seal the outside part of your air conditioner, you need to clean out the debris. In that scenario, you would not want to turn off the blower unit. In some applications, you can also cut the power to the indoor evaporator/air handler, but that will depend on if your furnace uses its blower to distribute heated air through your home. Open the box and either flip the circuit breaker or pull the disconnect plug to cut the power.
Most often, a quick disconnect circuit box is located within three feet of the outdoor unit. Remember to turn it on again when the summer comes around, or you could spend some anxiety-ridden moments wondering why the unit isn’t kicking on.Ĭut the power to the outdoor condensing/compressor unit. Double check that your air conditioner is in the “off” position. This will prevent it from turning on during an unseasonably warm day, which can cause the unit to freeze when winter temperatures normalize. You'll want to open the control panel and turn off your AC unit. If you take a few steps to prepare your unit with a window air conditioner winter cover, your AC will continue to keep you cool for many summers to come. When you know you're done with your AC unit for the season, go ahead and winterize it before the weather starts to get really cold.