What is the correct home maintenance routine between two sanitisings? I want a list
This page explains a situation in an editorial format. It is not an open discussion board or a verified customer review. Contact us on WhatsApp about your own appliance.
Titan, near Auchan Titan, 1978 block, two Daikin units (living room 12,000, bedroom 9,000), 2 years old, sanitised in May. I want to keep them clean as long as possible. What do I do, how often, and what do I not touch? A clear list, please, not 'it depends'.
What is really happening
Every item has a reason. Filters every 2 weeks – the common Daikin, Mitsubishi, LG, Panasonic recommendation: a clean filter reduces the dust reaching the evaporator (the main fouling factor) and consumption by 5–15%. 'Fan' before shut-off – dries the evaporator and pan; mould needs surface humidity above 80%, and 20–30 minutes of ventilation brings it below the threshold; manufacturers explicitly recommend this before long pauses. 25–26 °C – less condensate, less biofilm, and the range INSP and Daikin Romania recommend for health. Humidity 40–55% – below the dust-mite threshold (50%) and within the range with the fewest adverse effects. Torch on the roller – the most contaminated component; when you see dots or felt, you know it is time. Annual sanitising – Daikin requires periodic specialist maintenance, ASHRAE annual coil inspection; a bedroom unit rebuilds its biofilm within a season or two.
- Switch off and follow the safety instructions in the manual.
- Wash only filters identified as washable by the manufacturer.
- Let them dry as instructed before refitting.
- Daikin, Mitsubishi Electric, LG and Panasonic recommend cleaning the indoor unit's dust filters every 2 weeks. [Daikin, 2023]
- Replacing a dirty, clogged filter with a clean one can lower an air conditioner's energy consumption by 5–15% (US DOE). [US Department of Energy – Energy Saver, 2024]
- Manufacturers recommend running the unit in fan-only mode for several hours to dry the interior before long periods of non-use, precisely to prevent odour and mould. [Daikin Europe, 2020]
- Mould does not grow below roughly 80% surface relative humidity, but the cold surfaces inside an air conditioner constantly exceed this threshold. [WHO / NCBI Bookshelf, 2009]
What we do on site
- The annual visit: collection cover, cleaning solution, pressure wash in place of evaporator, roller, pan, sanitising solution; outdoor unit washed in place.
- We check the Daikin fine filters and tell you when they are due.
- We leave you the list below, laminated, for the fridge.
- See current rates on the Prices page.
What you can do yourself
- Every 2 weeks: filters out, warm water + dish soap, fully dried, refitted.
- Daily: 'Fan' 20–30 minutes before shut-off (timer).
- Monthly: housing and louvres with a damp cloth (unit off); balcony hose end clear.
- Once a season: torch behind the filters on roller and evaporator.
- Always: 25–26 °C, hygrometer 40–55%, 10-minute airing in the morning.
- Before a holiday: 2–3 hours on 'Fan', then off.
What NOT to do
- Do not touch the evaporator, roller, pan, electronics box.
- Do not use sprays, bleach, vinegar, solvents, air fresheners.
- Do not fit extra filters over the originals.
- Do not remove anything except filters and louvres (if the manual shows them as detachable).
Prevention
With the list above, a unit sanitised in May reaches the next May clean. Without it, in a kitchen or bedroom, it can smell by August.
When to call us
Annual reminder and booking: 0764 012 943, Monday–Saturday 08:00–20:00. Titan.
Related threads
Vinegar, baking soda, tea tree oil in the unit – do 'natural' remedies work?
Explanations and useful checks for this situation: Vinegar, baking soda, tea tree oil in the unit – do 'natural' remedies work?
I want to wash the unit myself with a garden sprayer – what is the risk?
Explanations and useful checks for this situation: I want to wash the unit myself with a garden sprayer – what is the risk?
Store-bought AC cleaning spray – worth it, and how is it used correctly?
Explanations and useful checks for this situation: Store-bought AC cleaning spray – worth it, and how is it used correctly?
After renovation, the unit blows white dust and cools poorly – needs cleaning or is it broken?
Explanations and useful checks for this situation: After renovation, the unit blows white dust and cools poorly – needs cleaning or is it broken?
Dry night cough in a 3-year-old, only in the AC season
Explanations and useful checks for this situation: Dry night cough in a 3-year-old, only in the AC season
Sources (13)
- web-manual.dit-daikin.com/ra/en/cleaning_filters/
- www.manualslib.com/manual/3613226/Mitsubishi-Electric-Msz-Ln18vg2w.html?page=7
- www.lg.com/africa/support/product-help/CT20080060-20153301478951
- www.manualslib.com/manual/1236787/Panasonic-Cs-Vu12skq.html?page=13
- www.energy.gov/energysaver/maintaining-your-air-conditioner
- www.daikin-ce.com/content/dam/document-library/operation-manuals/ac/split/ftxf-d/FTXF-D_Op
- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK143947/
- www.daikin.ro/ro_ro/daikin-hub/articole-aer-conditionat/aer-conditionat-canicula.html
- www.edupedu.ro/cum-ne-protejam-de-canicula-recomandarile-institutului-national-de-sanatate
- www.radioromania.ro/Actualitate/insp-recomandari-pentru-protectie-in-perioada-de-canicula-
- pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11149998/
- www.jacionline.org/article/S0091-6749(99)70298-8/fulltext
- www.ashrae.org/file%20library/technical%20resources/standards%20and%20guidelines/standards
The information on this page is educational and based on cited sources; it does not replace medical advice. We do not do repairs, installation or refrigerant circuit work.