Day 232 of writing every day.
Mold and bacteria can build up in the moist environment that the inside of an air conditioner becomes when it cools air with the condenser. That is why there is a pipe and drain to remove the build up of precipitation, and I always find a small stream of water that’s built up after hours of having the AC on during these hot summer days while I’m at home.
The build up might be in the form of visible black splotches on the moving plastic parts that turn to adjust the angle the air blows at to better target which part of the room to focus cooling down. But the fins within the machine aren’t something that you can wipe down and a full wash would need the help of professional cleaners who can take apart the machine to get all the nooks and crannies, then put it all back together after drying it off properly.
Some things consumers can do is to use foamy sprays that can help keep the AC clean. The instructions of these sprays tell you to target the fins and after ten minutes or so, the residue will all flow out the runoff pipe. Unfortunately they’re no longer sold at the 100 yen stores, so when I happened to find them at a drugstore last night, they were sold at close to 1000 yen for a pack of 2.
The instructions says to use a full can for one cleaning, so it’s basically 500 yen to clean the AC, but if it reduces the risk of health issues stemming from mold, it’s still worth it. The second spray could be saved for later, like before winter when the AC does its other purpose as a heater. Central heating isn’t a thing in Japanese houses, at least not in parts where winters are mild. Unless you live in an old traditional long house with a fire pit room, the AC is the only thing that’s going to provide heat when temperatures get close to freezing. Charcoal and gas stoves are a fire hazard that most houses and apartments aren’t fit to use.
Anyways it’s hot now and there’s no escaping the summer heat besides relying on air-conditioning.
Thanks for reading!
One Chance Works 