Your home can become uncomfortable when the indoor air becomes too dry.
But the good news is that the humidifiers work like a charm in making the air have the right humidity level.
But you need to know a few things to get the most out of the device. For example, you should know when and how to put salt in a humidifier.
You need to add salt to the humidifier when it fails to properly disperse the water molecules in the air. The salt will make the water boil quickly, which will make the device create more steam. However, you should not put salt in cool-mist humidifiers. Those devices do not heat up water.
Now, when it comes to how you should put the salt in a humidifier, you have to follow a few simple steps. So, without delay, let’s dive into the matter.
Why Do You Put Salt in a Humidifier?
What is all the fuss about adding salt to the humidifier? What does it do?
Well, before anything else, you should know that the process of adding salt to the humidifiers is only applicable to warm humidifiers. And warm humidifiers are the ones that utilize heat to produce mist.
Alongside that, you should also know that distilled water is the best type of water for humidifiers.
That said, some warm humidifiers will heat the water up using carbon electrodes.
These electrodes will be connected to the electricity supply. However, distilled water is not that conducive.
And as the current that flows through the electrodes is pretty small, it becomes hard for the device to produce heat.
Therefore, when you add salt, the conductivity of distilled water improves significantly. It lets the molecules move freely, which is why the water becomes easy to boil.
Now, when the water boils easily, more stem will start to come out of the steam.
So, in short, when you add salt to the water, you are basically increasing the conductivity of the water.
As a result, it becomes easy to heat up and boil, making it easy for the humidifier to produce steam.
Does the Salt Only Increase Conductance?
Adding salt to humidifiers mainly increases the conductance of the water inside the humidifier.
However, that is not all that it does. Along with just increasing the conductivity of the water, it offers these benefits –
- It helps the humidifier to efficiently disperse the water molecules in the air.
- Salt works like a charm in preventing the growth of mildew and mold inside the humidifiers.
- It acts like an anti-microbial agent and can kill fungi, bacteria, and other types of germs that tend to build up inside the humidifier.
- Salt acts like an anti-clumping agent, which means it can help to keep the filters clean and prevent sediments from building up.
- It can offer therapeutic benefits because salt can help to clear up nasal passages.
When You Should Not Add Salt to the Humidifiers?
Before you add salt to your humidifier, you need to check these few things –
- What type of humidifier do you have?
- What type of water are you using?
Let’s give you an explanation of why these are crucial.
You Should Not Use Salt in a Cool-Mist Humidifier
Firstly, you should not put salt in the humidifier if it is a cool-mist humidifier. These types of humidifiers do not use electricity to produce the mist.
So, the salt will be pretty much useless.
But what mechanism does the cool-mist humidifier use? These devices will utilize a fan or ultrasonic vibrators to produce moisture.
The ultrasonic vibration plates convert the water into tiny droplets while the fan evaporates the water.
When you add salt to a cool-mist humidifier, it can even start to settle in the tank.
And this salt buildup can clog the device, which will become a problem in the future.
There is No Need to Add Salt If You Do Not Use Distilled Water
If you are not using distilled water to run your humidifier, there is no need to add any salt. Other waters, such as tap water, already have impurities inside them.
And for all these impurities, the water does not have any trouble conducting electricity. So, adding salt will not really help.
How to Add Salt in the Humidifier?
The process of adding salt to the humidifier is pretty straightforward. You just have to go through the following steps –
Turn the Humidifier off and Prepare It
Before anything else, you need to turn the device off. Unplug it from the wall outlet and then open the tank.
It would be a good idea to empty the tank and add new water. And when it comes to adding new water to the reservoir, make sure to use distilled water.
Add Two Pinches of Salt for Every Liter
After filling up the reservoir with water, get yourself some salt and add it to the water. For every liter, you will need two pinches of salt.
The total water capacity will depend on the humidifier you are using. So, there is really no universal amount of salt that needs to be added to the device.
Mix the Salt in the Water
Get yourself a spoon or stick and stir the water well. We recommend cleaning the stick or spoon properly before putting it in the water.
Giving the water a good swirl will distribute the salt to the water and make sure that the salt works efficiently.
Turn the Humidifier on and Enjoy Moist Air
Once you are done mixing the salt in the water, all that is left for you to do is turn the device back on. Plug it into the wall outlet and press the switch.
Read More: Can You Put Vinegar In A Humidifier?
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How much salt do you put in a Vicks humidifier?
You need to add two pinches of salt for every liter of water that is in your Vicks humidifier. For example, if your Vicks humidifier has 2 liters of water, you will need to add four pinches of salt.
2. Where do you put salt in a humidifier?
You should put salt in the water reservoir of the humidifier. However, the salt will not come into use if you are not using distilled water or a hot-mist humidifier. In fact, the salt can initiate clogging in cool-mist humidifiers, making the humidifier malfunction.
3. Is it possible to add salt to an air humidifier?
As long as the air purifier uses distilled water and is a warm-mist humidifier, you can add salt to it. However, it is a good idea to read the instructions of the manufacturer. If there is a clear restriction regarding using salt for the humidifier, do not add it!
Final Words
Learning when and how to put salt in a humidifier will allow you to get more out of your warm-mist humidifier.
However, no matter what you do, you should not add baking soda or salt to the device if the manufacturer does not recommend doing so.
You can damage the device and make it require costly repairs.
Last Updated on May 19, 2023
