'Disgusting' air conditioner filters good as new again thanks to a $5 cleaning product

Air conditioner filters are one of those things that need cleaning about once a month or so, but often get forgotten about with all the other things we need to clean in the home.

One woman has discovered what two years of dirt and dust build-up in an air conditioner looks like when she cleaned her filters recently.

She posted photos of the filthy filters and explained how she cleaned them in the Facebook group Mums Who Clean.

"They were DIS-GUS-TING! The dust actually turned to sludge the minute I tried to rinse it off. High powered spray nozzle on my shower head couldn't even lift it," she posted.

READ MORE: All the best tech, kitchen and fashion deals in Amazon's Big Smile Sale

After trying to clean them by rinsing, the woman turned to Lectric Soda, which is a popular all-round cleaner that is most commonly used as a detergent booster in washing machines. The product is just $5 at Coles and Woolworths for a kilo bag.

"I sprinkled some Lectric Washing Soda on it, a bit more water to make it into a paste and gently scrubbed with a soft toothbrush, and they came up good as new!" she said.

Having seen how bad the dirt and dust build-up gets, the mum said she'll be cleaning them regularly from now on.

It's probably safe to say anyone who wasn't cleaning their air conditioner regularly before seeing her photos will be doing the same now too.

READ MORE: Air conditioning is costing Aussies $2.4 billion a year

Other members of the Facebook group related to the woman's experience and offered their own air conditioner filter cleaning methods.

"I also cleaned air conditioner vents recently, and found that soaking them in Nappy San and hot water for a few mins (pouring it over them actually) made it so much easier to get out! I then rinsed with the hose and it all came out. Amazing," one said.

"It was a much thicker filter than yours, not a screen, more like wadding. And the frame that holds it in is like a grid with lots of tiny squares, a pain to clean. But this made short work of it. I tried Miracle Spray first, because I find that cleans anything, but in this scenario it didn't do the trick. Nappy San was the miracle in this case!" they added.

Another said, "I use a bannister brush first to remove loose dust. Then dishwashing liquid, hot water and bannister brush. I'm a cleaner and clean multiple filters often."

READ MORE: Professional cleaner reveals she doesn't use disinfectant

One member of the group shared a really helpful tip that will make cleaning the filters a lot quicker and easier.

"Important when cleaning filters. Remove the dirt the same side the dirt has entered the filter. Don't try and vacuum or brush from the wrong side. It will embed the dust within the fibres of the filter," they said.

And it's not just the air conditioner filters we need to consider. Mould can grow inside the appliance as well.

"Check your air con for mould. The filters wouldn't have allowed the correct airflow which means the condensation would have build up in the system," one commented.

READ MORE: The $11 Bunnings product that transformed woman's dirty grout back to bright white

Some Mums Who Clean members said they actually get their air conditioners professionally cleaned to help keep their units free of dust, dirt, and mould.

"The going price here is $60-$100 for an air conditioner clean and for me (time poor) it is definitely worthwhile. I had noticed a musty smell, so figured it must be time to get it done again. No more smell and my asthma has improved," a woman commented.

"I paid $60 to get our air conditioner cleaned and sanitised. I was told every degree under 25 accelerated mould growth. We get ours done every year," said another.

Apart from getting rid of dust and mould, cleaning air conditioner filters will save you money on your power bills, as the unit has to work harder to run when the filters are full of dirt.

Of course, the cleaner your air conditioner filters are the cleaner the air you'll be breathing in.