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Last Updated on August 23, 2024 by Paul Clayton
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Optimize Your RV Air Conditioner: 5 Tips
The air conditioner in your RV is one of the critical items that ensures home-like comfort during your journey. And since the climate can change drastically when traveling across states, you may often use your RV AC.
Steps to Clean your RV Air Conditioner
- Remove the filter
- Vacuum the filter
- Wash the filter
- Deal with bacteria
- Dry the filter & place it back
Be sure that your air conditioner is delivering the cooling capacity that it is designed to provide, and there is some occasional maintenance that you need to do. In particular, you need to ensure the AC’s filter is clean.
And if you don’t know how to clean the filter of your RV air conditioner, this material is for you.
Why is it important to keep your AC filter clean?
While your RV AC (and any AC) works, the air constantly goes through it. And since air is often not perfectly clean, air conditioners employ a filter system to restrict the inflow of contaminants.
AC filters physically trap the contaminants, and, needless to say, if you don’t occasionally clean the filter, it will have all sorts of nasty stuff built up on it. This is undesirable for several reasons.
First, the filter protects the interior components of the AC from getting damaged by debris from outside. Thus, proper care is necessary to ensure that the filter stays intact.
Secondly, a dirty filter will severely restrict the effectiveness of your RV’s cooling system. Dust or grime buildup on the filter can reduce airflow through the AC. You will get less airflow from your AC, and it may start drawing more energy to achieve its regular cooling capacity.
The dirt could also start accumulating in the RV ducts, which can cause respiratory issues over time, especially in people with respiratory conditions.
Lastly, a dirty filter could make your entire AC go bad if left unaddressed for a long time. And replacing an air conditioner isn’t the cheapest and easiest thing to do in the world.
How to clean RV air conditioner filters?
Now, a thing to remember with filters is that they can be washed only if they aren’t disposable one-time-use filters. Your RV’s AC probably has washable filters, but you should ensure they can be cleaned just in case.
If your AC unit’s filters aren’t washable, you must replace them. Please don’t attempt to wash a disposable filter since it will likely get damaged. And it probably won’t regain its former effectiveness.
Remove the filter
Please turn off the electrical supply of your air conditioner and remove its protective cover. Your RV’s AC unit may have screws that you have to remove, or you may have to push tabs to release the cover. You don’t need to remove the cover altogether because you can safely remove the filter while it is partially unscrewed.
For instructions on removing the air filter from your air conditioner, consult the AC’s user manual.
Remember that you should not turn your conditioner on without the filter in. Unfiltered air will rush into your RV, and debris will most likely severely damage your AC unit.
Vacuum the filter
Take the filter out of the RV to prevent all the dirt and dust from contaminating your interior. Then, use a vacuum on a medium or low setting to remove visible dust and grime from the surface of the filter. Make sure not to press on the filter too hard so that you don’t break or dent it.
While vacuuming the filter, it may seem that not too much dirt is coming from it. This will probably happen if the filter hasn’t been contaminated too heavily. You should still give the filter a good vacuum cleaning to make the following steps easier.
On the other hand, don’t think you can get all the dirt off the filter if it is filthy. Suck up as much as you can before moving to the next step.
Regular cleaning may be enough to vacuum the filter and not do deep cleaning. However, this will work only if there is no tough grime on the filter.
Wash the filter
If you feel vacuuming your filter hasn’t made it clean enough, wash it.
Prepare a container with lukewarm water and add a mild detergent to it. Mix the water with the detergent to create a rich lather.
You may use the bathtub in the RV shower as a container if that’s feasible for you. 
Avoid using robust cleaning solutions since they can easily damage the filter.
Submerge the filter in the cleaning solution and move it around to get completely covered with the soapy solution. Leave the filter in the water for 10-15 minutes. If the filter is very grimy, leave it in the solution for 1-2 hours, more if necessary.
You may also use a soft brush to help the grime come off the filter. Do not use abrasive tools since they could easily damage the delicate surface of the filter.
You can alternatively hose both sides of the filter until only clean water drips out of it. But make sure not to use a pressurized hose nozzle since water under pressure could easily damage the delicate filter.
If doing this step in the RV shower, you may use the detachable shower head to rinse the filter.
Deal with bacteria
After the filter is cleaned from dirt and grime, it is time for you to get rid of the bacteria that are likely thriving on it. Mix a solution of equal parts of water with vinegar. Put the solution in a spray bottle and spray both sides of the filter.
Let the filter sit for around 10 minutes, and then rinse it with running water. You may hose your filter down if you have the equipment.
Dry the filter & place it back.
Putting the filter back in the AC while it is wet is a bad idea. It would be best to let it air-dry for several hours before installing it back in the AC.
If you have a rack, place it on a clean surface outside the RV and put the filter on top for drying. If you don’t have a rack, place some dry newspapers outside the RV and put the filter over them and against a wall.
Once you are sure that the filter is completely dry in a few hours, put it back into the AC and reinstall the cover. Now, you should be able to enjoy pure & uninterrupted airflow in your RV.
Tips on RV air conditioner filter maintenance
After cleaning up your air conditioner filter, you shouldn’t place it back and forget about it for several months. Before your next cleaning session, you should maintain the filter in good condition to ensure it lives long and that the AC delivers the expected cooling performance.
Here are some tips on how to take care of your air conditioner’s filter between cleaning services.
Use the AC’s automatic cleaning function.
Use your RV’s air conditioning unit with an auto-cleaning function. AC units with this function use an internal brush device to remove dust from the filter. Then, the dust is deposited in a small chamber, which eventually gets blown outside.
It would be best not to use your RV’s air conditioner’s built-in auto cleanup function as a substitute for occasional cleanups. It will just help the filter stay cleaner for longer, but it won’t be able to deal with tough contaminations.
Regularly clean your AC filter.
This tip is an obvious one. You should regularly clean your air conditioner’s filter. To know how often you should clean the filter, consult the AC’s user manual. Some manufacturers recommend cleaning AC filters once every 30 days, while others suggest doing it once every two weeks. You should clean your RV AC unit more frequently if you have pets or allergies.
Replace the filter if necessary.
Every RV AC filter only has so much durability, and you won’t be able to clean it indefinitely. A time will come when the AC filter is no longer serviceable.
Usually, it is easy to spot wear in AC filters. If you notice holes, tears, or any other damage to your filter, replace it. It may be a good idea to have a few spare filters with you on the journey, though acquiring one at a nearby home appliances store shouldn’t be a problem.
Run the AC only when necessary.
Lastly, you should run your RV’s AC unit only when needed. This will not only decrease the rate of contamination in the AC but will also allow you to save RV power. Even if you have plenty of spare power, keep the AC off when it is not necessary.
Wrapping Up
Maintaining and optimizing your RV air conditioner is crucial for travel comfort. Regular cleaning is one of the best ways to maximize your RV air conditioner. The process can be broken down into five simple steps that anyone with basic DIY skills can perform.
The first step is to remove the filter from the air conditioning unit. It’s typically located behind a removable panel on the unit. The second step involves vacuuming the filter to remove loose dust and debris. This ensures that the filter doesn’t become clogged and can operate optimally.
The third step is to wash the filter. This can be done with a mild detergent and warm water, completely removing all dirt and grime. The fourth step is to deal with bacteria. This can be achieved using a specialized cleaning spray that kills bacteria on contact.
Finally, the filter should be placed back into the unit once it is clean and dry. This ensures that the air conditioner is ready to provide clean, fresh air once again. By following these steps, you can optimize your RV air conditioner and ensure it functions at its best, providing you with a comfortable environment during your journey.
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