How to Clean an A/C Condenser

An important part of maintaining your air conditioning system is to clean the air conditioning condenser. The condenser is the part of the air conditioning unit that sits outside your home. Often, people choose to take a garden hose and spray down their condenser, which can actually damage the fins on the condenser or even cause more damage to the unit if done carelessly. While hosing can sometimes do the trick, it's important to also conduct a more thorough cleaning of the condenser unit as described below. If you don't have the time to clean your condenser, you can find an HVAC contractor to do it for you.

What You'll Need

• Grass shearers
• Spray bottle
• Coil cleaner or mild household cleaner, such as mild soap
• Soft brush or even a toothbrush
• Comb
• Cleaner

What to Do

• Turn off the power to the condenser; there should be a shutoff box.
• If you are wondering why grass shearers are on this list of supplies, it's because the first step of cleaning your compressor is making sure that grass, plants and weeds have not grown too close to the unit. If they have, then you will have to do some shearing.
• Vacuum the fins with a soft brush attachment, just be careful not to bend or damage any of the coils. This step will make the following steps easier, as the vacuuming will remove a lot of dirt and dust.
• Once that is completed, put the coil cleaner or soapy water in a spray bottle and begin to spray the coils.
• Brush away! This step entails cleaning the fins of the condenser with a soft brush to remove accumulated dirt. You may have to remove the protective grille to reach them. Clean fins very carefully.
• The final step is to really use your common sense and check around your unit to see if everything is in check. Pay close attention to the concrete pad that your unit is on. If it is not level, consider having someone help you lift it in order to put some gravel or small rocks under it tolevel it out.