Can You Put Salt in a Humidifier?
Humidifier technology has come a long way from what it used to be from the old evaporative humidifiers to the modern ultrasonic humidifiers.
But this modernization of humidifiers has made them work differently. Some old tricks we use on the good old evaporative humidifiers don’t work on ultrasonic humidifiers.
One of those old tricks is adding salt to the humidifier’s water tank. People used to do that, and some do it with modern humidifiers. But should we add salt to humidifiers or fill in the salt water in the humidifier tank? Will adding salt do any good at all? Or will it destroy the humidifier? Find out in this article.
Contents
Why Would You Want to Use Salt In A Humidifier?
Before we talk about the pros and cons of adding salt to a humidifier, we need to know why someone would want to add salt.
When you add salt to the water, it breaks and weakens the chemical bonds between water molecules. It also slightly increases the temperature of the water. Because of this weakened chemical bond and increased temperature, the water evaporates quickly.
So when you add salt to the water, the evaporative humidifier works faster. But there are other unusual reasons why people add salt to humidifiers. One example is that by adding salt, the humidifier creates a salty fresh air environment in the room.
Can You Put Salt In A Humidifier?
It depends on the type of your humidifier. Always check the user manual of your humidifier. The manufacturer usually either explains how to add salt to your humidifier correctly or lists salt among substances that should not be used in the humidifier.
Can You Put Salt In Cool-Mist Humidifier?
No, you can’t put salt in a cool mist humidifier because it can significantly damage your humidifier and shorten its life. So it’s better to avoid using sea salt in the ultrasonic cool mist humidifier.
Ultrasonic humidifiers work by vibrating a disk at a specific frequency, which physically disperses the water droplets into the air. This type of humidifier has many moving metal parts. These can rust, and saltwater accelerates the rusting process. Even if the parts are stainless, they can corrode because of the acceleration caused by the saltwater.
In addition, the salt increases the impurity of the water in the humidifier. This causes increased mineral deposits to form in the humidifier. These deposits damage the ultrasonic disk, clog the filter, and cause damage. This also applies to evaporative humidifiers.
Can You Put Salt In the Warm Mist Humidifier?
Yes, you can put salt in a warm mist humidifier. If you’re using an evaporative humidifier, adding salt won’t harm the humidifier.
Evaporative humidifiers boil the water and release the steam into the air to create humidity. Evaporative humidifiers use a wick and a fan to humidify the room. None of them has a complicated mechanism that could be damaged by the salt. But the life of some components (water filter, wick) is shortened by mineral deposits.
Can I Put Himalayan Salt in My Humidifier?
Yes, you can put Himalayan salt in your humidifier. But why would anyone want to put the pink Himalayan salt in a humidifier? Some people believe that adding Himalayan salt to the humidifier will cause it to expel all the beneficial properties of salt in the air.
This isn’t entirely true. Himalayan salt is considered healthy because it has less sodium per tablespoon and contains other trace minerals. Otherwise, it’s just like regular salt.
If you want to create a healthy environment with your humidifier, you can also consider using essential oils. They’re famous for performing aromatherapies.
Can You Put Too Much Salt in A Humidifier?
Yes, it is possible to put too much salt in a humidifier. If you put too much salt in a warm mist humidifier, you can kill the appliance on the spot. If you add salt to the water, it boils faster. So if you add too much salt, the water will boil over. This will damage the internal heating components of the warm mist humidifier. This is the most essential humidifier component, and it’ll stop working.
If you do the same with a cold mist humidifier, it’ll cause excessive mineral buildup. This will reduce the effectiveness of the humidifier, and it’ll slowly stop working.
If you put an excessive amount of salt in an evaporative humidifier, you’ll need to change the wick frequently to keep the humidifier working properly.
So far, adding too much salt reduces the effectiveness of all humidifiers and makes them fail. So you should only add a small amount of salt to a humidifier if you want to.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much salt should I put in my humidifier?
Please follow the manufacturer’s advice and put in a humidifier as much salt as directed. The amount usually varies between a pinch of salt and a teaspoon depending on the water reservoir size.
What type of salt can I put in my humidifier?
I am currently researching which type of salt – table salt, sea salt, or Himalayan salt is best for use in a vaporizer. And here is my article where I explore whether you can put bath salts in your humidifier.
Conclusion
So can you put salt in a humidifier? Yes, you can, but you should check if the manufacturer allows it. Adding salt can increase mineral buildup. If you add too much salt, the appliance can fail. Therefore, you should be careful and consider all pros and cons.
If you want to create a pleasant scent in your room, you can add other substances to your humidifier.
