Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsUsesRefill InstructionsComparing Humidifier TypesHumidifier Downsides
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Uses
Refill Instructions
Comparing Humidifier Types
Humidifier Downsides
Humidifiers increase the moisture of indoor air. Thedifference between a humidifier and a vaporizeris that a humidifier puts out cool mist, while a vaporizer releases hot steam.
This article explains the types, advantages, and disadvantages of humidifiers, including using one when you are sick or for your sleeping environment.
Bohdan Bevz / Getty Images
Purpose of a Humidifier
Some signs you may need ahumidifierinclude congestion or throat irritation due to dry air,allergies, or an infection.
Humidifiers are beneficial because they increase the moisture in your home, helping eliminate dry air that can exacerbate symptoms like astuffy nose.
For the Air
Since humidifiers put moisture into the air, the direct purpose of a humidifier is to improve air quality. Some signs of dry air quality include:
If you notice these symptoms, it could be because your indoor air is dry.
When You’re Sick
When you are sick—especially with an upper respiratory infection like theflu,COVID-19, or acold—a humidifier can help increase air moisture so that the associated symptoms are lessened.
Further, studies have found that reduced humidity levels are associated with flu outbreaks in temperate climates and that humidifier use reduced flu-positive samples compared to control rooms.Therefore, humidifiers may also potentially reduce the chance of infection.
Other Strategies to Use When IllIn addition to using a humidifier, other steps you can take totreat the fluand other respiratory viruses include:Get plenty of rest.Avoid smoking or vaping and secondhand smoke.Drink lots of water.Use a saltwater gargle or suck on lozenges for a sore throat.See a healthcare provider for symptoms that worsen or cause concern.
Other Strategies to Use When Ill
In addition to using a humidifier, other steps you can take totreat the fluand other respiratory viruses include:Get plenty of rest.Avoid smoking or vaping and secondhand smoke.Drink lots of water.Use a saltwater gargle or suck on lozenges for a sore throat.See a healthcare provider for symptoms that worsen or cause concern.
In addition to using a humidifier, other steps you can take totreat the fluand other respiratory viruses include:
Using a Humidifier May Ward Off COVID-19 This Winter
For Sleep
When you sleep, you go for long periods without drinking water and may sleep with your mouth open, leading to a dried-out throat. When the air in your bedroom is too dry, you may have trouble sleeping.
If you use acontinuous positive airway pressure (CPAP)forsleep apnea, your machine may likely contain a humidifier integrated into the device. Using heated humidity in a CPAP may reduce nose and throat dryness while using the machine.
General Humidifier Refill Instructions
Since the moist environment of humidifiers can harbor mold, bacteria, and other microorganisms, you need to keep the humidifier clean. That means when you refill the humidifier, take steps to reduce the likelihood that the machine will put these contaminants into the air.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommends the following steps for cleaning and refilling humidifiers:
In addition, use distilled water to reduce scaling and mineral build-up in the machine. But how long do you leave a humidifier on? To prolong the machine’s life and reduce the chances of mold overgrowth and too much humidity, you should turn the device off when you are not actively using it and dry it out between uses.
There are several types of humidifiers. These include:
Ideal Humidity RangeResearchers have found that moderate indoor humidity between 40% to 60% is ideal.
Ideal Humidity Range
Researchers have found that moderate indoor humidity between 40% to 60% is ideal.
Choosing the Best Humidifier
Humidifier Downsides: When Are They Unsafe?
As long as humidifiers are appropriately cared for, they usually do not pose a problem. However, in some circumstances, humidifiers can make you sick or cause injuries.
Watch out for the following situations:
To avoid these risks, clean your humidifier often, use distilled water, don’t use chemicals to clean the device, and use cool-mist varieties.
Summary
Humidifiers may help people breathe easier when they have dry indoor air, have allergies or asthma, or are sick. However, humidifiers can pose a health risk when not properly cared for. Cleaning your humidifier regularly and avoiding warm-mist varieties can help you avoid humidifier-related risks.
15 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.MedlinePlus.Humidifiers and health.University of Birmingham.Static electricity: shocks and how to avoid them.Wolkoff P.The mystery of dry indoor air - an overview.Environ Int. 2018;121(Pt 2):1058-1065. doi:10.1016/j.envint.2018.10.053Harvard Health Publishing.Is my nosebleed the result of winter air?Jones ER, Cedeño Laurent JG, Young AS, Coull BA, Spengler JD, Allen JG.Indoor humidity levels and associations with reported symptoms in office buildings.Indoor Air. 2022;32(1):e12961. doi:10.1111/ina.12961Engebretsen KA, Johansen JD, Kezic S, Linneberg A, Thyssen JP.The effect of environmental humidity and temperature on skin barrier function and dermatitis.J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. 2016;30(2):223-249. doi:10.1111/jdv.13301Razjouyan J, Lee H, Gilligan B, et al.Wellbuilt for wellbeing: controlling relative humidity in the workplace matters for our health.Indoor Air. 2020;30(1):167-179. doi:10.1111/ina.12618Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.Asthma: weather.Reiman JM, Das B, Sindberg GM, et al.Humidity as a non-pharmaceutical intervention for influenza A.PLoS One. 2018;13(9):e0204337. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0204337Sleep Foundation.Humidity and sleep.Nilius G, Domanski U, Schroeder M, Woehrle H, Graml A, Franke KJ.Mask humidity during CPAP: influence of ambient temperature, heated humidification and heated tubing.Nat Sci Sleep. 2018;10:135-142. doi:10.2147/NSS.S158856Environmental Protection Agency.Use and care of home humidifiers.Food and Drug Administration.Use caution when giving cough and cold products to kids.Consumer Product Safety Commission.Dirty humidifiers may cause health problems.Children’s Hospital Colorado.The hidden danger of humidifiers.
15 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.MedlinePlus.Humidifiers and health.University of Birmingham.Static electricity: shocks and how to avoid them.Wolkoff P.The mystery of dry indoor air - an overview.Environ Int. 2018;121(Pt 2):1058-1065. doi:10.1016/j.envint.2018.10.053Harvard Health Publishing.Is my nosebleed the result of winter air?Jones ER, Cedeño Laurent JG, Young AS, Coull BA, Spengler JD, Allen JG.Indoor humidity levels and associations with reported symptoms in office buildings.Indoor Air. 2022;32(1):e12961. doi:10.1111/ina.12961Engebretsen KA, Johansen JD, Kezic S, Linneberg A, Thyssen JP.The effect of environmental humidity and temperature on skin barrier function and dermatitis.J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. 2016;30(2):223-249. doi:10.1111/jdv.13301Razjouyan J, Lee H, Gilligan B, et al.Wellbuilt for wellbeing: controlling relative humidity in the workplace matters for our health.Indoor Air. 2020;30(1):167-179. doi:10.1111/ina.12618Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.Asthma: weather.Reiman JM, Das B, Sindberg GM, et al.Humidity as a non-pharmaceutical intervention for influenza A.PLoS One. 2018;13(9):e0204337. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0204337Sleep Foundation.Humidity and sleep.Nilius G, Domanski U, Schroeder M, Woehrle H, Graml A, Franke KJ.Mask humidity during CPAP: influence of ambient temperature, heated humidification and heated tubing.Nat Sci Sleep. 2018;10:135-142. doi:10.2147/NSS.S158856Environmental Protection Agency.Use and care of home humidifiers.Food and Drug Administration.Use caution when giving cough and cold products to kids.Consumer Product Safety Commission.Dirty humidifiers may cause health problems.Children’s Hospital Colorado.The hidden danger of humidifiers.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
MedlinePlus.Humidifiers and health.University of Birmingham.Static electricity: shocks and how to avoid them.Wolkoff P.The mystery of dry indoor air - an overview.Environ Int. 2018;121(Pt 2):1058-1065. doi:10.1016/j.envint.2018.10.053Harvard Health Publishing.Is my nosebleed the result of winter air?Jones ER, Cedeño Laurent JG, Young AS, Coull BA, Spengler JD, Allen JG.Indoor humidity levels and associations with reported symptoms in office buildings.Indoor Air. 2022;32(1):e12961. doi:10.1111/ina.12961Engebretsen KA, Johansen JD, Kezic S, Linneberg A, Thyssen JP.The effect of environmental humidity and temperature on skin barrier function and dermatitis.J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. 2016;30(2):223-249. doi:10.1111/jdv.13301Razjouyan J, Lee H, Gilligan B, et al.Wellbuilt for wellbeing: controlling relative humidity in the workplace matters for our health.Indoor Air. 2020;30(1):167-179. doi:10.1111/ina.12618Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.Asthma: weather.Reiman JM, Das B, Sindberg GM, et al.Humidity as a non-pharmaceutical intervention for influenza A.PLoS One. 2018;13(9):e0204337. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0204337Sleep Foundation.Humidity and sleep.Nilius G, Domanski U, Schroeder M, Woehrle H, Graml A, Franke KJ.Mask humidity during CPAP: influence of ambient temperature, heated humidification and heated tubing.Nat Sci Sleep. 2018;10:135-142. doi:10.2147/NSS.S158856Environmental Protection Agency.Use and care of home humidifiers.Food and Drug Administration.Use caution when giving cough and cold products to kids.Consumer Product Safety Commission.Dirty humidifiers may cause health problems.Children’s Hospital Colorado.The hidden danger of humidifiers.
MedlinePlus.Humidifiers and health.
University of Birmingham.Static electricity: shocks and how to avoid them.
Wolkoff P.The mystery of dry indoor air - an overview.Environ Int. 2018;121(Pt 2):1058-1065. doi:10.1016/j.envint.2018.10.053
Harvard Health Publishing.Is my nosebleed the result of winter air?
Jones ER, Cedeño Laurent JG, Young AS, Coull BA, Spengler JD, Allen JG.Indoor humidity levels and associations with reported symptoms in office buildings.Indoor Air. 2022;32(1):e12961. doi:10.1111/ina.12961
Engebretsen KA, Johansen JD, Kezic S, Linneberg A, Thyssen JP.The effect of environmental humidity and temperature on skin barrier function and dermatitis.J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. 2016;30(2):223-249. doi:10.1111/jdv.13301
Razjouyan J, Lee H, Gilligan B, et al.Wellbuilt for wellbeing: controlling relative humidity in the workplace matters for our health.Indoor Air. 2020;30(1):167-179. doi:10.1111/ina.12618
Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.Asthma: weather.
Reiman JM, Das B, Sindberg GM, et al.Humidity as a non-pharmaceutical intervention for influenza A.PLoS One. 2018;13(9):e0204337. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0204337
Sleep Foundation.Humidity and sleep.
Nilius G, Domanski U, Schroeder M, Woehrle H, Graml A, Franke KJ.Mask humidity during CPAP: influence of ambient temperature, heated humidification and heated tubing.Nat Sci Sleep. 2018;10:135-142. doi:10.2147/NSS.S158856
Environmental Protection Agency.Use and care of home humidifiers.
Food and Drug Administration.Use caution when giving cough and cold products to kids.
Consumer Product Safety Commission.Dirty humidifiers may cause health problems.
Children’s Hospital Colorado.The hidden danger of humidifiers.
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