Before you start
Filter cleaning is a short job you can do yourself. If you would rather leave it to a professional, you can compare aircon servicing companies instead.
Switch the aircon off with the remote first. Then turn off the isolator switch for that unit, so it cannot start while your hands are inside the front panel.
What you need
- A soft brush for dust caught in the mesh.
- Mild detergent and a basin or sink of lukewarm water.
- A towel to pat the filters dry and catch drips.
- A vacuum cleaner, if you have one.
- A stable step stool if the unit is mounted high.
Check the manual
Filter designs differ between brands and models. Check the manual for how your front panel opens, how the filters slide out and whether any filter in your unit should not be washed.
How to clean aircon filters step by step
- Switch off. Turn the aircon off with the remote, then switch off the isolator for that unit.
- Open the panel and remove the filters. Lift the front panel gently and slide the filters out. Note which way each filter faces so you can refit it the same way.
- Remove the dust. Vacuum the filters on a low setting or tap them gently over a bin. Use the soft brush on dust caught in the mesh.
- Rinse from the back. Rinse each filter with lukewarm water and a little mild detergent, running the water from the back to push the dust out. Finish with clean water to remove the detergent.
- Dry fully in the shade. Shake off excess water, pat the filters with a towel and leave them to air dry fully in the shade.
- Refit, close and reset. Slide the filters back in, close the front panel and switch the power back on. If the filter light was on, reset it as your remote or manual shows.
How often to clean the aircon filter
If you run the aircon every day, clean the filters every few weeks. Clean them more often if you keep pets, if there are renovation works in your block or road works nearby, or if the room collects a lot of dust. A unit you rarely use can go longer between cleans.
Many units also have a filter indicator light. Daikin Singapore says this light is a reminder to clean the air filter, and that you reset it after cleaning with the filter button on the remote.
Regular aircon filter cleaning is the part you can handle yourself. Professional servicing is a separate routine, and our guide on how often to service your aircon covers that side.
Filters you should not wash
The mesh filters you slide out in the steps above are the ones you wash. Some units also take separate accessory filters, for example air purifying filters, and some of these are replaced, not washed.
Daikin Singapore states that its air purifying filter, a separate accessory filter, is not washable and is replaced every three months or when it turns dark.
What filter cleaning does not fix
Clean filters help the unit, but they are only the part you can reach. Some problems sit deeper inside and need a technician.
Weak cooling
If the room still feels warm after a clean, Daikin's FAQs list other common causes of an indoor unit not cooling: objects blocking the air inlet or outlet of the indoor or outdoor unit, the temperature set too high, windows and doors open, airflow direction not set appropriately, the remote not in cooling mode and faulty parts. Weak cooling from low gas needs a technician. Our guide to aircon not cold problems covers the checks to try first.
Mould and smells
Mould in the blower sits behind the filters, so washing them will not remove it. See our guide to mould in your aircon. For a foul smell, Daikin says it is usually room, furniture or cigarette smells absorbed into the unit and blown back out, and advises getting a qualified serviceman to service the unit.
Leaks
Water dripping from the outdoor condensing unit is normal condensation, according to Daikin, but a leak from the indoor unit is a reason to book a service. Daikin also notes that skipping regular servicing reduces cooling performance, can clog the cooling coil and can lead to water leakage.
NEXT STEP
See aircon servicing companies with their published prices, the areas they say they cover and their sources.
Compare aircon servicingPublished general servicing rates
For the parts beyond the filter, a general service is the usual next step. The table below shows published general servicing rates for one indoor unit from the HomezyPro directory, each linked to its source.
FROM THE HOMEZYPRO DIRECTORY
Published general servicing rates for one unit
S$15 to S$90 for one indoor unitThe lowest published general servicing rates from 66 companies run from S$15 to S$90 (middle rate S$40), for one indoor unit. The middle rate is a real published price, not a computed figure. Minimum bookings and other conditions apply, and no figure is a quote.
See all 66 rates and sources
| Company | Service as listed | Rate | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jetstyle Aircon | Singapore Aircon Servicing Per Unit | From S$15 per unit | jetstyle.com.sg |
| 3322CoolAir Pte Ltd | General Servicing | From S$16 per unit | 3322coolair.com.sg |
| Aircon Service Singapore | AIRCON SERVICE | From S$16 per unit | cheapairconservicing.com |
| Supercool Aircon | Services - Normal Servicing | From S$16 per unit | cheapairconservice.com |
| Mastercool | Service Aircon | From S$17 per unit | serviceairconsingapore.com |
| Chan Brothers Air-Conditioning Engineering Pte Ltd | Chan Brothers: Aircon Servicing & Repair Singapore Price | From S$19 | chanbrothers.sg |
| Kool & Kleen Aircon Servicing | General Servicing | From S$19 per unit | kool.com.sg |
| Sky Blue Aircon Engineering Pte. Ltd. | Aircon Servicing Singapore | From S$19.50 | skyblueaircon.com |
| 4zoom Engineering Pte Ltd | Aircon Servicing - 💰 Services | From S$20 | 4zoom.com.sg |
| Airtech SG Aircon Services | General aircon servicing | S$20 per unit | airtechnician.sg |
| Cool Channels Engineering | Aircon Cleaning Servicing | From S$21.80 per unit | coolchannels.com.sg |
| GoodCool Aircon Servicing & Repair Singapore | Aircon Services | From S$23 per unit | goodcoolsg.com |
| Freezso Refrigeration & Aircon Services | Wall-mounted aircon general servicing | S$25 per unit | bookfreezso.com |
| Wan Sheng Aircon and Services | Aircon Servicing Singapore | S$25 per unit | wanshengaircon.com |
| Aircool Aircon Pte. Ltd | General service | S$30 per unit | aircool.com.sg |
| Coolbest Aircon Servicing | General servicing | S$30 per unit | coolbestaircon.com |
| Gradecool Air-Condition Pte Ltd | General service | S$30 | gradecool.com.sg |
| Jex Aircon Private Limited | General Servicing | From S$30 per unit | jexaircon.sg |
| Konnect Aircon Servicing | Aircon Servicing, Repair & Installation in Yishun | S$30 per unit | konnect.com.sg |
| SJR Aircon | General servicing | From S$30 | sjraircon.sg |
| WishCool Aircon Engineering Pte Ltd | General Servicing | S$30 | wishcoolsg.com |
| Airple | General Aircon Servicing | S$30.30 | airple.com.sg |
| City Cooling Pte Ltd | General servicing, 1 unit | S$35 per unit | citycoolingengr.com.sg |
| Newway Air Conditioning | Aircon General Servicing (starting price) | From S$35 to S$50 per unit | newway.sg |
| 7Days Aircon Servicing Pte Ltd | Aircon General Servicing - 1 Fancoil unit | S$40 per unit | airconservicing.org |
| Aircon Fairprice Engineering Pte Ltd | Aircon Servicing Singapore - Aircon Fairprice SG | From S$40 per unit | airconfairprice.sg |
| Aircon Servicing Singapore by 7Days | General service | From S$40 | airconservicingsingapore.net |
| Airconman | General servicing, 1 fan coil | S$40 per job | singaporeairconservicing.com |
| Airmaxx Aircon Pte Ltd | One-time general servicing, 1 unit | S$40 per unit | airmaxxaircon.com |
| Effie Cool Service | General Service | S$40 | effiecoolservice.com |
| Greencool Air-Condition Pte Ltd | General servicing, 1 fan coil unit | S$40 per unit | greencoolaircon.com |
| iHome-Solution Pte Ltd | Aircon maintenance servicing, 1 unit | S$40 per job | ihome-solution.com.sg |
| Open Air Engineering | General service, 1 unit | S$40 per unit | openairengineering.com |
| SmartCool Aircon Servicing Singapore | One-time general servicing, 1 unit | S$40 per unit | smartcool.sg |
| Snow World Aircon Installation and Servicing | Aircon servicing, 1 fan coil unit | S$40 per unit | snowworld.sg |
| Aircon Service, Chemical Wash & Overhaul Yishun | Normal Servicing, 1 FCU | S$42.80 per unit | airconserviceking.com |
| LS Aircon Service & Electrician | Normal service, 1 fan coil unit | S$42.80 per unit | ubi.localservice.sg |
| Aircon Service & Repair Singapore by SC | General servicing, 1 fan coil (one-time) | S$43.60 per job | airconservicesingapore.co |
| Andy Air-Con Servicing | General Servicing, 1 fan coil unit | S$45 per unit | andyairconservicing.com |
| Ninja Cool Services Pte Ltd | General servicing, 1 unit (one-time) | S$45 per job | ninjacool.com.sg |
| Pacific Cool Air-Con Services Pte. Ltd. | General servicing, 1 unit | From S$45 per unit | pacificcool.com.sg |
| Thetop Aircon Service | Aircon general servicing, 1 unit | S$45 per unit | thetop.com.sg |
| Goodcool | Aircon General Servicing | S$49.05 | bestairconservicing.com |
| Lion City Air Conditioner Services | General servicing | S$49.05 per unit | lioncityaircon.sg |
| 48 Cold Pte. Ltd. | General servicing, 1 unit (one time) | S$50 per job | 48coldaircon.com.sg |
| Afix.sg | General servicing, 1 unit | S$50 per unit | afix.sg |
| Airvice Chapter | General service, 1 unit | S$50 per unit | airvicechapter.com |
| Cool Earth Aircon | General servicing | S$50 per unit | coolearth.com.sg |
| EC Aircon Services Pte Ltd | Normal servicing, 1 unit | S$50 per unit | ecaircon.com |
| Heng Aircon Pte Ltd | General service, 1-time | S$50 per unit | hengaircon.com |
| J&S Aircon | General Servicing, 1 unit | S$50 per unit | jsaircon.biz |
| K2L Aircon | General Servicing | From S$50 per unit | k2lairconsg.com |
| Kim Huat Refrigeration and Electrical Pte Ltd | General servicing, 1 wall-mounted unit | S$50 per job | kimhuat.co |
| LM Brothers Aircond Pte Ltd | General servicing | S$50 | lmaircond.com |
| Snowflake Services LLP | General servicing, wall-mounted, 1 unit | S$50 per unit | snowflakeaircon.sg |
| YKS Airconfix | General Service | S$50 per unit | yks.sg |
| Affordable Aircon Services Pte Ltd | General servicing, 1 unit | S$54.50 per job | affordable-aircon.com.sg |
| Nam Sun Electrical & Air-Conditioning Pte Ltd | Aircon general servicing, 1 fan coil unit | S$54.50 per job | namsunac.com |
| 338 Aircon | General servicing | From S$55 per unit | 338aircon.sg |
| Cool Aircon | General servicing, one-time | S$55 per unit | coolaircon.sg |
| Coolfix By Natural Cool | Normal service, 1 fan coil unit | S$60 per unit | coolfix.com.sg |
| Same Day Aircon Servicing Repair | General servicing, 1 unit | S$60 per unit | urgentairconservicing.sg |
| VFix Aircon Pte Ltd | CU General Servicing | S$60 | vfixservice.sg |
| DW Aircon Servicing Singapore - Sengkang | One-Time Aircon Servicing Price - 1 Fan Coil Unit | S$65 per unit | dwaircon.com |
| Dr Penguin Aircon Engineering Pte Ltd | Standard Aircon Cleaning Service, 1 unit | From S$75 | drpenguinaircon.sg |
| Homeone Aircon | FCU essential servicing | S$90 | homeone.com.sg |
66 companies publish a general servicing rate for one indoor unit. Their lowest published rates, as printed, run from S$15 to S$90, with S$40 in the middle. That middle figure is one company's real published rate, not an average or a quote. Many are "From" prices and many apply only with a minimum number of units, so check each company's terms on its source page before you book.
Before the visit, read how to prepare for aircon servicing so the room is ready.
Questions
How often should I clean my aircon filter?
For a unit you run every day, clean the filters every few weeks. Clean them more often if you keep pets or there are works nearby. If your unit has a filter indicator light, clean the filters when it comes on.
Can I wash the aircon filter with soap?
Yes, a mild detergent is fine for the main mesh filter. Mix a little into lukewarm water, rinse the filter from the back, then rinse again with clean water. Some accessory filters, such as air purifying filters, are not washable at all, so check the manual first.
Can I dry the filter in the sun?
It is safer not to. Direct sun can warp some filters, so dry them in the shade unless your manual says otherwise. Shake off excess water, pat them with a towel and let them air dry fully. Never refit a damp filter.
What happens if I never clean the filter?
Dust keeps building up on the mesh. Daikin lists a dirty air filter among the common causes of an indoor unit not cooling, so a neglected filter can leave the room warm even with the unit running. A quick clean rules out this cause before you call a technician.
Why is the filter light still on after cleaning?
The light does not switch off by itself. Daikin describes the filter indicator light as a reminder to clean the air filter, and says you reset it with the filter button on the remote after cleaning. Other brands may use a different step, so check your manual.
Does cleaning the filter replace servicing?
No. Filter cleaning only covers the part you can reach. Mould in the blower, leaks and weak cooling from low gas need a technician. Daikin notes that skipping regular servicing reduces cooling performance, can clog the cooling coil and can lead to water leakage, so book servicing as well.
Prices come only from the sourced company rates in the HomezyPro directory, shown with each company and its source.
Practical guidance for planning a home job in Singapore. Company prices come from the HomezyPro directory, each linked to its source; rules and safety points link to the agency or manufacturer that sets them. This is not a site inspection, a quote or professional advice for your home.
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