Cleaning humidifier calcium buildup?

[Maxx Mazda]

My whole home humidifier diffuser pad is completely caked up with calcium and lime deposits. I've tried a lot of the things suggested online, like soaking it in CLR overnight, (which by the way, does NOT make the cool fizzy reaction that you see in the commercial...) vinegar, etc. The previous owners must have never cleaned it because even after all of that, it's still caked on like crazy, so much so that it's barely letting any airflow through it. Our house is dry as fuck.

Anything else that I could try in order to remove that shit? I was going to grab a 4L of muriatic acid and try that next, but only as a last resort. Can I simply replace the humidifier element? House is a rental, so not looking to spend a penny more than I have to.

[suntan]

Buy a new pad? You're supposed to replace them every year.

https://www.google.com/search?q=whole+home+humidifier+diffuser+pad&biw=1920&bih=950&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjk87PkoOPQAhUBTmMKHRYqCqQQ_AUICCgD

[jwslam]

Cheapo solution I used at my parents' house; replaced the sponge with a towel, held it together with clothespins, replaced as the towel hardened

I can't find a picture of it online. It's a really old unit where the air comes from a duct, and the water mechanism is a float in a bowl of water rotating the sponge which is held on a round rack.

[Maxx Mazda]

I'll buy a new pad.

As far as the buildup inside the humidifier (I think even the drain hose is bunged up) is muriatic acid safe to use on those?

[revelations]

Honestly, I got tired of all this hard water buildup so I dropped in a water softener and a whole-house filter (30 micron). Now, every water-appliance in the house is better.

[ExtraSlow]

For my humidifier the pad is eight bucks. Clr is pretty close to being more expensive.

[TYMSMNY]

yeah, I tried to CLR it twice... best option was to buy a new pad. Best route like others have mentioned.

[revelations]

Yea CLR just turns the whole thing into a soggy mess. Best to soak it in water a bit.

Why cant they just make these things out of plastic (cleanable), instead of paper?

[TYMSMNY]

Originally posted by revelations
Yea CLR just turns the whole thing into a soggy mess. Best to soak it in water a bit.

Why cant they just make these things out of plastic (cleanable), instead of paper?

what? aren't they metal lmao.

paper filter for a water based appliance... :nut:

[Maxx Mazda]

Mine is metal, at least it looks like it on the outside. Not sure what's in the middle. I'll buy a new one.

[jeffh]

Depends on your make of humidifier, but mine is made out of multiple layers of expanded galvanized metal. For a general aire. I heard dishwasher works, but haven't tried myself.