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To keep your Rainbow RainMate working the best it possibly can you need to keep it clean.
But if you’re here then you probably already know this. And that’s why I’m here to help!
In this short little how-to guide, you’ll learn five things that’ll help you keep your RainMate in tiptop shape:
- How to clean a Rainbow RainMate
- How often you should be cleaning your RainMate
- A simple way to know when your RainMate needs cleaning
- How to take apart a Rainbow RainMate for cleaning
- How to clean mineral buildups in your Rainbow RainMate
If you have the original RainMate or the RainMate Il (for illuminated) there’s no need to worry! This guide works for either model. 🙂
If you haven’t bought a RainMate and you just want to see what the maintenance on it looks like, you might be interested in reading the RainMate IL air purifier review I did. Or if you’re in the market for something that doesn’t require a lot of upkeep & maintenance this might help too: The 5 Best Filterless Air Purifiers.
Now that that’s out of the way, let’s get to the stuff we’re all here for!
Contents
How To Clean a Rainbow RainMate
Because the RainMate basin is plastic, you’re required to handwash it, but by following these six simple steps you’ll have it properly cleaned up in no time:
- Turn off your unit using the switch on the back.
- Unplug the Rainbow Rainmate.
- Empty the basin.
- With soap and a soft cloth, wash from top to bottom.
- Rinse & let it air dry.
- Refill and enjoy!
The basin for the Rainbow RainMate air purifier should be cleaned approximately twice a month. If you’re noticing that within two weeks the water is getting very dirty then consider cleaning it every 10 days.
IMPORTANT NOTE: The Rainbow RainMate is not dishwasher safe and you should not be using hot water to clean it! Over time this can change the shape of the basin and damage it.
How To Tell When Your Rainbow RainMate Needs Cleaning
There’s an easy and visible way to tell when your Rainbow RainMate needs cleaning.
When the water inside the basin is coming down the inside in waves – it’s time for a cleaning.
When the water inside the basin is coming down in raindrops – it’s working at its best!
How To Take Apart a Rainbow Rainmate
You should also be cleaning the parts on the top of the Rainmate air purifier.
This is easy to do and only takes about 5 minutes. Below is an explanation + video showing you how to take apart a Rainbow Rainmate.
Taking apart a Rainbow RainMate is quite simple because there aren’t many parts to it.
All you need to do is take out the separator (the central piece that touches the water, it’s easy to remove) and wipe it down with a washcloth.
To get into those tighter hard to reach spots inside the separator, use a Q-tip. Below is a video that provides a quick and thorough walkthrough on how to take apart and clean the Rainbow RainMate separator.
How to Clean Mineral Build-Ups in Your Rainbow RainMate Air Purifier
If your house has hard water (water with a high mineral count) and you use it in your Rainbow Rainmate, you might notice mineral build-ups occurring inside the basin.
Not to worry! Your RainMate isn’t damaged forever. Cleaning mineral build-ups inside your Rainmate’s basin doesn’t take much.
To get rid of mineral build-ups inside your Rainmate’s basin, just scrub at them with a dish brush and vinegar. Be sure to unplug and empty the basin before doing this!
How do i remove the fan disk to clean both sides?
Hi Daisey! If you check the YouTube video I linked under “How To Take Apart a Rainbow Rainmate” at 20 seconds in it shows how to remove the fan disk and clean both sides.
How do I clean the fan disk on my rainbow.?
Hi Daisey! I replied to your previous comment about how to change & clean the fan disk.
The fan disk isn’t coming off. Neither is the part that goes into the water. How are they removed? And I watched the video and it doesn’t help – makes
It look super easy & it’s not.
Thanks
Hi Jill, to remove the fan (the part that goes into the water) firmly grasp it near the base and twist it to your left. It’s a simple lock system that holds the fan in place so if you’re unable to unlock it by twisting to the left (counter-clockwise) see if something may be blocking or stuck in the areas where the fan locks into.
As for the deflector, that piece snaps into place so you really need to wrap your hand around it before you try and pull it out.
Hope this helps!
What do you do when you clean the fan and it wont click back on?
Hi Jennifer!
Place the fan’s base flat on the deflector and then turn the fan clockwise until it clicks into place on the deflector.
If you’re finding that it isn’t clicking, maybe check the spots where the fan is supposed to connect to the deflector. See if any of the clips are broken or bent, same goes for the fan.
If they aren’t broken then there may just not be an audible *click* coming from the device which is okay! As long as the fan is clipped into the deflector everything will run normally.
Hope this helps!
I do not have the XL model. Does the fan disk still come off?
Hi Mark! I’ve never heard of the RainMate XL model unless you mean the IL model (which just means it’s illuminated).
Regardless of which model you have, the fan disk should still come off as shown in the video!
How do I clean the mineral buildup that occurs above the fan and separator? I have buildup in the motor housing.
Hi Amanda! I’ve never heard of this happening before so I can’t say for sure what the solution is but I’d recommend taking a thin washing brush (something like a toothbrush) rinsed in vinegar and using that to delicately clean the motor housing area. Be sure to avoid any areas that have exposed electricals and of course unplug the RainMate before washing! Let it completely air dry for 24-48 hours once done.
I have this same situation. I am rather worried If I may ruin it now while cleaning is there a video to show how I should deal with it when I am unsure what to clean and what to not mess with?
Hi Mary,
I did some searching around and couldn’t find much on cleaning the deeper areas of the Rainbow RainMate 🙁 . The only advice I can pass on to you is the same as what I told Amanda just above – avoid any areas with exposed electrical wiring and be sure to unplug the RainMate before cleaning.
Sorry I know it doesn’t fully answer your question but I hope it’s something! Good luck.
Am I supposed to fill the base all the way?
Hi Kassperlyn! You’re not supposed to fill the base all the way to the top! If you check my review on the Rainbow RainMate, I have a section (link here) that says you should fill the base only 1 inch above the indicated fill line that’s marked on the basin.
I hope this helps and thank you for reading!
How do you clean the top part? There’s a lot of dust build up on the agitator motor. I’ve already cleaned the bottom bottom part. Now I just need to clean the top part.
Hi Tamra!
If it’s just dust your finding in the motor area and you don’t want to risk using water/soap to get in there, consider using a can of pressurized air with a nozzle to blast out the dust.
Hope this helps, if you end up using a can of pressurized air let me know how it goes!