AC repair & service
Diagnosis and repair when cleaning is not enough.
Air conditioning · Cleaning and hygiene
Air conditioner cleaning: filters, coil, fan wheel and drain
Air conditioner cleaning is a technician's wash of the parts you cannot reach: the indoor coil, the fan wheel, the drain tray and hose, and the outdoor fins. The price depends on how many units you have, how dirty they are and whether the outdoor half is easy to reach. Send a photo of each unit and a note about any smell, then book by call, text or WhatsApp in English.
- Deep clean of coil, fan wheel and drain
- Outdoor fins cleared after poplar season
- Wall and floor covered during the wash
- A short test run once everything is dry
Two levels
Washing filters is not the same as a deep clean
Many tenants rinse the mesh filters and assume the job is done. The mesh is only the first barrier.
Filter washing removes the dust caught by the plastic mesh behind the front panel, and most manuals let you do it at home. A deep clean goes further: the technician treats the aluminum coil behind the filters, the drum-shaped fan wheel that blows the air, the drain tray where water collects and the hose that carries it away. Those hidden parts are where dust, grease and damp combine into the film that smells and slows airflow.
| Part | Filter wash | Technician's deep clean |
|---|---|---|
| Mesh filters | Rinsed and dried | Rinsed, checked for tears, refitted |
| Indoor coil | Not touched | Treated with coil cleaner and rinsed |
| Fan wheel | Not touched | Blades cleaned of the gray fur that builds up |
| Drain tray and hose | Not touched | Slime removed, line flushed and flow tested |
| Louvers and casing | Wiped on the outside | Cleaned, including mold spots near the air outlet |
| Outdoor unit | Not touched | Fins cleared of dust, leaves and fluff |
On the day
How a deep clean is carried out
- 1
Power off and protect
The unit is switched off at its breaker, the furniture below is moved or covered, and a waterproof collection bag is fitted under the indoor unit to catch the dirty rinse water.
- 2
Panels and filters out
The front panel, filters and sometimes the lower casing are removed, so the coil and fan wheel are exposed.
- 3
Coil and fan wheel
A cleaning solution loosens the grime, then it is rinsed through carefully while the electronics stay protected from water.
- 4
Drain line
The tray is scrubbed and the hose flushed until water runs out freely at the far end.
- 5
Outdoor unit
Where it can be reached safely from a balcony or window, the fins are cleared from the inside out.
- 6
Dry and test
Parts go back once they are dry, and the unit runs so you can check the airflow and the smell.
Expect a little mess nearby even with covers in place. If you are planning a bigger clean of the flat anyway, our deep cleaning service can come on the same day, after the AC work.
Odors and mold
Musty smells, black spots and what causes them
Every time the unit cools, water condenses on the coil. In a dark casing that damp surface is an ideal home for mold and bacteria.
A musty "old cellar" smell during the first minutes of cooling nearly always comes from the coil and the fan wheel. Black dots on the louvers or inside the air outlet are a visible sign of the same growth. A sour or vinegar-like odor often means stagnant water in a tray that no longer drains properly, while a sewer smell suggests the drain joins a waste pipe without a working trap.
- Musty at start-up: coil and fan wheel need a deep clean.
- Black spots on the flaps: mold that spreads deeper inside the unit.
- Sour smell with drips on the wall: a clogged tray, explained on our AC leaking water page.
- Sewer odor: a drain connection problem rather than dirt.
A burning or hot plastic smell is not a cleaning issue. Switch the unit off at the breaker if you can reach it safely, and call a technician. If there is smoke, leave the room and call 112.
Late spring
Poplar fluff and clogged outdoor units
Each year around May, white fluff from Tbilisi's poplar trees drifts through courtyards and piles up on balconies.
The outdoor unit pulls huge volumes of air through its fins, and it collects that fluff like a vacuum cleaner. A matted layer on the fins traps heat, so the compressor works harder, the cooling weakens and some units start to cut out on hot afternoons. Leafy streets in Vake and Vera, and blocks next to parks or rivers, tend to suffer most.
The smart timing is an outdoor clean once the fluff season has passed, usually in early June, and before the long July heat. Cleaning in the middle of fluff season only helps for a few days. If weak cooling persists after the fins are clear, the cause lies elsewhere, and our AC not cooling guide walks through the other possibilities.
Schedule
How often a split unit should be cleaned
There is no single rule. These rough intervals reflect typical use in a Tbilisi flat.
| How the unit is used | Filter wash at home | Deep clean |
|---|---|---|
| Cooling in summer only, one or two people | Every few weeks in season | About once a year, before summer |
| Cooling in summer and heating in winter | Every two to three weeks | Before summer and again before winter |
| Pets, smokers or a busy road outside | Every one to two weeks | Twice a year |
| Short-term rental with changing guests | Between longer stays | At least before the main season |
| Right after renovation work | Straight away | Once the dust has settled |
Airbnb hosts can combine this with Airbnb cleaning between bookings, so guests never meet a stale-smelling room. After builders have worked in the flat, a deep clean is worth booking together with post-renovation cleaning, because plaster dust clogs coils fast.
Health and comfort
Allergies, dust and cleaner air at home
An air conditioner circulates the whole room's air many times an hour. When its coil and fan wheel are dirty, it spreads dust, pet dander and mold spores around the room instead of trapping them. People with allergies or asthma often notice sneezing or a blocked nose soon after switching the unit on for the season. We do not give medical advice, but a clean unit removes one obvious source of irritation.
- Book the deep clean before you start cooling for the summer, not after symptoms appear.
- Wash the filters more often in spring, when pollen and fluff are in the air.
- If your model has a dry or self-clean mode, the manual explains how to use it so the coil dries after cooling.
- Landlords of furnished flats: a documented clean before a new tenant moves in is a simple courtesy.
Your part
What you can safely do yourself
The one routine job that belongs to you is the washable filter, and only when the manual says it may be removed.
- 1
Switch off
Turn the unit off with the remote, then unplug it or switch off its breaker.
- 2
Lift the front panel
Most panels tilt upward and click into an open position. Slide the mesh filters out gently.
- 3
Rinse
Use lukewarm water and, if needed, a drop of mild soap. Rinse from the clean side so dust is pushed out, not in.
- 4
Dry fully
Let the filters dry in the shade. Hot sun or a hairdryer can warp them.
- 5
Refit
Slide them back, close the panel and switch the power on again.
Leave everything else to a technician. Do not spray foam cleaners into the unit near its electronics, do not remove the casing, and never lean over a balcony rail or out of a window to reach the outdoor unit. Contact our AC repair and service team if cleaning does not fix the problem.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How much does air conditioner cleaning cost?
It depends on the number of units, how dirty they are and access to the outdoor half. Send photos of each unit, and you get an estimate before anyone comes. Several units at one address are usually handled in one visit.
Will cleaning remove the smell completely?
In most cases the musty smell goes once the coil, fan wheel and tray are clean. If a sewer smell remains, the drain connection needs attention rather than more cleaning.
Can I use a spray cleaner from the shop?
We advise against spraying the inside of the unit yourself. The liquid can reach the control board or the fan motor, and it rarely reaches the fan wheel, where much of the dirt sits.
Does cleaning help an AC that cools weakly?
Often, especially when the filters are packed with dust or the outdoor fins are covered in poplar fluff. If cooling stays weak afterwards, the technician checks for other causes, including a refrigerant leak.
Do I need to be home during the cleaning?
Someone should open the flat and show the units. Tenants can ask a landlord or a friend to be there, and all coordination can happen in English by message.
My unit belongs to the landlord. Who pays for cleaning?
That is between you and your landlord. Send them photos of the dirty filters or mold spots before the visit, and agree on the cost in writing.
Can you clean units in an office or a cafe?
Yes, including cassette and ceiling units. Mention the type and number in advance, since the work may be planned outside business hours.
Contact
Book an AC cleaning
Tell us how many units you have and send a photo of each one.
Send a short description
Mention the number of units, the district, the floor and any smell you have noticed.
Next step
Make your air conditioner smell fresh again
Send a photo of the unit, and we will suggest the right kind of clean.