For many of us, the winter months mean agony. Dry air, flu, and cough were the common things we had to combat during that period. In addition to a humidifier, you may also like to use some household remedies to make us feel better. Such as, you may like to use Vicks for congestion and cough.
You may wonder if they can put Vicks in a humidifier to get the best of both worlds. However, you can’t add Vicks Vaporub to a humidifier. It may release some harmful chemicals and shorten the humidifier’s lifespan. Actually, it ruined my Vicks humidifier! But the good news is that you can use Vicks Vapopad and Vicks Vaposteam with your humidifier to reap similar benefits.
In the following paragraphs, I will provide a more in-depth explanation of this ” Vicks in a humidifier” subject. Without further ado, let’s dive in.
What is Vicks?
Vicks has been popular in America for over a century and has become a household name. But in case you don’t know, people often refer to Vicks as Vicks Vaporub, a topical ointment that can temporarily relieve cough, sore muscles, and minor aches.
It is so versatile that moms always prepare it for their children or other family members at home. My mom likes it very much and always brings it to me when I have a cold. The smell can make me feel relaxed.
In fact, Vicks is a big brand that produces an array of products for well-being. When it comes to relieving symptoms of conditions caused by dry air, they also offer Vapopad, Vaposteam, and Vicks humidifiers which I will cover in the following sections.
Can you put Vicks Vaporub in a humidifier?
Adding Vicks Vaporub to a humidifier or an oil diffuser is not allowed regardless of which type of humidifier you have.
Don’t get me wrong, Vicks Vaporus is not a toxic product that you can’t use anymore. It is just that using it with a humidifier is not correct.
As an ointment, it contains petroleum jelly for retaining moisture and consistency. Many skincare products have it in the formula since it can create a waterproof barrier for the skin. Unfortunately, petroleum jelly may be dangerous when used in a humidifier.
It is a type of oil that can’t dissolve in the water, so your humidifier will end up with more buildup. The buildup can become a petri dish for mold and viruses, posing health risks to your body.
Meanwhile, it will clog the appliance, making it stop producing mist or causing other malfunctions. If you want your humidifier to last long, please stay away from the Vicks Vaporub. I have done it before and it clogged my humidifier within a few hours.
When putting Vicks in a humidifier, a portion of petroleum will get into the air with moisture particles. We will breathe it in naturally, but it is harmful. Inhaling or swallowing petroleum in large quantities may lead to irritation of your mucous membranes, shortness of breath, cough, and so on.
On top of it, Vicks Vaporub is flammable, and it can catch fire when overheated. As a type of electronics, any humidifier can overheat. It could be even worse when you have a warm mist humidifier at home.
Can you put Vicks in a humidifier for a baby?
It is a big no-no to put Vicks in a humidifier for a baby.
The manufacturer said that Vicks Vaporub is not allowed to be used for children under two years old. The ingredients in it could be irritating for the baby.
Adding in the disadvantages of being flammable and making the humidifier prone to fail, putting Vicks in a humidifier is the last thing you want to do.
Anyway, just don’t do it for the safety of your baby and yourself.
Can you put Vicks Vapopad in a humidifier?
As an alternative, you can use Vicks Vapopad with a humidifier. It is also a product from Vicks, so you can rest assured of its quality.
However, it doesn’t mean that you can use Vicks vapopads in any humidifier. Putting Vicks Vapopad in water in the water tank is still not allowed. Instead, you can put it into the medicine cup or tray on the humidifier. Not every humidifier comes with such a part, but most Vicks humidifiers do, including both warm steam vaporizers and cool-mist humidifiers.
I personally have a Vicks cool-mist humidifier, which is perfect for working with Vapopad.
Vapopad can release menthol and lavender vapor for up to 8 hours per pad which can help feel relaxed. The ingredients also include Eucalyptus Oil, Cedarleaf Oil, Nutmeg Oil, and Thymol. Note that it is non-medicated, and you can apply it to infants and children as per instructions.
Can you put Vicks Vaposteam in a humidifier?
Vicks Vaposteam is another alternative to Vicks Vaporhub. Unlike Vapopad, it is medicated, meaning that it can help you relieve cough, irritated breathing passages, and other symptoms.
It has a liquid consistency without adding petroleum jelly so you can add it to the water tank or medicine cup of the warm mist humidifier. The active ingredient is Camphor, a natural substance for cough suppressants. Other components also include cedar leaf oil, eucalyptus oil, laureth-7, and menthol.
In addition, it also contains a lot of alcohol, boosting the evaporation process.
While it is often used with warm mist humidifiers, it can also work with Vicks VUL600 cool mist humidifier because it has a heated medicine cup for Vaposteam to evaporate. I assume any cool mist humidifier with a heated medicine cup would also work.
Vaposteam shouldn’t be used on children under two years old.
If you can’t put Vicks in your humidifier, what else can you do?
Until now, you may have understood why you can’t put Vicks in a humidifier. If you don’t want to buy Vaposteam or Vapopads, you can make use of other items that are already in your house.
Use essential oil: Some humidifiers can work well with essential oil. For example, my Levoit dual 200s is compatible with essential oils. You can add essential oil to its tank. Alternatively, some models come with an oil tray. Many types of essential oils are good for relieving cough and congestion.
Make some warm steam: While there is no evidence to prove whether warm mist is better than cool mist for relieving these symptoms, many people prefer warm mist. You can apply a Vicks Vapopad to your chest and neck, and then pour some hot water into the basin and inhale the steam. This way, you can enjoy the benefits of both methods.
Drink some warm tea: Sometimes, a cup of tea can make your life much easier. After using the Vapopads, why not treat yourself to a cup of hot honey water or tea? Then you can enjoy a night of good sleep.
Conclusion
Humidifiers and Vicks are both great products for relieving discomfort on dry days. However, you can’t put Vicks in your humidifier. The petroleum jelly will cause adverse effects on your health when released into the air and breathed in by yourself. It will also clog the device, shortening its lifespan. You could also run the risk of a fire.
To get the same benefits, you can either add a Vicks Vapopad or Vaposteam to the medicine cup on the humidifier or pour some Vaposteam into the water tank. When you add Vaposteam to the reservoir, you should ensure it is a warm-mist model or a cool-mist model with a heated medicine cup.
As a medicated product, you can’t use Vicks Vaporub and Vicks Vaposteam for babies under two years.
