A quality humidifier's health benefits include moisturizing skin, fighting off allergens and even defending against dry lips and mouth, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). If you ...

Yet according to an informal survey conducted by Consumer Reports, 59% of respondents who use a humidifier said they do not clean it every day, and 1 in 4 people clean theirs twice a month or less.

You may think you’re just adding moisture back into the air, but if you don’t know how to clean a humidifier, running the machine could actually be causing a major problem in your household. “Stagnant ...