So I get the Vicks warm air humidifier (cold air humidifiers need more care/cleaning), the cheap ones you can buy in cvs or Walgreens (~$30). Sometimes they go on sale or have coupons for ~$5 off.

I also use a splash of white vinegar in the reservoir. I use cold tap water, which has a fair amount of sediment… but I’ll be fucked if I’m buying distilled for my PoS humidifier.

I try to wash it once a week, I just pour straight white vinegar onto the base’s heating element thing, let it sit a while and rinse - if the sediment doesn’t wipe away easily, let it sit in vinegar a bit longer.

Be sure to check your windows for condensation. Black mold growing on your sills can give you respiratory problems, so you’d want to wipe that down often, and maybe use the humidifier less often.