Try cleaning the fog machine in your backyard next to an outdoor electrical outlet. If you can’t find a space like this that works, consider cleaning it in your garage with the garage door open.

Don’t worry about rinsing the tank out after you dump it. The vinegar solution will work to clean the tank for you.

Be sure to use distilled water only, not tap water. Tap water contains minerals that can leave deposits inside your machine that will build up over time and cause problems later.

You’ll need to use enough of the mixture to thoroughly clean the machine. The tank should be mostly full. For most fog machines, this is probably about half a liter of the cleaning solution. Turn the machine on and let it run with the vinegar water mixture inside it.

Let the machine air dry once you have finished this procedure.

Additionally, you can try using a pin (or small needle) to clean out any remaining dirt. Move it in and out of the nozzle hold a few times to remove excess build up.

Performing this kind of regular maintenance should prevent the machine from needing aggressive cleaning as often. It will also help prolong the life of your fog machine.

Never store (or stop using) a freshly cleaned fog machine without first running another batch of fogging liquid to make sure it works.

Remember to always clean your fog machine before you store it.

If the cleaning techniques don’t work, you may need to contact your manufacturer for a replacement, as long as your machine is still under warranty. So try not to do anything that may void the warranty.

You definitely don’t need to clean your fog machine every year unless it starts exhibiting some symptoms indicating it needs a good cleaning. Cleaning a fog machine too often can cause it to stop working altogether.

Since you don’t want to clean your fog machine too frequently, you should wait until you see a significant decrease in fog output – not just a small change.

Before you store your fog machine for an extended period of time, check its output to ensure you don’t need to clean it before storing it.