Should i keep an air humidifier that has mold in it?

So I have an air humidifier that has been sitting with a small amount of water in it for about a year. It looks gross. My father said we should try and clean it, but my thinking is that it should be thrown out completely (or donated) because I think the mold would be difficult to eliminate entirely and some is still likely to remain and possibly grow even more and in turn make us sick when we use it. Then again I also have a bit of OCD so maybe I’m overreacting? It’s a CVS brand, maybe cost 50$. I’m not in need of a new one, but like I said, it’s sitting here and I just don’t know what to do with it?
Answers

yimi

if there is a way to clean out the mold yes

lili

yes it will be OK if you give it a good clean then let it dry out

Quetzel

Scrub it and soak it with full strength bleach.

ckngbbbls

of course you can clean it. Soap and water with a bit of bleach in there and its job done. At least give it a try, You might find that its a very easy thing to do.

Kerry

if there is a way to clean out the mold yes

heart o' gold

Can probably easily be cleaned.

Aussie Devil

yes it will be OK if you give it a good clean then let it dry out

Spock (rhp)

bleach will effectively kill the mold.

Anonymous

Throw it away. Get a new one. A visit to a hospital for mold allergy treatment is more expensive than a new humidifier.

Mark

Rinse the parts thoroughly with borax (or in an extreme case with chlorine), and you should be good to go again with that unit.