A looming, torturous summer is preparing to bear down on many of us, making this dirt-cheap swamp cooler build an attractive hack to fend off the heat. Though this is a pretty standard ...

One such option is a swamp cooler. But is it worth it? Here’s what you need to know about swamp coolers vs air conditioners. A swamp cooler cools your home by adding humidity to the air.

If you want, you can use a mild detergent but make sure it's rinsed off thoroughly when you're done. Once you've cleaned off the debris, you can then add the pads back to the swamp cooler.