Please tell me about your reusable HVAC filter

[maybemom05]

Our house, which has a heat pump, has an 18 x 20 x1 reusable filter in the furnace. How do I get this thing clean? I've dismantled it and soaked it, then rung it out and let it air dry - problem is, it never seems to get completely dry, and I'm afraid of shorting out the heat pump. Also, it feels like I'm taking dirt that has been filtered out of the house and putting it right back in.

I like the idea of reusable - but I feel like I'm missing something here.

Thanks in advance for your help!!

[MommaShark]

air compressor

[Jodie]

Our filter you just vacumm or spray down with a hose and let drain outside till all dry and them put back in.
We couldn't ring it out if we wanted to. Its metal and some other plasticy type material that is the filter.

We vacumm once a week and hose it out once a month, when in use.