Product review (5 stars): The wicks not the problem, it's the water
Came on time and as promised. Other reviewers have commented that they came flat and had an odor, mine did not, came in the same box, and in the proper shape to install, as another one I bought earlier in a big box store and with no odor at all. A bit pricey but I love this humidifier and a few bucks for the wick doesn't bother me at all. Will buy again

Well, I did buy again. This time came in a flat box, but only minor hassle getting them in correctly. I've had no problem cleaning them. I soak them for six hours in a 70 percent white vinegar mixture in a bucket, thoroughly spray it out and let it dry. 2 filters last all winter.

ADDING TO THE ABOVE:  Something happened to my water this year, it became harder than in the past years and seems to have more calcium and other nasties. Wick became clogged within a week and cleaning with vinegar became impossible. All of my neighbors without softeners expressed the same opinion. We had a major water main project and we are guessing that caused the problem. Going through a wick a week was simply unacceptable. I tried a couple of things before buying a water softener and a whole house filter, or dragging in distilled water (which I don't want to do), both worked, but both are a bit of a hassle.

1. Melting snow. Worked well until the weather warmed and the snow went away. Also, melting enough snow, running it through a filter so it's not dirty is a hassle and just going to the store to get distilled water made more sense. But it did work. Filter did last much longer.

2. Adding Washing Soda to tap water. Washing soda has been used forever to "soften water" so I gave it a shot. I add two teaspoons of Washing Soda (found in the detergent section of Supermarket) per gallon of water and agitate it. At first I thought this was only a possible success as the wick quit taking water in two weeks and when I removed the filter it was mostly hard as a rock. I did notice that the part of the wick that was always submerged looked brand new. So I filled my sink, using the same mixture I outlined above (two teaspoons washing soda per gallon of water) and put the wick in it to soak. After 30 minutes I rinsed the filter out and let it dry out and it is almost like new. I don't know why, but it appears the experiment has worked.

Hope this helps.