I have had my mistking for about three years,just once a month cleanings for it with vinegar and then flushing it's system for a while afterward with water has made it run like new. I did it by hand for a bit and then soon realized it was impossible. If you work, or get a cham that doesn't do well with drippers, then you are stuck scrambling to get enough money to buy something immediately. Also if you go on a vacation or something? What are you going to do? I don't recommend misting veileds or panthers under 2 minutes regularly 3 times a day, and then having a single misting around 5 minutes once a day, then once a week do something for 30 minutes.