Many car enthusiasts are interested in the question of how to clean the air ducts in a car in order to remove the unpleasant smell in the cabin.
Why is this question so interesting to so many? Because after a while a rather unpleasant smell reigns in the cabin. One could put up with it, however, many people know that an air conditioner without maintenance can lead to serious consequences, such as infectious diseases. (Link to the material - “How to clean the air conditioner in a car”).
How to get rid of this smell? The first thing you need to do is check the ventilation system and remove all rubbish from there. Often, in order to clean everything efficiently, both ventilation and air conditioning, the instrument panel is removed. Removing a torpedo is a lengthy and complicated process (for example, 2109 and 2110), which is why many people do not want to do this. Of course, you can get by with such products as foam or liquid preparations that kill all bacteria, but such cleaning will not give good results.
HVAC System Cleaning Methods
How to clean the air ducts in your car and eliminate the unpleasant smell? The most popular way is to purchase a gas can containing antiseptic. You need to use it like this. First of all, you need to turn on the recirculation mode in the cabin, then turn on the fan at 50% of its power. Thus, we monitor where the unpleasant odor is coming from.
You can use a lighter to determine the air flow. Then you need to direct the balloon into the area so that the outgoing flow enters the air duct. Then we open the bottle. Then you need to close the car doors and wait 10 minutes for the cleaning process to take place.
What can you say about this method? Speaking on the positive side, this method will not take much energy from you. Disadvantages - this type of cleaning is not effective enough and will not completely eliminate the problem.
Several articles on the topic:
- “How to recharge the air conditioner in a car”;
- “Differences between climate control and air conditioning.”
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Why do you need to clean your car air conditioner?
The car air conditioner requires periodic attention and maintenance. Its timely cleaning eliminates the occurrence of unexpected problems and unforeseen expenses, as well as health problems. The fact is that inside the device an ideal environment is formed for the development and reproduction of all kinds of bacteria. During operation of the air conditioner, moisture appears inside, which mixes with dust and dirt that gets inside along with the air. This indicates that cleaning the air conditioner should not be neglected. In addition to the listed nuances, due to the accumulation of contaminants, the performance of the unit deteriorates, which makes it difficult to maintain the required temperature on a hot day, and the appearance of an unpleasant odor in the cabin will be the last symptom indicating a problem with the device.
The car's air conditioning system consists of several components, the normal operation of which depends on timely cleaning and maintenance
Conditioner treatment frequency
The most accurate information on cleaning the air conditioner is provided in the owner's manual for your car. If the frequency cannot be determined for some reason, then following the recommendations of specialists, preventive measures should be carried out 1-2 times a year. If you or your family suffers from allergies, then antibacterial treatment should be carried out more often. At the same time, it is necessary to take into account how often the car is driven and the air conditioning is used, what is the climate in your region, and the roads on which you have to travel. Basically, cleaning of a car air conditioner is carried out in the spring before the start of its operation, or in the fall - after its completion. However, no one prohibits cleaning at any time.
Signs that require disinfection
There are several signs that indicate that your device needs to be serviced:
- The appearance of extraneous sounds. Their character can be different: crackling, noise, whistling.
- Unpleasant smell. It may always be present in the cabin, but when the air conditioning is activated it will intensify.
- Appearance of moisture. If it was noticed that when the air conditioner was turned on, moisture began to appear from the air duct, this indicates the need for immediate cleaning of the unit.
Consequences of bacterial contamination of the air conditioner
An unpleasant smell is not so bad. It appears due to moisture (condensation) accumulated on the evaporator. Fungi, bacteria, and mold form in it, which over time cover the inner surface of the air ducts. Gradually, the level of deposits increases so much that it leads to an unpleasant odor when the air conditioner is activated. However, the nuance is not only in the smell, but also in the fact that bacteria pose a danger to the human body.
Untimely cleaning of the air conditioner leads not only to an unpleasant odor in the cabin, but also to damage to system elements
In addition, road dirt getting between two radiators (cooling and air conditioning systems) leads to disruption of the compressor, which can cause its premature failure. Due to dirt, corrosion appears on the aluminum elements of the air conditioner, resulting in freon leakage.
Method using foam antiseptic
This product should be used as follows: first, you need to remove the cabin filter and direct the entire pressure of the foam into the ventilation and air conditioning systems.
After this, you need to start the car and warm up the cooling system. Such actions will allow the foam to expand, thereby allowing it to penetrate deeper. Then you need to wait until the foam settles for about 10 minutes. The next step is to turn on the heater so that the foam begins to evaporate and the antiseptic vapors enter the system.
Let's look at another effective way
, you have to disassemble the ventilation system, clean the radiator, namely the evaporator fins, as well as plastic housing parts. In order to clean aluminum parts you will need a special mixture called chlorhexidine. To clean plastic, you can use ordinary household chemicals.
The cause of the smell as organic matter (dust, insects, etc.) is difficult to extract.
How to clean deflectors
The easiest way to clean up your ventilation system is to clean all sides of the deflectors with special brushes or paint brushes. To do this, you need to stock up on brushes with different densities and thicknesses of bristles. And keep a vacuum cleaner at the ready - it is better to remove dust raised in the cabin before it settles on the surface.
If you have patience and your hands grow correctly, then the best thing to do is remove the baffles and wash them. Regular detergent will do. But if you are not sure that the grilles will not be damaged during the removal process by pliers, even if they are wrapped with electrical tape for softness, then it is better to abandon this idea and move on to the next method.
Buy a special aerosol (such products are sold), inject its contents into the deflector. The foam will clean its internal cavities and remove dirt out. All that remains is to wipe the surfaces.
A few tips for eliminating odor
First, you need to monitor your cabin filters. They must perform their task well. If desired, remove unnecessary debris and dirt from the filter between filter replacements. You should not skimp on the filter, as a cheap one may have gaps through which some of the unpurified air can get in. Such a filter will only cause harm. I think you have received the answer to the question of how to clean the air ducts in a car. There is one more recommendation.
Final Rule
. It is always necessary to dry the evaporator before the vehicle is left idle for a long period of time. To do this, you need to turn off the air conditioner in advance, for example 6 minutes. The fan does not have to be turned off. Since hot air will help the evaporator dry, thereby preventing bacteria from multiplying in a dry environment.
Car air conditioner: clean it or save money?
We answer the most pressing questions about the design and maintenance of car air conditioning.
Now we have begun to pay especially close attention to everything related to the microclimate or cleanliness. In modern cars, the “weather” in the cabin is provided by three interconnected systems: ventilation, heating and air conditioning. They can also become a potential source of bacteria or viruses. If you pay attention to their cleanliness, this can be avoided. Today we will answer the most pressing questions about the design and cleaning of a car air conditioner, and also try to instill a good habit: cleaning it before the start of the summer season.
How to prevent odor and delay repeated disinfection
The procedure for disinfecting and cleaning a car air conditioner is clear, but in order to resort to it as little as possible, you should follow some recommendations:
If the first tip does not raise any questions, then in the second case it is better to dry the air conditioning system naturally, and not with the help of a heater. In this case, the cooling should be turned off at least 5 minutes before the arrival point, leaving only the fan running to dry the system. Thus, condensation will form in a minimum amount, which will reduce the likelihood of an unpleasant odor.
Periodic maintenance of your car's air conditioner can minimize the occurrence of problems with the system and the need for expensive repairs. After reading the step-by-step instructions, every car enthusiast will be able to disinfect the device. If simple cleaning methods do not give the desired result, the air conditioning system needs more thorough treatment.
Source
Channel cleaning
Cleaning the channels is possible only in cases where problems are observed near several channels. If the problem affects everyone, it is often the air duct that is dirty. Local cleaning of individual channels will not give any result. Remember that if it is necessary to clean the air duct, carrying out independent work in apartment buildings is prohibited.
Mechanical cleaning is identified as the most popular. You must use a steel cable or a large brush. Using any of these products, you should try to get rid of as much debris, dirt and grease as possible. Sometimes the selected brush does not help, then you need to use a product that is larger in volume. In general, act carefully when cleaning, as wasps and hornets can sometimes create nests in the air duct.
Causes of the problem
The causes of the problem are usually as follows:
- ventilation system clogged;
- clogging of channels with soot, grease, dust due to the lack of gratings;
- incorrect planning;
- dismantling the ventilation duct in order to expand the living area;
- installing windows without ventilation valves, which blocks the natural flow of air into the room;
- hermetically sealing wooden windows for the winter;
- remaining construction debris, for example, parts of bricks, dried mortar, wooden blocks.
It is important! You cannot clean the main air duct yourself. Even if a blockage is detected in the air duct in a Khrushchev building, you need to seek help from special services. Residents can only clean the ventilation ducts themselves.
Details
Reasons why you should clean the deflector in the car interior
If you use the car actively, especially in the summer, this will undoubtedly lead to contamination of the interior and devices that are designed to cool and purify the air.
Such devices include deflectors. After a certain period of time, they begin to become covered with plaque and become dirty, and as a result, they cease to cope with the task. For this reason, the deflectors must be cleaned regularly, otherwise the climate control in the car interior will be impaired.
REFERENCE! If the deflector is dirty, it begins to threaten the health of the driver and passengers.
To avoid this, you need to stock up on some tools and special products to help clean the ventilation system in your car.
How to clean dust deflectors in a car
To clean the deflector, drivers use different methods. Sometimes car owners disassemble the deflectors to clean them of accumulated deposits. This method is the most effective, but its implementation requires technical knowledge, without which you can damage the device during assembly, as a result it will begin to crack or break completely.
REFERENCE! If you are not confident in your abilities or do not have enough time, then it is better to choose a method of cleaning without disassembling the deflector.
One such method is steam cleaning. This procedure is standard and is included in the list of actions when ordering dry cleaning for a car dealership. However, it costs a lot, which is its significant drawback.
Mechanical cleaning of car deflectors
The easiest way to clean the deflector is to use ordinary paint brushes or thin paint brushes. You will need several pieces of different thicknesses. You should moisten the bristles with warm water, squeeze them out and walk through hard-to-reach places.
Drivers with children are usually more creative and often use slime for cleaning. They just need to tinker between the slats, where the plaque is located.
REFERENCE! The slime has a sticky surface, so it attracts dust and dirt perfectly.
A brush for cleaning blinds perfectly helps to cope with the problem of contamination of the deflector. You can also use a special narrow vacuum cleaner attachment, which is needed to get rid of dust and dirt between books and in other narrow places.
Chemical cleaning of deflectors
If you have more time, patience and experience, then to clean the deflector it is better to remove it and then wash it with a degreaser. If you are not sure that you can avoid damaging the device, you should use special car care products. An aerosol or foam is suitable for this. They should be sprayed onto the surface and wait the amount of time specified in the instructions. After this, you need to thoroughly wipe the surface with a dry cloth. The ventilation system must then be left to ventilate.
In car services, deflectors are cleaned of dust using professional installation. It is brought inside the machine and the recirculation mode is turned on, after which the disinfectant liquid turns into a fine suspension, reminiscent of fog. This suspension passes through all the internal parts of the air conditioner, thanks to which even the most inaccessible places are cleaned.
REFERENCE! This procedure costs approximately 1500-3000 rubles in the salon, if not more.
