Prevent unpleasant smells: Clean and disinfect your air conditioning system regularly. We'll tell you how easy it is.
Is there an unpleasant smell in the car or does it stink when the air conditioning is on? Then it is high time to disinfect your air conditioner. A damp, musty smell is a clear sign that mold has spread throughout the system. In the worst case, symptoms such as coughing, sneezing, watery eyes and a runny nose occur.
How to clean your air conditioner with disinfectant spray
But don't worry: you can easily disinfect the air conditioning system yourself. With a spray from a can , you can dispel the stench in a few minutes - and for little money. Cheap sprays cost around ten euros.
Before you start with the spray, you should make some preparations . Fold down both front seats and push the front passenger seat all the way forward. Place a towel on the floor behind the passenger seat. Now place the disinfection spray there - this gives you a great distance from the interior.
Now start the engine and switch the air conditioning to "recirculation". Make sure the blower is running at full speed and the airflow is going up. Don't forget to open the air vents.
Read here how to clean your car seats with home remedies.
Now it's time to spray the disinfectant. Press the spray button and immediately close all the doors of your car. Warning: Do not sit in the car while the product is being sprayed. After about 15 minutes the can should be completely empty.
When the spraying process is finished, you can switch off the engine again. Take the can and the cloth out of the footwell and remove any residues of the disinfectant . Then ventilate the interior thoroughly. Your air conditioner is now disinfected and the smell should be gone.
How to clean your air conditioner with disinfectant foam
Disinfection foam is even more effective for disinfecting air conditioning systems than spray. However, the application is somewhat more complicated . Spray and foam hardly differ in price. Depending on the provider, a flat cleaning foam costs between ten and 15 euros.
Spray the foam directly into the evaporator in the engine compartment. A longer hose is usually included with the foam. Let the detergent work for half an hour . Now start the engine and turn the air conditioning to the highest setting. Don't forget: Open all air vents. Let the engine and air conditioner run for a while so that the foam can spread well.
Video: Danger from the air conditioning system
Also interesting: you should take this into account when washing your car.
Change the cabin filter annually
You should not only disinfect your air conditioning system regularly, but also change the cabin filter. As a rule, an exchange makes sense every year - preferably in spring. Depending on the car model, the change is more difficult. If you are unsure, have the cabin filter replaced in a workshop. The costs start at around 50 euros and differ depending on the model of the car.
That's why the air conditioning stinks
The reason for the stench from the air conditioning system is fungi, bacteria and microorganisms . These settle on the evaporator. The air conditioning component extracts the heat from the air. Condensation forms during this process.
This should normally rinse off the smell. However, this does not always work and the water stops. If the air conditioning system is not used regularly, this also supports fungus formation. Because moisture and heat provide the ideal breeding ground for microorganisms. To prevent this, you should switch off the air conditioning a few minutes before the end of the journey . In this way, the evaporator has the option of drying off all residual moisture. The easiest tip to protect the air conditioner is to use it regularly.
Find out here which home remedies really help with car interior cleaning.
Damage caused by insufficient disinfection of the air conditioning system
Not only people can suffer from dirty air conditioners, but also cars. A dead layer of germs can form in the air conditioning system . If the air conditioning system is not disinfected regularly - about once a year - the slime layer clogs the condensate drain. As a result, moisture can get inside the car and rust can also form. In the worst case, the mucus layer hardens and the evaporator has to be replaced.
When it comes to cleaning your beloved car, we get pretty creative: Read about other exciting life hacks around the car here.
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