Over time, the air filter and the ventilation ducts accumulate dirt that, with humidity and heat, translates into fungi that produce that fetid aroma
With the arrival of heat, many drivers get an unpleasant surprise when they start the air conditioning or climate control of the car. It smells like Gruyère cheese. One goes crazy looking around the cabin, looking for those remains of food or what was stepped on before getting into the vehicle. In the end, the pituitary gets used to it and the bad smell seems to disappear.
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The origin of this unpleasant aroma must be found in the filter of the car’s ventilation system. The vehicle is exposed to all kinds of environmental agents. From pollen, through insects, to humidity and heat. All these elements are trapped in that filter, which on the other hand prevents them from passing into the same ventilation ducts.
Putrefaction and humidity generate fungi in the filter, hence that strong cheese smell, which when the air conditioning system is turned on are at room temperature, so the aroma is clearer. The more it cools, the less the aroma is noticeable.
This little problem is solved with what used to be called ‘entertainment’ of the vehicle. Something that can be done in spare time. The first thing that should be done and that many manufacturers recommend is that when the annual or kilometer review is passed, it is to change the filter. In some vehicles it is very easy to find. It is housed behind the engine and glued to the chassis that separates it from the passenger compartment. A simple clip releases it and allows you to replace it with another of the brand. It does not cost a lot of money, for the alternative of washing it is just wasting time, because the problem is not solved.
The second step, if the bad smell is not completely eliminated, consists of cleaning all the air conditioning ducts. Don’t be scared. This can be done by anyone with a little patience and dedication. It consists of using a disinfectant spray that they sell specifically for it.
In this case, what you have to do is, first, clean the air holes as far as you can go with a brush, a specific brush or a small handheld vacuum cleaner. Everyone. Not only what is on the dashboard -up and down-, but also the existing ducts under the dashboard and, in some models, under the rear seats or in the central pillar between the two front seats that usually have air vents for the passengers of behind.
The next step is to spray the ducts with the spray. Thoroughly and start the air conditioning system or cold air conditioning. Activate the air recirculation button inside the vehicle – the one in which the silhouette of a car appears inside a circle – and leave it for a long time so that the disinfectant penetrates the circuit. If there is still an odor, the fumigation with the spray can be repeated until it disappears.
Good practices to avoid bad odors in the car
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General cleaning: A car is made up of different elements, and each one of them deserves to be cleaned in a different way so that it really deserves the adjective ‘hygienic’. The classic microfiber cloth for everything goes very well for plastics and glass, but for example upholstery requires a steamer if we really want to have the feeling that it is clean. Also the classic handheld vacuum cleaners work very well for seats and nooks and crannies, and should be essential if we frequently travel with pets. If we are smokers, we must attend to aspects such as the fact that the smoke permeates the roof of the vehicle as well.
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air fresheners outside: It is not a call to boycott these products, but when cleaning our car, we must stop using them as they are counterproductive. Air fresheners mask the odor, but do not eliminate it. For this reason, cleaning the vehicle with one of them running may complicate the task of detecting where the bad smell or traces of dirt that produce it are.
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Check and take the car to review: If the odor is very strong or characteristic, it may come from a source that we have not detected or that we are not able to detect. In the first case, thorough cleaning is essential, since in some corner we may have left a piece of food or residue and it is as simple as removing it. But in other cases, the stench can occur due to the air conditioning filters being clogged and spreading during their ignition or other internal obstructions that only professional maintenance and inspection can solve.
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strip of home remedies: Beyond
of the air freshener we can turn to home remedies that help to make the bad smell disappear while they perfume. Baking soda on mats and seats helps to regulate the pH and therefore neutralize the odour, something that can even be improved if we add grain mustard or charcoal to a solution of water (be careful if the upholstery is white or clear). If we want a more lasting perfume even than that of the air fresheners for once we have left the car very clean, the bags of aromatic herbs, cotton impregnated with essences, or lemon peels or coffee beans are very effective.
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