A/C Disinfectant?

[Merkava_4]

Car: 2000 Buick Lesabre

Have any of you guys used an A/C disinfectant in your vents? What's the procedure?

Do you spray it where the cabin air filter goes?

Do you remove the cabin air filter first?

 

[johnd]

My wife's car periodically gets to smelling musty in the summer (mostly because I can't get her to cut the AC off and dry it out during the last mile home). I use Febreeze to get rid of the smell. I put it on outside air, blower on high and squirt it in the outside air intake. In your case,where there is an air filter, would be the intake. You'd want to take the filter out first, of course. I've heard of using Lysol spray for this but I don't like the smell of it so I don't. Febreeze is mostly alcohol with a little scent so it smells pretty good and goes away pretty fast.

 

[benjamming]

Wurth A/C & Heating System Cleaner is about $10 for 6 oz. aerosol or 16 oz. for about $17.

 

[mechtech2]

Spray it in the inlet from outside , then switch positions and spray it inside [the return] when on recirculate.
Ditch the filter for this job, then get a new one or spray it separately.

 

[heathenbrewing]

I use a 2:1 mix (70% EtOH:distilled H20) in a spray bottle that puts off a fine mist. The ethanol will kill bacteria/mold/spores and will not harm plastic. Then I turn the fan on high and spray into the intake (in my case, the intake is just below the windshield on the outside of the car) a dozen times or more. I do this 3 or 4 times a year to prevent any smells. You could add a drop of vanilla extract or a few squirts of cologne if you want some smell.

Suggest that you turn off A/C and run fan on max for a few minutes before stopping is essential,particularly if outside air is humid and A/C has been on for any length of time,to prevent moisture remaining in system and providing breeding ground for nasty smells.

 

[Merkava_4]

Thanks for all the replies thus far guys!

I've got another question for you guys:

At the base of the driver's side front window is a screen that covers what I'm guessing to be the evaporator coils.

At the base of the passenger side front window is the hatch door that covers the cabin air filter.

How does the outside air enter into the cabin?

 

[parimento1]

Either turn your heater on for awhile on outside air, or just leave it on outside air. Mine used to STINK until i left it on outside air all the time after shutting it off. Also running the heat with outside air on will dry it out quickly.