Does Lysol work for evaporator freshening?

[JHZR2]

My 135i tends to have a musty smell for a minute or two after startup.

it automatically controls in/outside air.

The cabin filter smells fresh to me, and looks clean.

I didn’t see a ton of condensation drops, despite driving the car about 100mi today, and it being fairly warm/humid. I tried running something up the tube, which routes over the transmission and is very hard to get more than 12” up it. It’s a long, soft rubber hose.

I know evaporator cleaner exists, but I’m not sure it will go up/in the drain tube. So that means needing to drill a hole in the evap box. I’m more inclined to try some low scent Lysol, and chase it with an ozone machine, maybe blowing into the cowl intake with the flap opened.

What’s the deal with using Lysol? Can it be a bad idea or bad for the evaporator?

 

[dishdude]

I'd try this instead. https://www.bgprod.com/catalog/climate-control/bg-frigi-fresh/

Best thing you can do is switch the A/C off for the last few minutes of your trip and leave the fan on.

 

[JHZR2]

I'd try this instead. https://www.bgprod.com/catalog/climate-control/bg-frigi-fresh/

Best thing you can do is switch the A/C off for the last few minutes of your trip and leave the fan on.

Switching off the AC has never helped on any cars. Maybe in different climates it can, but around here it just results in a stench after turning off, and I have my doubts the air box actually dries.... plus the car is super uncomfortable within a few minutes.

I do think you’re into something regarding the BG product. Lysol has a ton of alcohol, which I’m not sure is good for seals in the system, nor plastics...

 

[DBMaster]

Make sure the A/C is in fresh position before shutting down. Leaving it in recirc all the time can result in mildew growth.

 

[onemig]

How about using an ozone machine inside your car while running the a/c fan on recirculate (a/c button switched off). It is an expensive alternative since portable ozone generators are about $100 for a good one.
I’ve recently tried this on my vehicle and it seems to have worked.

 

[supton]

On my Jetta I tried the Lysol a few times, but it never seemed to last. But the "Fresh Scent" Lysol was preferable to the musty smell.

 

[Hall]

Best thing you can do is switch the A/C off for the last few minutes of your trip and leave the fan on.

That is a widely recommended way to deal with it but it has its downsides....

but around here it just results in a stench after turning off, and I have my doubts the air box actually dries.... plus the car is super uncomfortable within a few minutes.

I kinda know what you mean but in my case, I wouldn't call it a "stench". It just smells like the AC running when it's low or out of freon. You're exactly right about it gets uncomfortable real quick. That said, it does seem to work fairly well.

 

[edyvw]

I used it on my X5. Worked for some time. Problem resolved doing road trip to Florida. Excessive humidity washed out drain tubes.

 

[RooflessVW]

I used it on my X5. Worked for some time. Problem resolved doing road trip to Florida. Excessive humidity washed out drain tubes.

People always forget the drains. They can be completely or partially blocked or coated with organic material.

 

[cb_13]

That's all I ever used as a tech until the BG sales rep came rolling into town with his 29.95 bottles of Frigi Fresh. I can't say that it was more effective but it certainly put more money in the service departments pocket.

 

[edyvw]

People always forget the drains. They can be completely or partially blocked or coated with organic material.

Yep. I was thinking immediately about that. But in X5 they are ridiculously hard to access (short of taking down transmission). Here the air is so dry that sometimes there is nothing coming out regardless of how hard AC is working. Once I hit OKC, it started to gush out, by the time we visited friends in NOLA smell was gone.

 

[JHZR2]

People always forget the drains. They can be completely or partially blocked or coated with organic material.

Drains were the first thing I tried. It’s not possible to get all the way in/up.

Yep. I was thinking immediately about that. But in X5 they are ridiculously hard to access (short of taking down transmission). Here the air is so dry that sometimes there is nothing coming out regardless of how hard AC is working. Once I hit OKC, it started to gush out, by the time we visited friends in NOLA smell was gone.

Interesting. Seldom use may be part of it. But it does get pretty darn humid in the summer here.

That is a widely recommended way to deal with it but it has its downsides....

I kinda know what you mean but in my case, I wouldn't call it a "stench". It just smells like the AC running when it's low or out of freon. You're exactly right about it gets uncomfortable real quick. That said, it does seem to work fairly well.

On my car it’s the same smell as I encounter when starting the car and putting on the AC.

 

[Vercingetorix]

This is all you need to know.

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