Car Air Conditioner Cleaning to remove bacteria, fungi

[anandpadhye]

With A/C on, I have started sneezing like anything.
I have read all over the internet that the A/C system hosts a lot of bacteria, fungi apart from duct due to water condensation.

Please tell me a way to clean the A/C.
Is there any liquid/solution, etc available in the market?
What's the best?

I am hoping this A/C disinfection problem is DIY.

If not, then any trusted A/C workshop in Pune?

Mods: I think there must be an exisitng thread on this topic. Just couldn't find one. If I search "Air Conditiioner", it says no result. More surprize: If I search for A/C, it say no results even though the search for "smell" gave me a list of threads that contain the word "a/c" in the title! Is our website using premitive search/indexing techniques or am I doing something wrong?

Thanks.

Note: By A/C, I mean my car A/C...just in case...:-)

[deepaktpatil]

Yes, fungi is a big problem and can create you lot of troubles, especially during monsoon season. I am not a expert on this subject but below is how I avoid this problem.

• Clean the car once in a 15days and make sure any food crumbs or other material which can foster fungi is cleaned out using some good cleaner (have been fortunate that a guy cleans it for me once in a week and washes from outside everyday for just 200 bucks per month).
• This is most important, I make it a point that I park my car in sun once in a while so that inside of the car gets heated once in a while. This helps especially in rainy season.
• When ever you get a chance make sure that you intake air from outside into the car. Closed air helps fungi grow faster than clean air from outside.
• Use some good car perfume, Amby pure is one I have been using for a while, I am not sure if this has any anti fungi and anti bacterial properties but it atleast masks the foul smell that emanates from the AC ducts.

If you think you have real problem on your hands, then you should get the ducts cleaned after which you can try and see if above tricks work for you.

[varma]

Gulf has a product called Air Conditioner Cleaner or so for Rs. 450/-.

I saw it in an Exhibition and the person told me that we need to spray it directly into the AC vents while the Blower is off. Then run the blower [AC off] for 5 minutes and then switch on the AC.

He told that it will kill all the fungi and bacteria and it contains a fragrance which lasts for 60 days. He told that we have to use it for every six months.

I have not tried it though.

[diabloo]

1. http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/techni...ob-stinks.html (Help me with this AC prob..IT STINKS!!)
2. http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/modifi...car-smell.html (How does your car smell)
3. http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/modifi...r-ioniser.html (E-Air ioniser)

[vinodbijlani]

has anyone tried the Gulf product mentioned by varma. would be good to know if that works.
thanks

[WasavaTyres]

Yes I do use the gulf product regularly. It's called AC Neutralizer. It's a can of fragrant cleaner that comes with it's own 1 foot long flexible pipe that is used to penetrate deep into the a/c vents and spray the cleaner. You will have to sray the contents and leave it for 15 mins and then run the a/c on exhaust for another 5 odd mins for it to completely remove foul odours and bacteria.

[filcord]

Originally Posted by WasavaTyres

Yes I do use the gulf product regularly. It's called AC Neutralizer.

Is there any web-site selling this in India? Where would one get this, from any Gulf oil dealer?

[anandpadhye]

OK.
This sounds great.
I would like to give it a try right away, assuming Gulf AC neutralizer is available in Pune.

One technical question - how to ensure that the spray reaches the evaporator coil mesh and disinfects that (not only the vent chanmbers).

Thanks for the help.

BTW, diablo, thanks for pointing to previous threads. "How does your car smell" is actually a random discussion on what smell and deo people like...this thread has a lot of entertainment and amusement value.... though not much technical...

[arunkumar_rec]

The Gulf A/C neutraliser is available with the Petrol bunks(Indian Oil & BP). I have got one from one of the agents in Mysore and sprayed in my A/C ducts. Need to wait for few more days to check whether the odour of A/C is gone once the Neutraliser fragrance goes off. This neutraliser has got some fragrance. But I didnt like this fragrance. I wanted fresh air. Waiting..
The product was sold to me for Rs410/-. I used only half of the can. And rest i may use it say 4 months down the line. I am not sure whether the spray reaches the evaporator coil mesh and disinfects it. Need to find out.
Refer to the website Gulf Oil India – A Hinduja Group company, owned by the Hindujas for more details.

[anandpadhye]

Keep us posted.
Even I have the same question - does the spray reach the evaporator coil at all?

And is it in liquid form or aerosol?

[arunkumar_rec]

As I said, I don't know if it reaches the evaporator coil. Is there a way to find out? When I Spray the can, a white foam comes out of it. You need to tell me if that is aerosol or liquid. The Gulf oil people claim that it will disinfect everything.(You have to leave it for 30 minutes after spraying into all the A/C ducts and after that you have to use the blower without A/C in low speed for 5 minutes). I somehow disliked the fragrance(or is it a smell) from this spray. Hope this product solves the problem of A/C stinking smell.

[dvswift]

The moisture condensation normally happens on the evaporator when the compressor is running. In typical warm-moist conditions like in India, you need to run the blower (with A/C OFF) for 3-5 minutes at the end of the day.

Most automatic climate control systems are equipped with this feature. In Manual controls, it is not possible since the system doesn't have control over the blower.


Back to your Gulf Product, I really don't know if it helps spraying into the ducts. I say this because the spray may reach into the airpath and not into the evaporator core at all. Also, the moisture condensing on the evaporator is drained through a hose. If this is clogged due to dust, this may be a bigger factor resulting in bad odor. Check with your dealer.

Condensation inside ducts is a very remote possibility. Simplest way to keep moisture levels down inside the ducts is to run less on "RECIRCULATION" more use fresh air inside the cabin. If you indeed want RECIRCULATION, please run the compressor and adjust temperature knob to get right grill temperature.

[srsriharsha]

well you can get your vents cleaned. i had reminents of a rat once somewhere near the entry of the air thus bad smell.
cleaning helps get rid of it.

[Jr Godzilla]

Originally Posted by arunkumar_rec

As I said, I don't know if it reaches the evaporator coil. Is there a way to find out? When I Spray the can, a white foam comes out of it. You need to tell me if that is aerosol or liquid. The Gulf oil people claim that it will disinfect everything.(You have to leave it for 30 minutes after spraying into all the A/C ducts and after that you have to use the blower without A/C in low speed for 5 minutes). I somehow disliked the fragrance(or is it a smell) from this spray. Hope this product solves the problem of A/C stinking smell.

it would not reach complete to evaporator only some part of it. The evaporator is fixed in the inside below dash with high and low pressure fittings on firwall engine side. Over 3 to 4 yrs it develops fungi molds etc and only by disconnecting and air pressure blowing will get clean. THE DISCONNECTION IS NOT DIY IT REQUIRE DEPRESSURISING THE SYSTEM AND NEEDS TECH HELP.

the other way is to get to the evaporator without disconnecting and use a home vaccum cleaner with smaller fittings to suck out the dirt. helps most of cases and ac feels cooler too.

[anandpadhye]

Originally Posted by Jr Godzilla

it would not reach complete to evaporator only some part of it. The evaporator is fixed in the inside below dash with high and low pressure fittings on firwall engine side. Over 3 to 4 yrs it develops fungi molds etc and only by disconnecting and air pressure blowing will get clean. THE DISCONNECTION IS NOT DIY IT REQUIRE DEPRESSURISING THE SYSTEM AND NEEDS TECH HELP.

the other way is to get to the evaporator without disconnecting and use a home vaccum cleaner with smaller fittings to suck out the dirt. helps most of cases and ac feels cooler too.

How to get to the evaporator without disconnecting?
I have a vaccum cleaner and would like to try this.


One alternative I have adopted is :
1) I spray HIT! into the blowers and through the A/C air intake at the bottom of the windshield.
2) I use full heater for 5 minutes every week or two - thinking that the hot air will kill the micro-organisms to some extent.