[ascertain]

Hi everyone-

How many of you regularly clean up your AC vents? - especially those of yo who drive around mostly in the city- which is an environment of dust and smoke?

I have had my ford fiesta for around 3 years now, and have given it that 'once in a while' cleaning a few times.

This time around, I tried to see how much of dirt actually stays in your AC vents without you realising it.

I gave the vents a clean 2 months ago, and how I do it - I'll put up pics.

Do keep i mind that I use the car in Mysore city mostly, and it is one of the 'greener & cleaner' cities. The long trips to Tamilnadu are made once in a month, and those too - to village areas where there are not many vehicles around. Trips to bangalore (one of the most polluted cities!) happen maybe once in two months.

So keeping this picture, I shouldn't be expecting a great amount of dirt right?


The cleaning of the vents

the ford fiesta vent openings are nicely spaced, and the direction plates are widely spaced which allows easy passage of cleaning devices into the vent.




I needed something that was slender, maneuverable and long enough to reach seep, and all around the vent tube.

So, I got hold of THIS!-



A common hanger with end tipped with cotton and a sponge piece -





This picture above- is before the device went into the vent -





The duct gets a good all around wiping -


and the result?
see below






The dirt on the sponge- only 1 vent cleaned till now - 3 more to go!


The water I used to clean sponge - turned a variety of hues - finally settling for the one below -






After this step- I took out a can of 'Neutralizer' made by 'Gulf' (saw it in a departmental store) it has a long serpentine tube in white.



The can has to be shaken 4-5 times before use, so do it before you clip on the tube to the can.

You clip on the tube to the can spray top, and put the other end of the long tube deep into the AC vent -






You have to take care to spray ALL around the vent tube - you'll hear a 'swoosh' sound as Foam begins to come out of the tube and fill the AC vent. Spray till the foam reaches the vent opening.






Once you have sprayed ALL the vents, close the flaps, and leave it for 15-20 minutes

DO NOT TURN on your AC as you'll be spraying the car with foam, and your kids'll think Christmas arrived early.








AFTER 15-20 minutes, open the flaps, and with the AC fan on lowest speed, allow 5 minutes of functioning. Put in Internal circulation.

After this, you can increase the Fan speed to whatever level you desire, and operate.



On this note, I's like to mention that, the Foam also causes the dirt to settle on the tube floor, and you can clearly see it.


The can cost me around 250 Bucks,and it asks you to use a whole can for one clean, but I've found that one can's enough for at least 3 sessions.


P.S: Try cleaning your vents , and do post your results.

[godog]

Originally Posted by ascertain

A common hanger with end tipped with cotton and a sponge piece -





This picture above- is before the device went into the vent -




The duct gets a good all around wiping -


DO NOT TURN on your AC as you'll be spraying the car with foam, and your kids'll think Christmas arrived early.


On this note, I's like to mention that, the Foam also causes the dirt to settle on the tube floor, and you can clearly see it.


The can cost me around 250 Bucks,and it asks you to use a whole can for one clean, but I've found that one can's enough for at least 3 sessions.


P.S: Try cleaning your vents , and do post your results.

Hey, an earbud for the AC plug? You've got the cleaning bug.
pardon my elcheapo poetry.

Are there any professionals who clean AC vents?

DO NOT TURN on your AC as you'll be spraying the car with foam, and your kids'll think Christmas arrived early.

[vnabhi]

Lovely details dude. I wonder what kind of hanger that is though.

[PatienceWins]

I use Gulf Neutralizer. I bought it from the Gulf stall in Vahan Yatra exhibition.

I have noticed that the AC efficiency improves after use of the neutralizer.

[karankapoor]

Originally Posted by vnabhi

I wonder what kind of hanger that is though.

good and a easy way to do the cleaning job.

its a normal cloth hanger that everyone uses in there wardrobe .

[pranava999]

nice post.very helpful and that's some ingenuity with the hanger and sponge

[Roy.S]

Originally Posted by ascertain

How many of you regularly clean up your AC vents?

An usually ignored area. I do use the Gulf neutralizer, but will additionally use your extra long earbud method next time.
Thanks for posting.

[NomadVagabond]

Yes!! This totally works. I recently cleaned my AC vents and also the cooling coils. There were lots of debris there which were obstructing the proper air flow. Now, that all is sorted out the cooling has really improved. Great post.

Regards,

Anirban.

[gpa]

Nice work ascertain!
I will be using the same product on my Alto's AC next weekend. The car will be completing one year on May 24, so thought I should clean the AC vents throughly apart from the normal cleaning that I do each week.

Have used the neutralizer before on my other car and it works well. that the can be used for more than just once, because its far too much to be used at once and has liquid dripping out from the condensor box below.

Cheers,
gpa

[aka_iitd]

Sorry for sounding stupid but after using Gulf neutralizer and switching on the fan at slow speed for 5 mins and later at high speed where the dust/mud will collect. Will it come put from condensor pipe I can't understand what Gulf neutralizer will do in the end.
User please explain the result

[ascertain]

Originally Posted by aka_iitd

Sorry for sounding stupid but after using Gulf neutralizer and switching on the fan at slow speed for 5 mins and later at high speed where the dust/mud will collect. Will it come put from condensor pipe I can't understand what Gulf neutralizer will do in the end.
User please explain the result

Good Doubt aka_iitd. The major work of the Neutralizer is done in the initial 15 minutes that you close the vent gates after spraying the foam inside the ducts. The Foam causes the dirt, which has escaped the 'probe cleaning' to settle down on the tube floor. Once the foam settles on the floor, it stays in a squishy state for some time, and then you turn on the AC at low speed for 5 minutes - this propels the dust from deeper down into the area of the 'squish' where it gets captured by the deposits.

So that means that majority of the dust gets cleaned out after one spraying, but if you see the tube floor, there you will see the collection, which won't fly out into your face - then you have the option of using the probe to clean out that stuff as well, or leave it for the next session.

Hope this helps

[shyamhegde]

So the Foam is kinda soapy one which disappers after 10-15 minutes and hides the dust preventing from coming out of the vents with blowing air. Is my understanding close?

I saw someone saying, it improved the ac cooling in above posts, I did not get it properly. Never used it so, completely unaware.

In service stations, they charge some 400 Rs. for A/c Nuetralization or so. Do they use similar method?

ascertain , thanks for posting this topic with all those snaps.

[gpa]

Originally Posted by shyamhegde

In service stations, they charge some 400 Rs. for A/c Nuetralization or so. Do they use similar method?

The service stations do not follow this method. They just spray it in, leave it for about 10 mins and then switch on the blower and thats the end of the cleaning. The charges depends on the A.S.S - with M.A.S.S charging Rs. 500 to H.A.S.S charging Rs. 650. While the can costs only Rs. 250

Its better we buy a can like ascertain and clean it ourself. Saves money and is a great DIY project.

Cheers,
gpa

[shyamhegde]

Originally Posted by gpa

The service stations do not follow this method. They just spray it in, leave it for about 10 mins and then switch on the blower and thats the end of the cleaning. The charges depends on the A.S.S - with M.A.S.S charging Rs. 500 to H.A.S.S charging Rs. 650. While the can costs only Rs. 250

Its better we buy a can like ascertain and clean it ourself. Saves money and is a great DIY project.

Cheers,
gpa

Thanks! That is encouraging. Will do try sometimes.

[Deeps]

Originally Posted by ascertain

then you have the option of using the probe to clean out that stuff as well, or leave it for the next session.

Then wouldn't it be more effective to use the foam first and then use the cotton/hangar method?? This way ALL of the dirt deposits would be collected by the cotton...or have I missed something?