It is difficult to imagine a modern car without such a necessary option in the summer heat as air conditioning. The cool air in the passenger compartment is especially pleasant when you have to spend a long time in the car under the scorching sun. However, you don't have to endlessly enjoy the comfortable microclimate. Over time, turning on the cooling is accompanied by the appearance of an unpleasant odor. This is the first signal that an antibacterial treatment of the car air conditioner is needed to solve the problem. In addition to the "basement" microclimate in the car, there is a danger of getting an infectious disease. So you can't hesitate with service.
Why is the air conditioner clogged?
The most vulnerable part of an air conditioning system is the radiator-evaporator. Its main task is to convert the refrigerant from a liquid phase to a gaseous state. At the moment when the process of heat exchange with air occurs, moisture condenses on the surface of the evaporator. While driving, dust, pollen and other tiny particles in the air stream that passes through the honeycomb of the heat exchanger adhere to a wet radiator.
As a result, a humid environment becomes an excellent "soil" for the development and reproduction of mold and bacteria. In addition to the unpleasant odor, pathogenic microbes enter the interior with the air stream. One of the most dangerous types of diseases is legionellosis. People suffering from allergies also suffer greatly from a contaminated air conditioner. To get rid of microorganisms and unpleasant odors, the car air conditioner should be disinfected periodically.
Briefly about the main thing or what is useful for motorists to know
If there is an unpleasant odor in the car interior, pay attention to the serviceability and cleanliness of the air conditioner. Condensation, combining with dust and soot, leads to the formation of bacteria. The result is their reproduction and decay processes, the harm of which everyone knows about.
Interesting fact! Dangerous sticks - "Legionella" led to illness in 221 people at the Congress of Legionnaires in the United States. Death was observed in 15% of cases. The cause of infection is a colony of bacteria that "lived" in an uncleaned ventilation system.
So, regular disinfection of a car air conditioner with your own hands is an opportunity to protect yourself and your passengers from dangerous germs, as well as to create comfort and a pleasant atmosphere in the cabin.
Before disinfection, it will not be superfluous to check the operation of the air conditioner.
Methods for cleaning a car air conditioner
When it comes to cleaning the air conditioning system, it turns out that there are certain difficulties that do not allow you to do everything yourself. Employees of specialized car services strongly recommend doing a complete cleaning of the air conditioner annually. However, complex cleaning of the car air conditioner should be carried out only at the service station, which has special equipment. This is due to the fact that the air conditioning system is closed and sealed. Any intervention by the car owner will lead to a violation of airtightness, evaporation of the refrigerant. Without the intervention of the auto center wizards, it will not be possible to eliminate these problems. In the process of professional cleaning, the dismantling of radiators and pipelines is carried out, chemical treatment of the entire system is carried out, the refrigerant is changed.
Nevertheless, some nodes can be serviced by motorists themselves. For example, cleaning the outside of an air conditioner evaporator is quite simple, albeit painstaking.It is enough to perform a simple treatment once every six months to keep the air conditioner in good condition. It is best to carry out maintenance before the start of the hot season and at the end of autumn. To make it easier to remove adhering dirt, the car owner can use special cleaning agents.
Top 9 Popular Car Air Conditioner Cleaners
A natural question that interests motorists within the framework of the topic under discussion is which car air conditioner cleaner is better? It should be noted right away that they differ not only in efficiency and price, but also in the conditions of use. In particular, if a huge amount of debris has got into the air conditioner, and it is compressed there, then even the best means for cleaning the air conditioner may not save in such a situation.
Below is a rating of popular cleaners that have shown their effectiveness, judging by the numerous reviews and tests on the Internet conducted by various motorists. If you have had any experience (both positive and negative) with the use of this kind of means, we will be glad to hear your opinion in the comments.
Step up
It is one of the most popular and effective foam car air conditioner cleaners. According to the instructions, it is injected into the drain pipe of the air conditioner, and after the active substance reacts very well and quickly removes unpleasant odors, cleans the pipes and other elements of the air conditioning system. It has a pleasant smell that does not remain after using the product in the car.
Please note that cylinders are commercially available with or without an extension hose. The hose can be purchased separately. The option with a hose is, of course, preferable, since it is more convenient to work with. Manufacturer recommends use conditioner freshener after using the cleaner
of the same brand, as an unpleasant odor may remain in the cabin. However, this is at the discretion of the car owner.
It is sold in a 510 ml can. Product SKU - SP5152. The price as of the summer of 2020 is about 500 rubles. As for the extension hose, you can buy it under the following part number - SP5154K. It costs 300 rubles.
Liqui Moly Klima-Anlagen-Reiniger
This is a foam cleaner from a renowned German manufacturer. Motorists note the high effect of the use of this composition. As for use, you first need to remove the cabin filter. After that, about two-thirds of the can should be applied to the evaporator of the air conditioner, and the remaining volume into the drain hole of the air conditioning system.
After injecting Liquid Moli Klim cleaner foam inside the system, you need to wait about 10 minutes so that its composition removes unpleasant odors, dust, and also disinfects the internal cavity of the air conditioning system. After use, the interior must be ventilated, and it is advisable to replace the cabin filter with a new one.
Do-it-yourself disinfection of the air conditioning system
To independently clean the car air conditioner from accumulated microorganisms, you should use one of the antibacterial compounds. An example is the disinfection of the system with CONDICLEAN. It is a special spray that is designed to remove bacteria, fungi, germs and viruses from closed systems. This composition not only eliminates mustiness in the air conditioner, but also perfectly disinfects surfaces that come into contact with condensate.
The cleaning technology looks like this.
- First you need to remove the cabin filter from the car.
- Then the car engine starts and the air conditioner turns on at minimum power.
- After that, an antibacterial aerosol should be sprayed into the duct for 20 seconds. It is best to aim the CONDICLEAN jet directly at the rotating fan.
- The car must be turned off immediately, all windows in the passenger compartment must be closed. Leave the car in this state for 20 minutes.
- The engine starts again, the windows open, the air conditioning system is turned on at maximum speed.
- After 5 minutes of active ventilation, the air conditioner will be cleaned.
Experienced drivers recommend that you develop a certain habit that will prevent the smallest particles from accumulating on the evaporator. When a few minutes are left before the car's arrival point, turn off the air conditioner. The piping and the evaporator will dry out due to the influence of the warm outside air. In this case, dust cannot adhere to the dry surface.
It is pleasant to be in a car with a working air conditioner in hot summer. It is only necessary to periodically disinfect the system, remove debris and dirt from the radiator surface. Then you will have to contact the service station specialists much less often.
Table: where to disinfect the car?
| City | The name of the company | Address | Phone number | Price |
| Moscow | HomeCarCleaning | On-site disinfection | +7 | RUB 3000 |
| MosWash | st. Marshal Biryuzova, 32, building 1 | +7 | 1000 RUB | |
| St. Petersburg | Autostolitsa | Far East pr., 18 | +7 | 2000 RUB |
At the MosMoika car wash, steam disinfection will be carried out, which will effectively and in a short time rid the car interior of bacteria and viruses. For an additional fee, you can disinfect the car interior using an ozonizer.
HomeCarCleaning - carries out on-site sanitation using steam and special disinfectants. Disinfection is carried out at the parking lot. The specialists have permission to handle cars and trucks.
What happens if the air conditioner is not cleaned and disinfected?
In the absence of air conditioning maintenance, the appearance of an unpleasant odor in the cabin is guaranteed, but this is only the tip of the iceberg. After all, this smell arises from condensation, that is, moisture that accumulates on the evaporator. This moisture creates ideal conditions for mold and mildew growth. Microorganisms populate the entire duct. They multiply, the colonies grow, the very unpleasant smell appears. Also, spores and microorganisms spread throughout the cabin every time the air conditioner is turned on.
Also, dirt gets between the radiators of the cooling and air conditioning system. This prevents the compressor from working properly and may result in premature compressor failure. The air conditioner has aluminum parts. Moisture and microbial activity contribute to the rapid onset and spread of corrosion. This ends with the loss of freon.
Ultrasonic cleaning of the air conditioner
Held in specialized vehicle service centers. It uses special equipment and a disinfectant for the air conditioner. To carry out a high-quality procedure, an industrial ultrasound cleaner is required.
It is installed in the system so that during its operation in recirculation mode, a finely dispersed mixture passes through the climate system. This allows you to remove germs not only from all parts of the device, but also from the car interior.
Self-disinfection - is it possible?
To perform high-quality cleaning of the vehicle air conditioning system it is necessary first of all to decide on the cleaning options and choose a good cleaner for air conditioners. Then the cleaning agent (usually a spray or foam) is launched into the air ducts, that is, into the channels of the system through which air passes. Next, you need to spray the evaporator, which is actually a breeding ground for pathogenic bacteria.During cleaning, the air conditioner must operate at full capacity in recirculation mode. By doing this, you will allow the cleaning agent to penetrate into all corners of the climate system of your car.
If you need to completely disassemble the air conditioner to clean it, you need to understand that this work is not easy and requires certain experience and skills. The principle of operation on each car will differ depending on its make and model. In short, the meaning is this, the air conditioner assembly is removed, after which it is disassembled and, using special chemicals, the contaminated elements are cleaned. The deflectors and air ducts themselves need to be cleaned using sprays or by complete dismantling.
In order to less frequently disinfect and clean the air conditioner, it is necessary to monitor its condition, as well as the condition of the filters and the level of refrigerant in the system. If possible, try to check in at least once a year for a complete diagnosis of the air conditioning system in order to timely identify minor problems and fix them before they turn into big trouble.
Remember that only serviceable air conditioner and correct operation are able to give us cool, pleasant air in the hottest summer heat. In the event of a malfunction in the air conditioning system or in the case of its pollution, all this benefit turns into a sheer evil that can cause significant damage to our health. Do not forget about it and take care of yourself and your car. I have everything, until we meet again on Pulsar. Until.
Cleaning, disinfection and antibacterial treatment of the car air conditioner
The content of the article:
Good day, dear car owners! For those of you who don't have air conditioning in their cars, don't be upset. You have everything ahead. And our today's material is devoted to such an important issue as antibacterial treatment of a car air conditioner. That is, the material will be useful to everyone who already has an air conditioner in the car.
Why is cleaning a car air conditioner systematically interested in the owners of these very air conditioners? The fact is that after a certain period of operation of the air conditioner, you suddenly notice that the air in the car interior becomes unpleasant, musty, reminiscent of a basement.
All right, just the smell. But it has already been proven that a car air conditioner, without proper maintenance, can become, among other things, a source of infectious diseases. It means that the time has come and it is urgently (desirable) necessary to clean the air conditioner of the car.
Why you need to clean your car air conditioner
Car air conditioner
Briefly about the process of contamination of the car air conditioner. The radiator-evaporator of the air conditioner converts the refrigerant from their liquid state to gaseous. During this process, heat is removed from the air passing through the radiator, and moisture condensation occurs on the surface of the radiator.
Dust, pollen, various suspended particles in the air adhering to the wet metal form a wet layer on the evaporator. It is he who is a favorable breeding ground for all kinds of bacteria and mold.
In addition to the "aroma", this layer is, without exaggeration, a breeding ground for various pathogenic microbes that can cause serious harm to the human body.
It's no secret that there is a "air conditioning" disease - legionellosis. Legionellosis is a type of pneumonia. And if there are people susceptible to allergic diseases in the car?
This is the main reason for which disinfection of the car air conditioner is simply necessary.
What should be the cleaning of a car air conditioner
Air conditioner service technicians recommend cleaning at least once a year. Immediately, we will make a reservation that it is not recommended to do complete cleaning, disinfection and antibacterial treatment of a car air conditioner with your own hands.
But such preventive measures as antibacterial cleaning of the air conditioner at least 2 times a year with your own hands will help you keep the air conditioner in working order. Self-preventive cleaning of the air conditioner will be appropriate at the beginning and at the end of a busy air conditioning season.
Ways to disinfect a car air conditioner
Two effective, but fundamentally different ways of cleaning and disinfecting a car air conditioner, in particular the evaporator and air ducts: complete mechanical cleaning and antibacterial cleaning of the air conditioner by chemical treatment.
The first method can be safely attributed to the professional one. It includes almost complete dismantling of the system. With a complete cleaning, the refrigerant is replaced, the evaporator radiator is cleaned and the piping is replaced (if necessary). With subsequent chemical treatment.
This method is used on vehicles with an old air conditioning system. Especially if the car was operated on dusty roads (outside the city), and, moreover, without a cabin air filter.
The second method of cleaning a car air conditioner is the most used and widespread. The chemical treatment of the air conditioner can be carried out both on our own and in the service. If you yourself are too lazy to devote 20 minutes to this procedure.
Self-disinfection of the car air conditioner
To clean the air conditioner yourself, you will need an auto air conditioner cleaner such as Loctite Hygiene Spray. The use of such a spray cleaner does not require much time and special skill.
The content of the spray is sprayed so that it gets onto the evaporator. Simultaneously with spraying, you need to turn on the recirculation mode at the highest speed. In addition to cleaning the air conditioner, such a spray promotes the formation of a preventive film on the evaporator of a substance that will prevent the appearance of new pests-microbes.
Such self-antibacterial cleaning of the air conditioner will last for at least six months.
In a car service, an ultrasonic method is used to clean air conditioners. The device is placed in the passenger compartment of a car and with the help of ultrasound the anticheptic is transformed into a finely dispersed suspension, which is repeatedly run through the air conditioning system in the recirculation mode.
In special cases of extreme pollution of the air conditioner, a partial disassembly is carried out at a car service. For this, the deflectors or the cabin filter housing are dismantled. Then, through the hole, using a probe gun, the cleaner is fed directly to the evaporator.
People's Council. To prevent the formation of mold on the evaporator and pipelines, it is necessary to turn off the air conditioner a few minutes before arriving at the destination.
In this case, the warm outside air will dry out the moisture collected on the radiator and in the garage or parking lot, the air conditioner will arrive with a dry evaporator.
We sincerely hope that you will not stop breathing in the car, but take our advice into consideration.
Good luck with your air conditioner cleaning and maintenance.
