Hi guys, very recently my car a/c has started to become quite smelly... It's normally the first 30 seconds or so of using it that I get a real nasty stink, then eventually it goes and everything is normal.

I know that parts of the A/C are prone to harbouring fungus and bacteria etc and as I don't particularly want to develop some sort of superbacteria thing I'd like to get rid of it.

I'm just wondering what I might need to do. I've heard about these canisters you buy and you put the car a/c on, and recirculation on and then let it rip...ahem.. but I'm not sure where to get them (do most auto shops have these?)

Thanks

Mine stinks of damp if the last time I used it I kept it running right up until stopping the engine.

Now I always turn the AC off and let it "blow through" so to speak before I stop the car.

halfords have the comma air con cleaner, does a good job

http://www.halfords.com/motoring/engine-oils-fluids/air-conditioning-recharge-supplies/comma-aircon-cleaner

I would change the pollen filter before using the canister, especially if it hasn't been changed for a bit.

The normfest stuff from eurocarparts is good and cheap £4.99 at present. I have used the one shot bomb and the spray can that you spray down the vents (on the same day - overkill). Personally in future I will use the spray. The one shot just left a big puddle of wet in the footwell, so alot of waste imo. I would remove tje existing filter (ball ache believe me) then do the cleaner then put a new active carbon filter in after. Well known that garages dont replace the cabin filter even thouhh they say they have as its such a time consuming job.

As Bruce has said change the pollen filter then use a de bug canister, you can get all different smells, citrus, apple, orange even new car smell but that doesn't really smell nice at all. :D

Changing the pollen filter is an absolute nightmare. Took me ages, and ached for days afterwards. Never again.

I thought they were just in the footwell?

Lol, changed the Pollen filter about a year ago, the garage I took it too to get 'serviced' (the same ones that jacked the car up by the body work skirt and left dents) said they would change the filter, but I very much doubt they did. Might get another filter and go that route too...

Although it's 'just' in the footwell, it's a damn squeeze to get into it for some people - being 6'6 and over 100kg's I'm one of those people!!!

The normfest stuff from eurocarparts is good and cheap £4.99 at present. I have used the one shot bomb and the spray can that you spray down the vents (on the same day - overkill). Personally in future I will use the spray. The one shot just left a big puddle of wet in the footwell, so alot of waste imo. I would remove tje existing filter (ball ache believe me) then do the cleaner then put a new active carbon filter in after. Well known that garages dont replace the cabin filter even thouhh they say they have as its such a time consuming job.

Can't find the stuff on eurocarparts :/

Can't find the stuff on eurocarparts :/

http://www.eurocarparts.com/ecp/p/car-accessories/car-cleaning-accessories/car-interior-cleaners/air-con-cleaner/?NOR2897300&0&cc5_101

its not too hard to get to the pollen filter, you just need to lie under the footwell with your legs outside the car

http://www.eurocarparts.com/ecp/p/car-accessories/car-cleaning-accessories/car-interior-cleaners/air-con-cleaner/?NOR2897300&0&cc5_101

its not too hard to get to the pollen filter, you just need to lie under the footwell with your legs outside the car

That's the one I used, still have 1/2 a can left actually

I tip my hat to anyone who has changed the cabin filter without having to remove the glovebox/fusebox/fusebox bracket. I'm not sure how you can remove the screws without doing this, and then there is getting the actual filter into the slot without !Removed!/squashing in the process.

Ordered some, many thanks :)