The main reason unpleasant odor The car's air conditioner is considered to have a dirty evaporator. If he long time was not washed, then the cause of the smell may be bacteria that form on it. After reading the post, you will learn how to eliminate it yourself at home.

Colonies of bacteria appear in the air conditioner due to the constant circulation of cold and hot air. If after long work The air conditioner turns off, and after active operation it gets on its main part. cold air from the street. Such air creates condensation, which is removed through drainage pipes, but its appearance is enough to become good place for the formation of bacteria.

They are the cause of the smell. Working while the car is driving, the air conditioner, namely its main part, the evaporator, heats up. After the air conditioner is turned off, cold air from the street enters it. Interacting with a heated part, the air settles as moisture, as a result of which colonies of bacteria appear on it. The smell from them can be either weak or strong, but it always resembles the smell of a damp rag left in a locked place for several days.

This condensation of mold and bacteria makes itself known by starting to smell the next time you turn on the air conditioner, filling the interior with unpleasant, damp and stale air. The air outlets are dried during operation of the device, and direct access to new growths, which are the cause of the odor, is opened.

Elimination using chemistry

Solve the problem of stale air in best case scenario Can correct use cooling device. By turning it off before stopping, you thereby allow the system to ventilate, and already in the parking lot your air conditioner will await the next turn on dry and clean. But this approach does not always solve the problem completely, and its disadvantage is that you are obliged to sacrifice your comfort without using the capabilities of your car to the fullest.

Another way to get rid of colonies of harmful bacteria is to disinfect the interior on time or periodically, and most importantly, the air conditioner with an evaporator. Typically, bleach is used to disinfect taps and any other products. But this cleaning method is unlikely to be suitable for a car, although bleach is a very strong reagent, you will have to use it in a respirator or even a gas mask. Agree that these days there are more practical and convenient methods of disinfection, and use chlorine to clean the air ducts of your vehicle a little wrong.

The best option for flushing the evaporator is a product that can be recommended at any pharmacy or medical institution. Moreover, they even use it to disinfect medical devices. The product is called cresol, it does not have a strong foreign odor, it is used to clean instruments before surgery, medical gloves and it kills a large number of bacteria different types, including cholera. Cresol is the name given to its main component, Lysol, which is diluted with a soap-oil liquid.

The disinfecting properties of cresol are very strong, and the reason is the active element phenol. It is the main ingredient in formulations used to disinfect cars. Professional cleaning of air conditioners in cars, hotels and educational institutions carried out using professional means, which can sometimes be expensive. A package of such a product may last a long time, and to clean the air conditioning system of a car you may need very little of this composition.

Evaporator flushing

The evaporator is washed in several stages. These steps should be followed sequentially, and the result can be a completely new evaporator and air conditioning system that will not smell and will fill the interior with a clean fresh air without staleness and bacteria.

1. First you need to buy a cleaning product, namely Lysol. If it is not there, then you can find any other composition containing this drug. You can also buy concentrated Lysol-based liquid.
2. The composition is diluted in water in accordance with 1 to 100, and 300-400 milliliters of the product should be enough.
3. Pour the cleaning liquid into a bottle or spray bottle. Seal the spray bottle and add some essential oil- this way the work will be carried out simply and with the smell that you like.
4. We open the car windows and the sunroof wide - for work you need a constant flow of fresh air from the street.
5. We turn on the ignition, and with it the air conditioning and fan. We direct the air vent nozzles to the area of ​​the legs or face
6. The solution is sprayed into the air intake opening; it is advisable to do this not in a stream or in large portions. But you shouldn’t save money, because Lysol must get inside and fight bacteria. It is best to create large clouds of small droplets of cleaning fluid.
7. Turning off the engine, we allow the solution to perform its task inside the air conditioning system.
8. After some time, we turn on the system again, and spray the remaining solution inside the cabin. If all steps are completed correctly, the interior will soon begin to circulate again. fresh air.

The frequency of use of the air conditioner directly affects the appearance of bacteria. Operating conditions play an important role in this matter. A dusty country road is much worse reflected in the condition of the condenser than the urban appearance of smooth asphalt. And, of course, cleaning the capacitor at a service center greatly extends its service life and proper operation air conditioning system.

Because endure bad smell no one can do it, it’s best to protect yourself from its appearance in advance. The result of proper operation of the air conditioner will never bring trouble to the driver in the cabin. The first signs of its contamination are best removed immediately, and if you feel that soon your salon will be filled not with fragrances, but with stale air, a little prevention will not hurt. It is best to turn off the air conditioning while driving, namely a couple of minutes before stopping. Ventilated with fresh air without heating and cooling, the air conditioner will cool down by the time it stops, and there will be no problems the next time it starts. This approach will reduce the number of cleanings and extend the driving time using it by several weeks or even a month.

Disinfection should be carried out with open doors and even a hatch, because by ventilating the interior with the engine running, you will protect yourself from residual moisture and unpleasant odors.

Simultaneously with cleaning the heater, the entire volume of the body of your car is ventilated.
Repeated disinfection is carried out inside the salon. Thus, Lysol completely kills all bacteria, allowing you not to return to this problematic topic. When spraying the solution into the air intakes, you need to monitor its quantity. You cannot send a stream of solution into the openings of the air vents and at the same time you cannot save much of it. The solution must fully interact with the moisture and bacteria accumulated inside the air purification system.

Video “Removing unpleasant odor from a car air conditioner”

In the recording, a car enthusiast shows how to properly clean the air conditioner evaporator at home.

06/16/2017 1 6,495 views

In order for the device to always fill the room with fresh air, you need to know why the smell appears from the air conditioner when turned on and off and how to remove it?

There are many methods to combat the unpleasant odor coming from the air conditioner, but before using one of them, you need to determine the cause of its occurrence.

Causes of unpleasant odor

An unpleasant odor can come from a split system for various reasons, in particular such as:

• long break in the operation of the device;
• improper care;
• untimely change of filters.

If the air conditioner is used only in summer time, dust and moisture may accumulate in the device, which leads to the formation of an unpleasant odor that spreads immediately after switching on. To prevent this, you should turn on the device as often as possible.

Also one of the reasons may not be enough good care, which is why the device must be periodically disassembled, cleaned and washed.

Important! Replace filters in a timely manner and preferably install them with a bacterial effect.

Why does the air conditioner stink when turned on?

It can often come from bad smell from the air conditioner in the apartment when turned on. To establish the cause and eliminate it, you need to determine the nature of the smell itself. It could be:

• The smell of plastic is felt mainly immediately after turning on a new device. This drawback is mainly present in cheap models. Literally after a few days it disappears on its own and is not considered a violation. However, it is worth making sure that the plastic parts do not melt inside the split system itself, which can happen in heating mode.
• Burnt insulation - you should immediately disconnect the air conditioner from the network, as this may indicate overheating of the wiring, and this is a high probability of a possible fire. To fix this problem, you must call a specialist.
• Dampness or rot - the source can be various bacteria accumulated inside the device. To prevent the accumulation of bacteria, you need to ensure that the air conditioner is installed correctly, since installation errors can cause fluid stagnation. In addition, an unpleasant odor may also be due to the installation of a drainage system without siphons. If the air conditioner condensate is discharged into the sewer, then it is necessary to install siphons, since otherwise all the odors will penetrate into the room.

The air conditioner does not take air from the street, but moves it into the room, so if there is a source of bad odor, the device gradually accumulates it. Such sources can be plastic products, as well as, since it contains a lot of resins.

In addition, the source may be dust accumulated inside the split system; if there are smokers in the house, then the smell of tobacco, as well as the aromas of the kitchen.

How to fix the problem?

Many owners of air conditioners, feeling the stench after installing the device, wonder what the freon from the air conditioner smells like. It is worth noting that this gas, even in the event of a leak, has no odor and cannot be felt. The only sign of a freon leak will be a decrease in pressure levels or if the air conditioner starts to work worse.

You can get rid of the unpleasant odor emanating from the air conditioner in several ways, depending on the reason that caused its occurrence:

1. In particular good method dehumidification is considered. This can be done using a special function or using the ventilation function.
2. If the installation is carried out incorrectly, there is often stagnation of liquid and as a result, a stench is formed in the house. In this case, you need to change the drainage system or if moisture accumulates in the indoor unit, install it in a horizontal position.
3. If the blowing smells bad, then periodically you need to carry out a special antibacterial treatment. It is carried out by using special means, intended for cleaning the split system. When disinfecting, the evaporator is initially treated, then the tray and then the drainage system. However, sometimes this is not enough and you need to completely disassemble the system to clean all its internal parts.
4. You can also remove the stinky smell using ordinary table vinegar, which will also help eliminate various bacteria. To do this, you need to turn off the air conditioner, wait until it cools down and thoroughly treat all parts of the device. The sour smell of vinegar will disappear immediately after it evaporates from the surface of the air conditioner parts.
5. A siphon will help get rid of odors coming from the sewer. However, you need to pay attention to ensure that this product is of high quality and reliable.

If it is necessary to comprehensively eliminate all existing unpleasant odors, then antibacterial filters are installed. Manufacturers of modern split systems offer many different types:

• Photocatalytic - characterized by the fact that it uses titanium dioxide, which decomposes absolutely any organic compounds into separate parts. Acts as a catalyst, but is not consumed or polluted.
• A plasma ionizer is a special design consisting of metal plates between which voltage is applied. When passing between them, bacteria are completely neutralized.
• Catechin filter - the mechanism of action is quite simple, since catechin literally envelops bad molecules, preventing them from attaching to the surface of the device. After passing through this filter, the bacteria are completely disinfected and become harmless.
• Wasabi filter - it uses the ability to destroy bacteria with disinfectants contained in Japanese horseradish.

Video: what to do about the smell from the air conditioner?

An unpleasant odor from an air conditioner usually appears some time after installing and operating the air conditioner. This smell is sometimes so strong that it makes it impossible to use the split system and negates all the benefits of using an air conditioner.

Car owners also suffer from odors - the smell from the air conditioner in a car is not such a rare occurrence. First, let's look at the main causes of odors.

Causes of unpleasant odors from the air conditioner.

Accumulation of fungi and bacteria in the air conditioner.

A heat exchanger (evaporator) is located in the indoor unit of the air conditioner. During operation, its temperature is significantly lower than the air temperature, accordingly, condensation always forms on it - moisture that flows into the pan, and from there it is removed through drainage tubes. There is always dust and microorganisms in the air, which, when in contact with condensate, form a nutrient medium and, in case of stagnation, actively multiply and “smell”

Drainage without siphons

If condensate from the air conditioner is removed into the sewer system, then this must be done only with the use of siphons, otherwise all odors from the sewer system will be sucked into the room. The use of pseudosiphons in the form bent tube undesirable, since in this case the air conditioners may leak. By the way, if you do not use air conditioners for a long time, for example, out of season, the water in the siphons dries up and odors begin to penetrate into the room, in this case you need to wait a little until the condensate fills the volume of the siphon - after which the penetration of odors will stop.

Accumulation of odors from the room

As you know, the air conditioner does not take air from the street, but recirculates it room air(exception is duct air conditioners and some wall-mounted models with air flow), that is, they simply “circle” the air in the room. Therefore, if there is a source of aromatic substances in the apartment, then the air conditioner will gradually accumulate them and will itself be a source of these odors. The main source of such odors may be New furniture- it contains a lot of formaldehyde resins, as well as synthetics, various plastics and plastics.

Ways to eliminate odors from an air conditioner

Dehumidification

Many modern air conditioner models provide a delay in turning off the fan after turning off the air conditioner, thereby drying the evaporator and preventing the formation of odors.

If your air conditioner does not have such a function, you can dry it by manually turning on the ventilation mode for a few minutes.

If installed incorrectly, sometimes places of stagnant water are formed, where the result is a “micro-swamp” with all the ensuing consequences. In this case, it is possible to eliminate the smell only by altering the drainage system or, if moisture accumulates in the indoor unit, by installing it in a horizontal position.

Disinfection, antibacterial treatment of air conditioner.

Antibacterial treatment can be carried out using professional products sold in specialized stores. You can also buy treatment products car air conditioners in any auto store (fundamentally, a car air conditioner in this regard is absolutely no different from a room air conditioner). It is also recommended to use medical supplies for disinfection such as Lysol.

In this case, the evaporator is treated, the product flows from it into the tray (bath) and further into the drainage system, consistently disinfecting them. But sometimes this is not enough and you have to completely disassemble the air conditioner and disinfect everything internal surfaces and the fan impeller.

I would like to note right away that antibacterial treatment will give a short-term effect if all condensate stagnation is not eliminated.

Antibacterial filters and coatings for air conditioners

At the moment, there are many models of air conditioners that can independently effectively combat harmful bacteria and odors, or at least reduce the likelihood of unpleasant odors. Let's look at the types of filters used in these air conditioners.

Photocatalytic filter

This type of filter takes advantage of the ability of titanium dioxide to ultraviolet rays decompose any organic compounds into their component parts - water, carbon oxides and other substances harmless to humans. Such a filter is capable of absorbing any odors of organic origin. Moreover, what is important is that the titanium dioxide itself (titanium white) is not contaminated or consumed during the cleaning process - this substance is only a catalyst, that is, an accelerator of the splitting process.

Such filters are offered by many well-known HVAC manufacturers.

Plasma ionizer

This filter is a structure made of metal plates, between which a voltage of several thousand volts is applied. When various fungi, viruses and bacteria get between these plates, they are neutralized, and larger dust particles are electrified and stick to the plates. This type of filter system is much more efficient standard systems filtration, and periodic replacement of filters in this system is not required.

Catechin is powerful natural remedy for disinfection, which is contained in tea leaves and other healing plants. Panasonic has patented an electrostatic filter with a catechin coating. The mechanism of action of catechin is simple - viruses need to attach to a healthy cell, for this they use special spikes, and catechin envelops the viruses, preventing them from attaching. Efficiency of this filter confirmed experimentally, after passing through it, 98% of viruses no longer pose a danger.

Wasabi filter

This filter uses the ability to destroy bacteria with substances derived from the Japanese horseradish wasabi. Air conditioners with such filters are produced by the Japanese corporation General-Fujitsu.

Service specialists of the Masterkholoda company use professional products for disinfection of air conditioners.

Antibacterial treatment of the air conditioner.

It happens that all the benefits of using an air conditioner are nullified as soon as an unpleasant smell from the air conditioner spreads into your house or apartment. In addition, a similar problem can happen to a car owner who recently purchased an air conditioner and is now thinking about returning the device back to the store. Don’t rush to panic; you can get rid of the unpleasant irritating smell of the air conditioner without much difficulty.

Even with regular cleaning of the split system, there is a risk of a stench in the room, which can even be very dangerous for the residents of the house.

What does this depend on? There are a few key points, which contribute to the release of unpleasant odors from the air conditioner:

Before you try to eliminate an unpleasant odor from your air conditioner, find out the cause of the problem. And only after that start repairing.

Video “Cleaning and preventing contamination”

From the video you will learn how to clean the air conditioner from unpleasant odors and dirt.

How to remove

How to get rid of the strong smell of air conditioner? The best option dehumidification is considered. It is quite possible that this function is not available if you purchased the split system quite a long time ago. As for modern models, they are usually equipped with this advantage. What exactly does the dehumidification function mean? This is an opportunity to leave the fan on for a while after the air conditioner itself is completely turned off. What is remarkable about this characteristic? Its use allows you to thoroughly dry the evaporator and, accordingly, independently eliminate unpleasant odors.

If such a function is not provided in your split system, then you can probably simply activate the “ventilation” mode. Leave it on for 5-10 minutes and the effect will be the same. Very often, the problem with the stench that the air conditioner emits is due to a number of mistakes when installing the system. Hence the stagnation of water and aromas that irritate you. This kind of trouble can be removed only with a competent reinstallation of the drainage system.

Another effective option eliminating unpleasant odors from the air conditioner - disinfection. To do this, you need to get professional cleaning products. There are a lot of universal preparations that allow you to cleanse both home air conditioner

, and automobile.

How else can you eliminate the smell from an air conditioner in a house or apartment? It is necessary to take comprehensive measures to get rid of the stench. Such procedures are designed to clean the device from mold and dirt, as well as to disinfect key parts and dry them thoroughly. The difficulty lies in the fact that the split system must be disassembled to carry out comprehensive cleaning. And here it’s up to you to decide whether to turn to professionals.

In general, all this must be done in several main steps:

Cleaning an air conditioner at home is not difficult if you follow the key rules for disassembling a split system.

Replacing filters and coatings

It is quite possible to remove a pungent and unpleasant odor if you replace the filters in time. However, you need to know exactly which device is suitable for your specific situation.

There are several most common types of filters used in modern split systems:

Getting rid of unpleasant odors - important stage in ensuring high-quality and continuous operation of the cleaned split system. If problems occur with the air conditioner, the cause is not necessarily a faulty filter.

The safest thing to do is contact the service center, where your device will be thoroughly checked and disinfected. However, in most cases, malfunctions in the functioning of any air conditioner can be corrected at home.

However, if you purchased a split system recently, but the stench has already spread throughout your apartment or private house, it is quite possible that the product was initially defective or made of low-quality plastic. In any case, it is necessary to ensure full operation of the split system, because if foul smells have spread in the room air currents, first of all, you and your household will suffer.

Video “How to remove”

From the video you will learn how to eliminate the smell from an air conditioner in an apartment.

The smell from the air conditioner, which cannot be called pleasant, usually appears some time after installing the device. Sometimes he is very strong. This fact prevents you from using the device, causing significant inconvenience. from the air conditioner - a common occurrence in a car. Many car owners suffer from it.

Causes of unpleasant odors from the air conditioner

For the operation of an appliance that is designed to create a comfortable temperature regime, a heat exchanger is provided on its internal block. What is the principle of its operation? During operation of the air conditioner, the temperature of the heat exchanger is significantly lower than the temperature to which the air in the room is heated. Moisture resulting from the formation of condensation is drained into the pan and removed through drainage pipes. There are always various microorganisms and dust in the indoor air. They, in contact with condensate, form a beneficial nutrient medium. After this, microorganisms begin to actively multiply, which causes the smell from the air conditioner.

Condensate can be removed from the device directly into the sewer system. If siphons are not installed, there will also be a smell from the air conditioner in the house. The stench from the sewer system. Sometimes this problem also appears when there is a siphon in which the water has dried up. This is possible during a long break in the operation of the device. After turning on the air conditioner, you should wait a little. Once the condensate fills the siphon, there will be no penetration of unpleasant odors.

There is another reason not to use the device. There is no provision for capturing air from the street. He drives the one in the room around in circles. In the case when there is a source of any aromatic substances in the room (new furniture, synthetics, plastic or plastic), the air conditioner itself becomes a source of these odors.

If you smoke in the car while the device is running, the smell of an ashtray will be in the air. This will happen due to cigarette smoke settling on the heat exchanger. Drainage system The air conditioner can be clogged by flying fluff. In this case, moisture is not removed, and not clean air is blown into the cabin, but a mixture of it with water.

How to remove odor from air conditioner

Modern devices are equipped with a function that allows you to delay turning off the fan when the device itself is turned off. This allows the heat exchanger to dry, which will prevent the formation of an unpleasant odor. If the air conditioner does not have this function, then you should manually turn on the ventilation mode for a while. If the smell from the air conditioner appears as a result of stagnation of water from improper installation, then it can only be eliminated by altering the drainage system.

We purchase special equipment

If there are microflora on the heat exchanger, the device should be treated with antibacterial agents. To perform such actions, you should purchase professional products in specialized stores. They also treat car air conditioners. To eliminate microflora on the heat exchanger, medications intended for disinfection can be used. For example, Lysol. Some air conditioner models are equipped with antibacterial filters. If an unpleasant odor occurs due to pathogenic microflora, they require immediate replacement.