So my A/C smells like cat piss....
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Joined: Apr 2013
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From: San Antonio, Texas
I'm more than likely going to start the cleaning process during my break.
I rather it smell of cleaner than pee.
If that doesn't work (which from the sound of it, it should work), I'll buy that online cleaner idea that secwind gave and try that.
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Joined: Jun 2010
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From: Greenwich, Connecticut
Do you park the car inside a garage or outside? If outside, animals could have taken a leak down the ventilation system's air inlet.
The more likely scenario is that your blower motor is covered in mold or mildew or your A/C's evaporator pan is full of slime. I don't think you have to remove the whole dash to get to those. Just make sure you use an old towel to catch spillage so it doesn't get into your carpet. Clean everything with a plastic-safe anti-fungal cleaner (I'm not sure is Lysol is plastic-safe, but you can check by applying some to a small area first.) The car's going to smell like cleaner for about a week, but that's better than cat pee. Another alternative is to have a reputable detailing shop hook up an ozone machine to the car's ventilation system. That can actually be an effective method to remove all odors from a car.
The more likely scenario is that your blower motor is covered in mold or mildew or your A/C's evaporator pan is full of slime. I don't think you have to remove the whole dash to get to those. Just make sure you use an old towel to catch spillage so it doesn't get into your carpet. Clean everything with a plastic-safe anti-fungal cleaner (I'm not sure is Lysol is plastic-safe, but you can check by applying some to a small area first.) The car's going to smell like cleaner for about a week, but that's better than cat pee. Another alternative is to have a reputable detailing shop hook up an ozone machine to the car's ventilation system. That can actually be an effective method to remove all odors from a car.
I definitely do get the swamp smell after I turn off the air con in my Z but definitely not cat **** so not sure if my solution will work for you. Had the same swampy old sock smell thing happen in my BMW and my sales guy told me the easiest way to avoid it was this:
- After turning off the aircon run the vents with the heater on high for 45- 60 seconds...idea is that it would kill any bacteria that had built up in the condernsor.
- After running the heater turn it down to lowest temp(still without AC on) and run that for another 30 seconds.
Works for me every time...when I get back in the car later and run fresh air through the vents...no smell. When the smell starts to come back after using aircon I just do it again.
I realize when it's a hot day doing this is kind of inconvenient but for me I'd rather sweat a minute than smell that funky smell.
Hope this helps.
- After turning off the aircon run the vents with the heater on high for 45- 60 seconds...idea is that it would kill any bacteria that had built up in the condernsor.
- After running the heater turn it down to lowest temp(still without AC on) and run that for another 30 seconds.
Works for me every time...when I get back in the car later and run fresh air through the vents...no smell. When the smell starts to come back after using aircon I just do it again.
I realize when it's a hot day doing this is kind of inconvenient but for me I'd rather sweat a minute than smell that funky smell.
Hope this helps.
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