How do I remove odor from vent ducts

B

bubba2u

New member
I just purchased a 92' Volvo 740 and had the a/c recharged so it would work. Since then there has been a strong musty odor(mold, mildew,?) coming out of the vents. I have removed the vent grills and cleaned inside the ducting as far as I could reach, then sprayed bleach/water solution and air freshener/odor neutralizer in all the vent openings. I took the blower motor out last weekend, flushed out the drain line to make sure it wasn't clogged, ran my shop vac as far into the duct as I could, wiped out what I could reach, and sprayed inside with the odor neutralizer/air freshener. Theres still a slight musty odor after all this.

Are there any products I can buy to "sanitize" the ductwork by fogging it thoroughly and if so where can I get it? I'm looking for something that is made to be sprayed into all the vent openings that will travel throughout the ductwork and kill anything growing in there. I tried Advance Auto but all they had was the usual air fresheners. Thanks.
 
TOL carries a new odor removal product; you might want to check that out. TOL stands for Top of the Line in case you did not know. They also carry odor bombs. The ultimate solution, in my opinion, is to find someone with an ozone machine. When I run my ozone machine in customer's cars, I do it with the A/C running and on recirculate. The ozone gas is circulated through the A/C system, and kills any odor, bacteria, and mold present in the system.
 
Depending on your $$ sichiastion, check out some other of your local auto parts store. They sell a product that you spray into the vents themselves, outside of the car where air is pulled into the vent system, and by your feet where the recirc intake is. It costs like 3 or 5 bucks and worked really well on a 98 Cherokee Classic I purchased years ago. I bought it and they shampooed the carpets before I pivked it up.....only instead of allowing it to dry properly, they shut it up and turned the heat on recir and high......OH WHAT A SMELL!!!! My wife refused to ride in it and I got a wad of cash back upon delivery for their mistake..but the product I got worked wonders. I just check my stash, it's called "Pure Air Duct Cleaner." :xyxthumbs
 
Lysol spray into intake velent at the outside - used to do it evey spring in on my old cougar - worked for me.

:)
 
PB Natural Look Dressing has a biocide in it to kill mildew. I spray it in my vents and air intake in front of the window all the time. It took the smells out of a 93 Camry I worked on. If you have any, give it a try, you have nothing to lose.
 
tlak said:
Lysol spray into intake velent at the outside - used to do it evey spring in on my old cougar - worked for me.

:)
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This works perfect for me too...Though I've only done it with new cars...
 
I have the same problem in my car - it's a known issue, even if the air filter is clean. What I do is go into the car, turn it on, put the A/C in circulate mode, crank it, then spray febreeze or some other freshener with mildew killing agents in it into the passenger side footwell (that's where most cars circulation fan is), I spray for 15 seconds or so then let the A/C run with the doors closed for a couple more minutes. Works pretty well.
 
I had that problem....i sprayed Meguiars Car Odor Eliminator into the outside air intake vent (under windshield usually) and into the car and put the A/C on recirculate mode. Worked pretty well. Repeat a few times if the smell is really bad.
 
jimmie jam said:
how about a slight smoke odor? i have cleaned all surfaces. any thoughts?

thanks!
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You could use a deodorizer/odor killer product like Odoban available at Sams or online. If it is slight, try placing shallow pans of charcoal briquettes or clay kitty litter in the car with windows rolled up--these will absorb any lingering smells. The more surface area you can cover the better. Change out the pans daily and try to move the air inside the car around with a fan.



Or, seek out a pro detailer who has access to an ozonator.
 
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