Anyone used an aircon antibac/mould fogger ?

[BongoBongo123]

I just purchased a STP air con cleaning thing so I will let you know how I get on with it. Smells a bit mouldy when first put on
so think it needed some kind of cleaning system. It is one where you put it in to fog the cabin and run the aircon for a bit.

Anyone used one or comsehting similar before ?

[mikeonb4c]

I used one years back as my system was smelly. It helped a bit as did spraying cans of odour eliminator into the air inlet under the bonnet with both blowers on full. The real fix though was to remove the heater air inlet duct under the bonnet to get to the front of the heater matrix and pick away all the mildewed rotten old filter material and years of dead oriental insects at the front of the heater matrix. After that the system blew a gale, with no more strange smells

[BongoBongo123]

Good call, I vaguely remember doing a bit of that as far as was possibe when I had that duct off when anti rust treating/painting the top crossmember etc. I will have a go with this STP stuff and if it fails maybe have a go at what you suggest come spring time.

After reading various reviews etc. people do seem to say the foggers sorts it out for a while but it tends to come back.

[BongoBongo123]

I was thinking that the Bongo has quite a large area inside, probably 3 times that of a normalcar. I wonder if it might be sensible to run this for double
the 10 mins suggested so it circulates back into the system effectively ? (of course with the air con on recycle internal air setting)

[Bob]

I can't see any harm to that, good idea.

[g8dhe]

Before using it it might be worth cleaning the cooling matrix under the bonnet as this gets clogged up with a load of grot which is also where the smell might be coming from as well as limiting the air flow, below is after cleaning;

[BongoBongo123]

Cool, I will run it a bit longer. Also thanks for the pic there, I searched heating matrix after Mike's comments and it looked like there are a couple of sections to the air intake duct... the first and easy bit attached with plastic clips to the crossmember and then another section a bit deeper and more complex lookling with some kind of pulleys/armature on the left hand side.

I would be up for taking the first part off as I have done that before... I vaguely remember getting a few leaves and bits out of there..but cannot quite recall how accessible the matrix is without taking off the more complex part bolted to the bulkhead ? (which I am not really up for, looks a bit like something best left alone )

If I find a day this next month or 2 that is not freezing cold or raining I might have go sooner rather than later. Hoping for a 10-11C mild spell some time.

Just for good measure I found "Streetwize SWCHEM3 Air Conditioner Cleaner" Got a pipe thing to stick down the vents. This defo needs sorting as the smell/air was making me feel ill, turns my stomach over, even for a few mins essential winter running to keep the air con lube circulated.

[g8dhe]

No the heating matrix is inside the air mixing box inside the cabin the front one is located here;


The cooling matrix is under the bonnet, red arrow, remove the air inlet and possible coarse filter (not all are fitted with one) then remove the inlet flap box and then down and remove the fan itself, which feeds the cooling matrix;

[BongoBongo123]

Ok thanks Geoff, had no idea there was an internal section and did not plan cleaning with the internal box just the one under the bonnet.

I suspect that might be more involved than I initially planned. I will run these chemical jobbies and
see where I am at with it.


I thought where your red arrow is pointing (cooling matrix) was in the square thing just behind the bulkhead.
What I cleaned out last time (few leaves etc.) was in that square looking box over to the right. I think it looks a little different to
mine (95) I do not recall having much of it apart except for the very front bit clipped to the crossmember.

[mikeonb4c]

Removing all the gubbins to get to the matrix is pretty straightforward. Just take it a stage at a time and it all falls into place. Take photos as you go to be safe. The one bit i recall wishing i'd taken a pic of was the spring clip arrangement that is part of the air recirculation shutter as when i came to reassemble it i had a bit (but only a bit) of head scratching as to how it went back on. I recall also needing a sharp ended implement (think i used a bradawl) to patiently hook / pick out the muck and debris that was gumming up the matrix and preventing good airflow. The finning on the rad is v thin aluminium i think and is easily bent/flattened if you're not patient and delicate with the job. If you can get a powerful hoover nozzle in there, so much the better though again, don't run it side to side over the matrix as it might damage the finning and thus air thruflow- dab it gently so it can pull out loosened debris. Mine seemed like it had the remains of a long since disintegrated filter gauze over the matrix but couldn't be sure. If i'd had some stocking netting handy i might have made up a rudimentary filter but i didn't and 10 years later everything still blows clean as a whistle. And of course while the matrix is exposed its a good time to give it a dousing with such as Dettol disinfectant spray to try and kill off any mildew where it has had its HQ.

[BongoBongo123]

Thanks Mike, that will be useful should I need to access that area.

[BongoBongo123]

So I used the STP air con spray today.....

1) The worst "bad aftershave" smell I have ever smelt.

I suggest after seeing better reviews the Comma one.. not sure of the smell but reports are a bit better overall.
You live and learn I should have researched a bit more before diving in, I did not see the terrible smell reviews

I suggest the following which I was lucky to have sorted out before I started.

Cover front seats, remove pillows, foot carpets, and anything else you can I sectioned off the front cabin behind the seats with plastic sheet to make
the circulation more effective/smaller area. I ran it for 20 mins.

I hope the bad perfume smell goes away fairly soon and will report back with how the actual
mould smell is.. I hope it is not just a "cover up" product. I am glad I have many months
before we actually go out in it !

PS If you do it in winter go for a run first and warm the cabin so the air con actually switches on
and stay on for a while.

[BongoBongo123]

Gone for a can of this, it is well rated and available for £12.60 delivered

https://eshop.wurth.co.uk/Air-condition ... en/GB/GBP/

It has an 80cm tube to get right down the system vents. My best guess is the aerosols that empty themselves are mainly
hit and miss or simply not a real solution to the problem. Thinking about it how could there be any real concentration
of disinfectant in a vapour floating around.

I have never used these products before so have to try and check them out and see what is best. I do not think the
set and release aerosols are likely to be good value or work for longer than a few days as is often reported by users.

I normally research and check these things carefully but did not do so well enough this time. I think you can benefit from
my not so great experience with the STP thing... I have since seen poor reviews of the Comma ones as well, they are probably all
much of a muchness.

[BongoBongo123]

Been for a run today to try and air it all out with heater and air con. No way to tell if the mouldy smell is gone because my nasal passages are totally overwhelmed by the renk of the deoderant/toilet cleaner smell.

NEVER use this "air con - set off and retreat" product, the bad aftershave smell is truly beyond belief. I suspect I have a fair
few weeks of the Bongo smelling like a Poundland aftershave factory.

[BongoBongo123]

I vent the Bongo for 5 mins daily let the breeze blow it out and it is slowly calming the smell down. I diluted some Milton fluid put it in a pump up sprayer and blasted that down the air evnts, not overdoing it mind you and then blew that out/dried it out for good measure.

Got my can of Wurth Air Con disinfectant for next time it is needed.

Managed to give her a good brush out whilst it was all open for good measure. Well it keeps you a bit Bongo-ey in the winter I suppose.