Is it necessary to clean the car air conditioning evaporator?
3 Answers
It is necessary to clean the evaporator. Because the car air conditioning evaporator operates in a damp and stuffy environment, it is prone to breeding harmful bacteria. If the evaporator is not cleaned regularly, harmful bacteria will multiply in large numbers, posing a threat to the health of passengers. Moreover, due to the small interior space of the car, bacteria are more easily transmitted, creating significant health risks. Therefore, it is recommended to clean the car evaporator regularly. Below are the detailed details: 1. Introduction: The car air conditioning evaporator is an important refrigeration component in the car air conditioning system, which is in a closed state with a dark and humid internal environment. Fine impurities, dust, germs, nicotine, etc., in the air can easily adhere to the evaporator with condensed water, accumulating over time and forming a large amount of dirt, which can breed harmful bacteria. 2. Principle: The evaporator is a very important component among the four major refrigeration parts. Low-temperature condensed liquid passes through the evaporator, exchanges heat with the outside air, vaporizes and absorbs heat, achieving the refrigeration effect.
Cleaning the evaporator is really necessary. My car hadn't been cleaned for three years, and every time I turned on the AC in summer, there was a sour smell. Later, when I took it to the repair shop and opened it up, the entire surface of the evaporator was covered in black mold. The mechanic said these molds would enter the cabin with the cold air, easily causing allergies and coughing. Now, I clean it once a year before summer. The process isn't actually difficult—just spray a specialized foam cleaner into the AC drain pipe, let it dissolve the dirt, and then rinse it clean with water. Spending around a hundred yuan solves the air quality issue in the car and even extends the AC's lifespan. It's a cost-effective investment however you look at it. Recently, I've noticed the cooling speed has improved, probably because the heat dissipation efficiency has been restored.
As an ordinary car owner sharing personal experience, the evaporator core is hidden behind the cabin air filter and remains cold and damp year-round, making it most prone to dust accumulation and mold growth. Last year, my wife in the passenger seat kept complaining about a dusty smell from the air vents - replacing the filter didn't help, and we later discovered the evaporator was dirty. Professional cleaning requires using an endoscope to assess mold severity; moderate cases require disassembly cleaning, though there are now no-disassembly services that spray disinfectant steam through air intakes with similar effectiveness. I recommend inspection every 20,000 km or when airflow noticeably weakens, especially for vehicles frequently driven at construction sites. After cleaning, the most immediate changes are eliminated AC odors and noticeably fresher cooling.
