With the weather getting slightly more chilly, you’re going to be relying more often on your vehicle’s air system – maybe even turning the heat on from time to time. And when you heat up something stinky, you can really smell it. That’s why we’re sharing this great guide to tidying up your air vents from one of our friends, Gail, who has both an elevated sense of smell and a love of cleaning. Check it out, and try these tips for yourself!

“So, I know that when it comes time to turn my car’s heating system on even the littlest amount, I can really smell whatever’s been brewing in my air system all summer. And if I haven’t cleaned my vents recently, it’s kind of gross. I have a really good system in place for making sure that my vents and ventilation system as a whole smell clean and fresh, and it’s not hard at all.

“First, I make sure I have a vacuum, some cotton swabs, and some cleaning solution (like window cleaner or even just an all-purpose spray cleaning solution) handy. First, I like to get into my vents with a cotton swab soaked in cleaning solution and really wipe down the corners, nooks, and crannies and get out any accumulated dust and grime. When you do this, make sure that you get ALL your vents – don’t forget the footwell vents or the vents right up next to your windshield!

“Then I grab the vacuum and just vacuum the heck out of the vents. This helps not only with the smell but also with dust and lint and other little particles that can make you have allergies and stuff, which means that I am sneezing in my car less! A win for my nose!

“Finally, I like to roll down the windows and run the whole air system – no AC or heat on, just regular – for a few minutes to make sure that my AC evaporator is nice and dry so there’s no mildew buildup in it. When you get the air moving, you might see some more dust and stuff come out, so you might want to give it all a second vacuum as you do this. And… well… you might as well just vacuum the entire vehicle while you’re at it! No time like the present!

“Now just stick an air freshener in there or spray some Febreeze and your car is smelling daisy fresh!”

Thanks, Gail! Let us know how this worked for you!