How to Get Rid of the Musty Smell From Your Car’s Air Conditioner
It's actually a pretty easy fix
Few things are as welcoming as a car’s AC on a steamy summer day. But what do you do when the air coming out of your vents smells like a sweaty sock?
“What you’re probably smelling is the condensation that comes from the evaporator inside your heating and cooling system,” says Jake Fisher, Consumer Reports’ senior director of auto testing. “Basically, water collects in that area, and if it sits long enough, it creates that musty smell.”
Most of the water is meant to exit your car via the evaporator drain under the bottom of the vehicle. You’ve probably seen a small puddle of water under the bottom of your car on a hot, humid day, Fisher says. But sometimes some of it collects in the evaporator, and if it sits in there for a while, bacteria and mold are going to form and you’re going to smell it in the cabin of the car. But there’s a pretty easy fix.
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@consumerreports Here's what to do when the air coming out of your vents smells like a sweaty sock 😩. #cartok #carsoftiktok #carcommunity
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Editor’s Note: This article has been adapted from an episode of Talking Cars.
