Air conditioning smell

[SteelGreyM]

My air conditioning is on it has a smell to it. Not moldy but more so smells like catless fumes mixed with crayons. Anybody have a nice way to refresh the smell and make it smell brand new again?

[Estoril]

It is caused by turning the AC off while it is soaked with moisture from humid summer air. That moisture slowly begins to grow mold and mildew. You can prevent this by turning AC off several blocks before parking the car and allowing the filter to dry.

[SteelGreyM]

It is caused by turning the AC off while it is soaked with moisture from humid summer air. That moisture slowly begins to grow mold and mildew. You can prevent this by turning AC off several blocks before parking the car and allowing the filter to dry.

Ok how do I clean all that out. Have you done it before? Honestly I won't be turning the AC off before I get home I'd rather clean it every few years.

People on YouTube use Lysol sprayed into the cabin air intake. That cool?

https://www.e46fanatics.com/threads/my-attempt-to-clean-the-evaporator-coil-today-pics.613982/

This DIY seems to get straight to the evaporator. Ill try this along with spraying out the heater core. might end up being a springtime project.

[George Hill]

Does it go away or is it all the time?

If you get a pungent chemical smell with the blower is first turned on you need an evaporator, tt is leaking refrigerant. It accumulates in the heater case and when you turn it on the fan blows that accumulation out and and that is what you are smelling.

*EDIT: IF it is just mold the easy solution is to make sure the evap drain isn't clogged (it likely isn't) and just run the system on fresh air only. It seems, at least down her in Texas, thats the best way to keep the mold at bay.