With summer on its way, we’re all going to run our air conditioning as much as possible to stay comfortable. If you smell gas when starting your car, or your fuel economy has tanked, then it might be time for you to either replace or clean your air filter. Having a clean air filter will not only keep your car running smoothly, but will improve your respiratory health.
So, how do you go about cleaning an air filter the right way? Check out these five tips for your ticket to easier breathing.
1. Consider Getting an Air Filter Blaster
An air filter blaster is an air filter cleaner that uses compressed air to centrifuge your air filter. This pushes the dust and grime from the inner folds of the filter outward, cleaning it in one easy step. While it might seem like a steep initial investment, your savings in the long run will far exceed the initial costs.
2. Conduct a Preliminary Wipe Down
One key step that simplifies cleaning an air filter for you is wiping it down after you remove it from the car. Taking a microfiber cloth and wiping down the filter’s housing before you get started saves you a step later on and prevents more gunk from entering your freshly-cleaned filter.
3. Make Sure You Have a Vacuum With Working Attachments
While your vacuum cleaner may seem serviceable enough in the home, it might not function as well once you’ve secured attachments onto the hose. Before you try vacuuming your air filter, check to ensure that your machine has good suction even with the dust brush screwed on.
4. Make Sure to Tap Out After Every Stage
One way to make sure you’re getting all the dust and grime out while cleaning air filters is to tap and shake it out between each stage. About to start vacuuming the filter? Shake it out first to loosen any large pieces of debris. Just finished washing the dirty air filter? Give it a solid tap to make sure the excess moisture is gone.
5. Allow Ample Drying Time
Do you want your car engine to choke up on you? If not, then make sure you allow a full twenty-four hours for your air filter to dry in the sun. This is one situation where you cannot afford to get impatient. Make sure you let your air filter dry out completely before you reinstall it. (And don’t forget to oil it if it’s an oiled filter!)
Looking for More Car Maintenance Tips?
Cleaning an air filter in your car can be tedious, but it’s worth it to prevent major engine problems in the long run. No one wants to drive around in an engine that wants to choke all the time!
However, that’s not the only piece of car maintenance you can do on your own.
Looking for more car maintenance that you can do at home? Then, check out the lifestyle section of our blog each day for more articles like this one!
