Causes of Car Vent Odors

When it comes to enjoying the interior of your car, there are five main reasons unpleasant vent odors can ruin the day:

• Tobacco: The heavy gases of cigarette smoke can set up shop inside the chambers of your car air conditioner.
• Animals: Small outdoor animals may seek shelter in the crevices of your car. If they perish around your air conditioner chambers, the scent can linger for days.
• Dirt Accumulation: When excess dirt becomes trapped in your air filter – a faintly detected, distinct odor can develop.
• Engine Leak: If the combustion engine suffers damage and develops a leak, the unit can drown in burning antifreeze fumes. The air conditioner will pick up some of these fumes and send them out of your interior vents.
• Mold: When little or no airflow and moisture are present, mold can thrive in your car air conditioner when the unit is turned off.

Interior Car Vent Odor Home Remedies

There’s nothing worse than taking a ride in the car and you can’t stand to breathe in. Dirt, bacteria, mold, and other factors can all contribute to nasty odors ruining the inside of your car. To fight back, consider the following home remedies for getting odors out of interior car vents:

a) Dryer Fabric Softener Sheet:

Choose a scented dryer fabric softener sheet to freshen up your interior car vents. Secure one sheet per vent to counteract cigarette smells and musty odors. Make sure that the sheet is secure enough so that it doesn’t fall into the vent. Turn on your heat to activate the fresh scent. Run your heater for a couple of minutes and remove sheets.

b) Mustard Powder [1] :

Let’s say you have run over Pepe LePew and the scent of dead skunk is filtering through your interior car vents. You must remove the source of the odor to clear your vents of unwanted stink. Mustard powder works wonders on skunk odors. Pour one cup of dry mustard into a bucket of warm water, making sure to mix well. With an old rag, saturate your tires, wheels, and the underbody of your car with the solution. Clean around and inside interior air vents with the dry mustard solution as well.

c) Car Freshener:

Cut a car freshener in half and situate inside the interior car vents to negate any odors when you have the air conditioner turned on.

d) Toothbrush and Rag:

Grab an old toothbrush and rag to clean the interior vents in your car, using either soap and water or a white vinegar and water solution.

e) Vinegar and Water:

Combine ¼ cup of white vinegar and two cups of water. Place the ingredients into a sprayer and shake. Next, wipe the inside and outside of your interior car vents with the solution. Mist the spray inside of the vents as well.

f) Change Air Filter:

Sometimes it is your air filter causing your car to fill with odors. Dust mites, dirt, old water, and other pollutants can compromise the air filter, sending unwanted smells through the air vents.

g) Lysol:

To treat odors caused by bacteria, spray Lysol inside of your interior car vents.

h) Perfume or Cologne:

Overpower the odors coming from your car vents by spraying a small amount of your favorite perfume or cologne.

i) Air Freshener Sprays:

Spritz the inside of your interior car vents with a pleasant air freshener spray. Turn on your heater or air conditioner to circulate the scent.

j) Simply Clean the Air Conditioner:

Open the cover to your car air conditioner and clean it using a moist cloth. Remove any dirt clogging up drain holes. Drain the collection pan and wash it with soap and water. Once you run the air conditioner again, you should encounter a revamped freshness and cleaner scents.

[1] Extraordinary Uses for Ordinary Things by Reader’s Digest, pg. 216

Is Your DVD Fixable?

Over time, DVDs become susceptible to dust, misuse, the occasional drop on the floor, and scratches that seem to appear out of nowhere. Regardless of the method of repair that you choose, some DVDs are simply unsalvageable. First, you must examine the direction of the scratches on a DVD. Scratches traveling from the center of the disc to the outside provide the best chances for recovery. However, scratches on a DVD that follow the circular pattern of the disc may prove too difficult to remedy.

Scratched DVD Home Remedies

With the help of a few home remedies for scratched DVDs, you could come closer to an entertaining evening inside. Consider the following suggestions:

a) Windex or Any Other Glass Cleaner:

Depending on the severity of your scratch, Windex or any other cleaner used on glass can provide an effective solution to a scratched DVD. Spray on and wipe off.

b) Toothpaste with Fluoride:

Some people have found success in using toothpaste that contains fluoride to treat a scratched DVD. With a small amount, revolve the paste about the shiny surface of the disc. With a clean piece of lint-free cloth (like the kind used to clean eyeglasses), wipe off the toothpaste.

c) Brass Cleaner:

Squeeze a bit of brass cleaner onto your scratched DVD and spread from the center of the disc to the outer rim. Rinse off the cleaner using cold water (preferably distilled or filtered). Dry the disc with a polishing cloth and allow it to sit overnight.

d) Jewelry Polishing and Cleaning Cloth:

With a gold jewelry cleaning cloth in hand, hold your scratched DVD to reveal the shiny side facing up. Under a bright light, work the cleaning cloth from the inside ring to the outside rim, using a straight inside-to-outside motion. Make sure you refrain from going in a circular motion, as you can actually cause further damage. Repeat the same process using a polishing cloth for gold jewelry.

e) Furniture Polish:

Grab a polishing cloth used to clean and shine jewelry and a can of furniture polish (the wax kind). Hold your scratched DVD by the sides with the shiny surface facing up and lightly spray on the polish. Working under sufficient lighting, clean the disc with the polishing cloth. Use a motion that starts from the inside ring and finishes to the outside – following a straight pattern. Rinse under clean, cold water and allow it to settle overnight.

f) Car Wax [1]:

Spread a cloth on a flat surface and position your scratched DVD on it with the damaged side facing up. Next, hold the disc in one hand and use the other to wipe a small dab of car wax into the scratched surface using a soft cloth – the same kind used for camera lens and eyeglasses. Allow the DVD to dry. Lastly, buff along the scratch (and not across it) using short, brisk strokes. When the scratch is no longer visible, wash the DVD with water and let it dry before inserting it into your player.

Resources

[1] Extraordinary Uses for Ordinary Things by Reader’s Digest; pg 115.