With spring here and the pollen count on the rise, LIQUI MOLY has highlighted the importance of servicing and cleaning vehicle air conditioning systems. This can be a difficult time of year for allergy sufferers and this can be made even worse if a vehicle A/C system is not working well. Indeed in many cases it may actually just be spreading germs. 

David Kaiser, head of the Research and Development at LIQUI MOLY comments, “Thorough disinfection is the only way to combat pathogens. This also applies to the air conditioning in the car, where the key element is the evaporator. Condensation creates a pleasant environment for bacteria and mould, which multiply here and are then catapulted into the passenger compartment by the blowers. This not only creates an unpleasant odour, but can also trigger allergies. Having the air conditioning professionally cleaned can wipe out this risk.”

David explains that direct access to the evaporator, and being able to clean it, is crucial for an effective air conditioning service. Any cleaning methods that do not require direct access to the evaporator are not thorough enough. In modern vehicle models gaining access is usually quite easy via the pollen filter. The first thing to do is dry the evaporator. It is then treated with the A/C System Cleaner spray, which reliably eliminates bacteria and mould. At the same time, the remains are rinsed off the evaporator. 

David says, "You can also spray disinfectant into the ventilation ducts. However, you have to be very careful in terms of dosage here, so that the liquid doesn't just go somewhere where you don't want it to go later. Finally, the evaporator needs to be dried again.”

The air conditioning system should be disinfected at least once a year, preferably in spring before the season in which it is used most.  Air conditioning cleaners for car owners are available, however, David says, there is a vast difference between these and what professionals can do at the garage. 

LIQUI MOLY offers workshops a complete package that, in addition to disinfectant, spray gun and probe, also includes stickers, brochures and rear-view mirror tags. This helps garages in marketing their services. LIQUI MOLY also offers detailed step-by-step instructions for air conditioning cleaning for more than 30 car brands and hundreds of models free of charge on its website.

David points out that anyone opting for an air-conditioning service with the LIQUI MOLY product at the garage chooses a thoroughly cleaned evaporator. Other manufacturers offer ultrasonic or foam cleaning methods. He says, "In both cases, germs are also eliminated, but in our case they are also rinsed off the evaporator. By contrast, if the eliminated bacteria remain on the evaporator, they form a great breeding ground for the next bacterial infestation. In our eyes, that is not proper cleaning." He adds, “If, a garage combines A/C cleaning with a vehicle service, including a pollen filter replacement, there is little additional work, but the process generates a genuine additional income opportunity for the garage.” 

For A/C cleaning instructions by make and model please click here.