Cabin air filter clean-up...

[Papa Bear]

I took the original cabin filters out of my '07 Uplander and washed them in a warm water solution of liquid tide laundry detergent and bleach. I was planning on getting a new pair of filters so I had nothing to lose.
I let them soak for a few minutes and sloshed them around vigorously in the soap. I rinsed them with a water hose and left them sitting in the sun to dry. I reinstalled them and went for a drive. There was still some moisture in them but after a few miles the air flow was as good as when the van was new.
I took the filters out today to check them and they look like new, clean and nearly white. There is no sign of deterioration of the filter from washing it... I see no need to replace them.

Anybody wash their cabin filters??...

 

[SLCraig]

I just replaced mine, likely original, 8 years old.
I'll probably never replace them again, as I likely won't have this car 8 more years. They were dirty, but still filtering and allowing air to pass through, so I probably won't even bother washing the ones I just put in..

 

[Mr Nice]

I vacuum them every 30K miles and replace at 60K miles.

 

[Papa Bear]

Originally Posted By: LT4 Vette
I vacuum them every 30K miles and replace at 60K miles.


I vacuumed mine 3 or 4 times a year but they were getting quite stained and dark.
The washing really rejuvinated them.

 

[Hermann]

Originally Posted By: Papa Bear
Originally Posted By: LT4 Vette
I vacuum them every 30K miles and replace at 60K miles.


I vacuumed mine 3 or 4 times a year but they were getting quite stained and dark.
The washing really rejuvinated them.


As of right now and forever, the filter police will be seeking you out. Your life will change forever. You have just cost the major filter corporations Billions(Carl Sagan accent).

 

[HTSS_TR]

I bought cheap TYC, but acceptable quality, cabin filters from logical-source.com and replace at 3years/30k miles interval. I will try to washing them the next time to see if cheap TYC cabin filters from logical-source.com will stand up to the wash or not.

Did you try to wash the standard paper engine air filter yet ?

 

[Papa Bear]

Originally Posted By: HTSS_TR
I bought cheap TYC, but acceptable quality, cabin filters from logical-source.com and replace at 3years/30k miles interval. I will try to washing them the next time to see if cheap TYC cabin filters from logical-source.com will stand up to the wash or not.

Did you try to wash the standard paper engine air filter yet ?


No, and I may not either.
A new air filter cartridge is a LOT cheaper here (Canada) than a cabin filter replacement.

 

[Papa Bear]

Originally Posted By: Hermann
Originally Posted By: Papa Bear
Originally Posted By: LT4 Vette
I vacuum them every 30K miles and replace at 60K miles.


I vacuumed mine 3 or 4 times a year but they were getting quite stained and dark.
The washing really rejuvinated them.


As of right now and forever, the filter police will be seeking you out. Your life will change forever. You have just cost the major filter corporations Billions(Carl Sagan accent).

And saved myself some folding green as well !!....

 

[Steve S]

In the stone age there wern't cabin air filters.

 

[SERonBLAST]

I just got my new cabin filter off ebay. $12 plus 8 shipped.
It is also the carbon filter as well. Comparing that the in store or dealership price of $90.

 

[river_rat]

I just let the dog eat the biggest bugs off it.

 

[RTexasF]

For less than $20 why would someone go to all that trouble? Old one out, new one in.....done. My cars take about one minute to do.

 

[defektes]

I replace them, when you wash media it causes the fibers to seperate after enlarging and not filter as well as it should.

The most I would do is vacuum it.

 

[robertcope]

I'm with RTexasF on this: they're cheap, why waste the time 'cleaning' them? Also, many of the cabin filters are carbon activated, so even if you do get them clean, you haven't really restored them completely.

robert

 

[scurvy]

Originally Posted By: robertcope
I'm with RTexasF on this: they're cheap, why waste the time 'cleaning' them? Also, many of the cabin filters are carbon activated, so even if you do get them clean, you haven't really restored them completely.

Same here. I'd rather spend $15 to replace with another charcoal filter than wash / bleach / dry / vacuum / etc...

I'm the second most important thing taking in air in the car, I'm worth $15/year.

 

[Papa Bear]

Those filters are more expensive in Canada and since I'm retired I have lots of time to clean filters .....

I could use the $30 I saved and take Mama Bear out for dinner.

 

[bigmike]

I just knock out the leaves and such on the ground by tapping it. Good enough and I drive with the windows down 6 months out of the year anyway.

 

[StevieC]

I live in my car practically for work and I have to replace them every couple of months because they are really dirty from me using the A/C or Heat all the time in my "office".

They aren't cheap (up here anyways) so I try to extend the life of them by vacuuming them frequently and spraying with Fabreeze (sp?) to keep them smelling nice and to keep the pathogens or whatever is living in them in check.

Seems to work ok for me.