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Appalling smell from car's windscreen washer.

  • 02-05-2012 4:39pm
    #1
    TwoShedsJackson
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9,438 ✭✭✭


    07 Astra, last week or so any time the windscreen washer is used there is a horriffic eggs/sulphur/morning-after-fifteen-pints-of-Guinness smell coming into the cabin.

    Googled it and consensus seemed to be stagnant water, or two different kinds of additive mixed - the latter is quite possible as we had it serviced a month ago and they put something in it as part of that, was fine before that.

    Emptied it last night (by spraying) and put more water in plus small amount of our usual additive. Horrendous stench still there.

    Should I wait a couple of days to see if clears up or is there something else I can or should be doing?


Comments

  • #2
    MarkR
    Moderators, Regional Midwest Moderators Posts: 11,045 Mod ✭✭✭✭MarkR


    Some vinegar in there should help clear it out. I've heard mouthwash is good for killing the bacteria that can grow in there.


  • #3
    CJhaughey
    Registered Users Posts: 14,906 ✭✭✭✭CJhaughey


    I also heard that an outbreak of Legionnaire's disease in London was traced to taxi windscreen washer reservoirs as its a nice warm place that doesn't get too cold.
    A small drop of bleach should kill everything in there.


  • #4
    Ronnie Beck
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,452 ✭✭✭Ronnie Beck


    Maybe some helpful 'friend' put some yellow de-icer in;).


  • #5
    biko
    Registered Users Posts: 81,223 ✭✭✭✭biko


    Yeah, white vinegar/mouthwash/similar will sort it.


  • #6
    twowheelsonly
    Registered Users Posts: 2,268 ✭✭✭twowheelsonly


    You can get Citric acid in powder sachets in most Pharmacy's. 4 or 5 of those mixed with tepid water should do the trick. Same as using vinegar but without the vinegar smell!!!


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  • #7
    bijapos
    Registered Users Posts: 3,003 ✭✭✭bijapos


    You could also try a Halfords/Motor factors and get some strong winter de-icer. It conatins a lot of alcohol and should help.

    Mouthwash diluted 1:1 is good as is vinegar, pick the smell that you find least offensive.

    If the water cannister is clean it could mean some crap has built up in the tubes, in which case they will have to be cleaned out. You can remove them and steep them in a bleach:water solution for a day or two.


  • #8
    ShiresV2
    Closed Accounts Posts: 190 ✭✭ShiresV2


    I know that situation well :D. Here's my suggestion and what sorts it for me:

    Buy some surgical spirit at the chemist, 500ml to a litre and stick it into the tank, plus fill full to the top with water. The surgical spirit is largely methanol+ethanol (alcohol) and will kill the bacteria. It also smells nice, is very good at cleaning the windscreen, and helps to stop the washers from freezing up in winter. If you are unlucky the bacteria could clog your washer jets. I've found Boots to be cheap for it, doesn't cost more than a few euros for a 500ml bottle if I remember correctly.


  • #9
    eth0
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,635 ✭✭✭eth0


    ShiresV2 wrote: »
    I know that situation well :D. Here's my suggestion and what sorts it for me:

    Buy some surgical spirit at the chemist, 500ml to a litre and stick it into the tank, plus fill full to the top with water. The surgical spirit is largely methanol+ethanol (alcohol) and will kill the bacteria. It also smells nice, is very good at cleaning the windscreen, and helps to stop the washers from freezing up in winter. If you are unlucky the bacteria could clog your washer jets. I've found Boots to be cheap for it, doesn't cost more than a few euros for a 500ml bottle if I remember correctly.

    I tried methylated spirit before and it didn't smell good at all. Wouldn't the surgical stuff not be pure ethanol? methanol isn't the healthiest of stuff around


  • #10
    ianobrien
    Registered Users Posts: 2,756 ✭✭✭ianobrien


    ShiresV2 wrote: »
    I know that situation well :D. Here's my suggestion and what sorts it for me:

    Buy some surgical spirit at the chemist, 500ml to a litre and stick it into the tank, plus fill full to the top with water. The surgical spirit is largely methanol+ethanol (alcohol) and will kill the bacteria. It also smells nice, is very good at cleaning the windscreen, and helps to stop the washers from freezing up in winter. If you are unlucky the bacteria could clog your washer jets. I've found Boots to be cheap for it, doesn't cost more than a few euros for a 500ml bottle if I remember correctly.
    eth0 wrote: »
    I tried methylated spirit before and it didn't smell good at all. Wouldn't the surgical stuff not be pure ethanol? methanol isn't the healthiest of stuff around

    Surgical Spirit is a mixture of Ethanol and Iso-Propyl Alcohol. There is no Methanol in it, as it's going to be in contact with the skin.

    Methylated Spirits is generally Ethanol with some Methanol/dye/mercaptans added to stop us drinking or distilling the ethanol off.


  • #11
    TwoShedsJackson
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9,438 ✭✭✭TwoShedsJackson


    ShiresV2 wrote: »
    I know that situation well :D. Here's my suggestion and what sorts it for me:

    Buy some surgical spirit at the chemist, 500ml to a litre and stick it into the tank, plus fill full to the top with water. The surgical spirit is largely methanol+ethanol (alcohol) and will kill the bacteria. It also smells nice, is very good at cleaning the windscreen, and helps to stop the washers from freezing up in winter. If you are unlucky the bacteria could clog your washer jets. I've found Boots to be cheap for it, doesn't cost more than a few euros for a 500ml bottle if I remember correctly.

    Tried this and it's reduced the smell quite a bit, emptied the washer again and refilled with a little surgical spirit plus water, hopefully that'll finish it off over the next day or two.


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