When the air conditioning filter and air filter in the car are dirty, most of the time they are replaced with new ones.
But some friends also asked, if I take it out and wash it, can I continue to use it after washing?
Is this method feasible? Let’s talk about it today.
Most filters are not washable.
Most air conditioning filters and air filters cannot be used after washing, otherwise the filtering effect will be greatly reduced, and some may even have the risk of accelerating engine wear.
Moreover, most cars now use dry filters, which are generally made of filter paper or non-woven fabrics. Water washing cannot clean them and may cause fiber breakage.
The reason why it cannot be cleaned is that we cannot completely disassemble the filter element, and the remaining dust and other debris will mix with the water and become something like “mud”.
It will stick to the filter material, which will cause blockage and reduce the filtering effect. In addition, the strength of the filter material will also deteriorate after washing.
When the moisture content inside the filter material is too high, it will also destroy the hydrogen bonds between the fibers and reduce the bonding force between the fibers. Even if it is dried, the destructiveness of moisture to the filter material is irreversible, and the filtering effect will be greatly reduced.
After we wash the filter element with water ourselves, it becomes soft, which is the reason.
If the filter element is really washed and continued to be used, what will be the consequences?
For the air conditioning filter element, the filtering effect becomes worse, and the air quality in the car becomes worse, which is equivalent to directly inhaling the “smog” outside the window in the car. If the engine air filter element is not working, the impact on the car will be serious.
Gas blockage will create additional resistance to the engine’s air intake, causing the engine’s air volume and engine power to decrease.
Poor filtering results in dust entering the engine directly, causing wear on internal parts. The wear on the piston and cylinder is 3-5 times that of normal conditions.
Conclusion
Simply put, the filter element itself is not very expensive, and it is really not worth it to wash it and reuse it. It is better to buy a new one. Of course, you should buy the real one, and don’t buy counterfeit or shoddy products.
