The fluid in the washer bottles gives a nasty old whiff when I use the washers (like something's died in the bottle and is steadily decomposing!).
I know the fix is to remove the washer bottle and give it a damn good clean, but might there be an easier (= lazier) way? I'm thinking of some kind of sterilising solution, but wonder what Domestos would do once it gets onto the paintwork...
Any suggestions? And has anyone else had this 'issue'?
(Hello, I'm Saabgeeza and have washer fluid odour...) :-[
It hasn't happened to me for a long time. But I've been using the Halfords pre-mixed stuff.
Domestos is a bleach. I wouldn't let it near anything that could be sprayed on paintwork!
On the other hand. Something like Milton or a similar baby sterilising solution should be OK. Just be aware that you only need to use a very small dose of the stuff. It will still sterilise at huge dilutions. We used something similar when I was sterilising drinking water reservoirs. About 40 parts/million was sufficient. Flush out the bottle. Leave to stand for an hour with the solution in it.
40ppm in a 5 litre Saab washer bottle is a few drops. A teaspoonful will be well over the top, but probably won't do any harm. But check the instructions on the bottle. Some of the stuff sold in chemists is pre-diluted.
You should start using screen wash in the water. Most contain something to keep things from going stagnant.
Most modern screen wash bottles contain up to 5 litres of fluid, it gets hot and cold and with no additive will go off after a period of time. You will also find the washer jets will block up less.
Dont use fairy liquid or anything else you think will work, screen wash is made for the job and works well, even the cheap and nasty type.
Steve
Bleach is not a bad option... fill it up with warm water and a small amount. Leave it for half an hour or so then pull off one of the hoses from the bottom and it will all drain out. Fill up with fresh water and drain twice.
Thanks for your thoughts all. I've always used additive (winter or summer) and for a long time when I worked in a lab used distilled water, as it was free and which I wouldn't have thought was great for bacteria to grow in.
Milton's sounds good, I'll sweet talk anyone I know who's recently had a baby...
I'd just stick a hose in the washer bottle and flush it right out, then run the system through with just clean water. Then get some decent screen wash like the genuine GM stuff on ebay, mix it up 50/50 with normal water and run it through the jets to get all the old muck out. It should solve the problem and effectively sterilise the system with nearly 50% alcohol. I've seen some screen washes go very horrible even when mixed up as the manufacturer suggested.
Quote from: Audax on 11 October 2012, 07:10:03 PMI'd just stick a hose in the washer bottle and flush it right out
Exactly what I was about to post to suggest. ISTR this question being asked of HonestJohn and this was always his prescription, hose in the top and flush, so HonestAudax is on the money.
I always buy the concentrated screen wash from Lidl's, IIRC its 69p a bottle that will make about 25 litres of screen wash, comes in apple or lemon scent so never get any nasty smells.
LIDL sell a really really good winter screen wash, just it's only for about 3 days each year which makes it hard to get hold of >:(
I really rate the GM stuff, mixed up right it will do down to -35C :)
Quote from: collywobble on 11 October 2012, 09:55:03 PM
I always buy the concentrated screen wash from Lidl's, IIRC its 69p a bottle that will make about 25 litres of screen wash, comes in apple or lemon scent so never get any nasty smells.
On her 9-3 Vector the recirc cuts in when you use the washers. No smells of any kind. Good or bad!! :D
(your post above shows an edit by me. I didn't. I pressed Modify instead of Quote ::) ::) )
In my opinion, the bleach option is a non-starter however watered down it might be!
We hyperchlorinate aircraft domestic water systems, using some crystals that are dissolved in a jug of hot water than added to the aircraft water supply when filling it from empty. The solution is then flushed through all the taps and pipes by simply running the taps and then allowed to stand for a couple of hours before being completely drained out and flushed with fresh water several times.
I would try flushing it out with very hot but NOT BOILING water containing a hyperchlorination solution such as Milton, followed by a good flush through, just as we do with the aircraft method.
I'm sure you will be able to go to a local pharmacy and buy small quantities sachets of chorination powder or Milton.
Once the hyperchlorination has been done use a strong solution of windscreen wash. I don't buy the pre-mixed type as I have had the jets freeze, so prefer to mix my own depending on the expected weather temps (ie in winter a very strong mix).
Never just use soap in summer; there have been reports of windscreen water causing health problems but that by adding a commercial windscreen-wash fluid it is believed that can be eliminated.
A LINK ON THE HEALTH ISSUE HERE... (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10293519)
Just an update on the odour problem... I've put a Milton tablet in the washer bottle (the Milton instructions conveniently saying it was a dose of one tablet for 5 litres) and 'bang', the bad smell has gone. :)
I'm just going to use the screenwash in very rainy conditions at first so any bleaching effect on the rest of the car is minimal. I'll wait to see if it's a proper cure rather than just masking the bad smell with a swimming pool aroma, but I'm mighty hopeful.
I'll successively dliute the Milton washer bottle contents with full-strengh screenwash, and I think then I'll have done without removing said bottle, result!
Thanks again for everyone's input to my 'odour problem'!
Geeza
Great! :)
I use Milton's for sterilising 2.5 Litre cycling water bladders. Great stuff, except for the after taste...
Can you just pop the hoses off and run the Milton solution through the system and into a container instead of onto your 'screen and paint? Then flush, refill it with proper screen wash, and job done?
Quote from: nine-fiver on 15 October 2012, 12:18:04 PM
I use Milton's for sterilising 2.5 Litre cycling water bladders. Great stuff, except for the after taste...
Looks like you will be ok if you're not driving a convertible, SaabGeeza ;D ;D
Quote from: Max Headroom on 16 October 2012, 12:26:17 AM
Quote from: nine-fiver on 15 October 2012, 12:18:04 PM
I use Milton's for sterilising 2.5 Litre cycling water bladders. Great stuff, except for the after taste...
Looks like you will be ok if you're not driving a convertible, SaabGeeza ;D ;D
;D :D ;D
I had the problem about 3 months ago and solved it by emptying the bottle completely using pump and then adding clean water with Sterident solution from chemists. Really cheap and a liquid as opposed Milton tabs. Left it in for about 20 mins and then flushed it all out using squirter to clean all the pipes as well.
Filled with clean water and good quality screen wash that has the fungicide in it. All has been well since then and I get through loads of water as I do love a clean screen.
I went to Halfords and looked at each bottle to see if any had fungicide and one made by Comma had so use it. Not cheap but does the trick........ you don't go in Lidl here. There are too many dragging their knuckles along the ground :-[
Quote from: Norfolk Jim on 17 October 2012, 09:47:02 AM
I had the problem about 3 months ago and solved it by emptying the bottle completely using pump and then adding clean water with Sterident solution from chemists. Really cheap and a liquid as opposed Milton tabs. Left it in for about 20 mins and then flushed it all out using squirter to clean all the pipes as well.
This is starting to look like Viz Top Tips, I love it!
Geeza
Quote from: SaabGeeza on 17 October 2012, 02:48:11 PM
This is starting to look like Viz Top Tips, I love it!
Geeza
Ah yes, Viz top tips. Excellent!
Viz top tip No15:
Drill a 1" hole in your fridge door so that you can check the light inside, goes off when the door is closed
;D ;D
Quote from: Max Headroom on 17 October 2012, 11:24:12 PM
Viz top tip No15:
Drill a 1" hole in your fridge door so that you can check the light inside, goes off when the door is closed
That's daft, you're much better off with a PTZ IP camera. That way you can check the light is off when you are at work, as well as look at the milk to see whether you need to pick some up on your way home. Also, if you hook it up to motion detection software you can get an alert if someone breaks in and goes in your fridge.
;D :o :P
Excellent! ;D ;D
Can't resist this one:
MICRA DRIVERS: Attach a lighted sparkler to the roof of your car before starting a long journey. You drive the thing like a sodding dodgem car anyway.
Bit off topic Mark???
Jim - you should know by now that any STT thread that gets past 20 posts suffers mission-creep!
Quote from: phoenix on 18 October 2012, 10:49:41 AM
Can't resist this one:
MICRA DRIVERS: Attach a lighted sparkler to the roof of your car before starting a long journey. You drive the thing like a sodding dodgem car anyway.
Heheh - thats great!
Mission creep keeps the mods modding and gives us a bit of a laugh from time to time
Now then, where was I?
Oh yes. Windscreen washers....
Dammit - forgot what I was going to say... DOH! ???
Just remember that Steradent will strip anything off teeth. It will probably take the paint off the car too!!
Still OTT, but perhaps we should start an irreverent "Top Tips" thread in the "Off-topic chat..." section?
It could have legs.
From what you say Phoenix Micra drivers would be good in the wheelchair basketball!! Awesome - they looked just like dodgems
No Jim, they wouldn't be any good. It takes skill to use those basketball wheelchairs.
I know that Geoff its just that when we watched them play SWIMBO and I both remarked how much they looked like dodgems :) Blooming amazing really though and no fear!
We had a lady drive her motorised wheelchair through the barriers we had put up. She drove straight into the trench. Fortunately the trench wasn't too wide so she just fell over at 45 degrees. :o
But I remember an interview on the TV with a quadriplegic at Stoke Mandeville. He said he had been there for 18 months. The interviewer asked him why he had been in so long when 6 months was more normal. He said that he had only broken his back when he came in, but he and his friends were bored with the gym exercises and organised an obstacle race around the hospital. It involved going up in a lift and coming down the stairs!! And he fell into the stairwell and broke his neck! :o :o
Useless information as write, which will change as soon he posts, but with 1421 posts and 142 thanks as at this morning, sgould has been thanked for 10% of his posts. Well done Will!
(Okay, 9.99296 %, but I thought it worth a mention.)
(edit at 7.55pm - he's had two more thanks, so the percentage is now 10.063...)
Someone must have taken one away Geoff as he has only 143 thanks to 1421 posts that makes 10.0633356%...... :)
Yeah, I didn't read the numbers properly. It was 143, Jim, as you say. I was getting my 4s, 2s and 1s all muxed ip.
My 10.063 shows I had the right number in mind.
:o :o 8)
Now 10.042%.
This could go on for a long time Geoff - 10.0981767 now.
Sorry Will :)
Jim - as I type, you and I are within half a percent of each other. (But, hey, who's counting?)
A few weeks down the line I'm happy to report that things are still sweet-smelling and the paintwork is still intact. Should anyone esle have this odour issue, give a Milton tablet a go, for me it was the ultimate easy fix. :)