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How do you clean a car’s air filter?
I can’t afford to take my car in for maintenance right now but I need to clean its air filters. I’ve never done this before. How do I clean the air filters in my car?
Rob Shapiro · Updated on
Reviewed by Shannon Martin, Licensed Insurance Agent.
To clean a car’s air filter, you should follow these steps:
- First, remove the air filter. Make sure that no debris or dirt falls into the airbox or intake. Some filters have housing. If yours does, you need to remove it as well.
- Use an appropriate cleaning solution and let it soak.
- Then, rinse the filter under a faucet or with a garden hose. Rinse it from both sides, beginning at the interior and moving toward the exterior. This will prevent dirt from moving further into the filter’s fibers. Do not stretch or wring the filter as it can easily rip. Keep rinsing until you notice that the water is clear.
- Dry the filter by shaking it. Then, let it air dry. The filter must be completely dry before oiling (if it’s an oiled filter) and replacing it.
- Oil and replace. You only need to oil an oiled filter. In this case, use fresh filter oil to saturate the whole thing. Apply the oil evenly along the crown of each filter pleat. Then, squeeze out the excess and return the filter to its housing.
- You can now return the filter to your car.
Maintaining your vehicle is a great way to keep your car ownership costs in check. If you want to take a bigger dent out of your car costs, then you should download
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