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Windscreen washer jets

Deemeek

Active Member
Feb 25, 2009
49
0
Could anyone explain why when i spray my washer jets it gives out the most horrible eggy smell?
 

daboy3000

No Longer a Seat owner
Jul 2, 2008
710
0
Oxted
Has your car been sitting around for some time? Its possible the water has gone stale. Has someone puts eggs in your washer bottle?
 

CupraR_Lad

Full Member
Jul 9, 2007
515
1
Herefordshire
Just keep washing the windows until you run out of water,then top it up with more window wash than water! you need to get all the water out of there really,otherwise every time you was the window your going to keep smelling it!
 

Deemeek

Active Member
Feb 25, 2009
49
0
ive cleaned it out, i removed it and scrubed the inside with a alloy wheel brush( ya know the bendy ones) and filled it with hot water and bleach and it cleaned it all out. it was like algee growing in the water bottle, the smell went away, now its came back.

i thought there might have been a filter somewhere
 

lc_allan

Northern Monkey
Sep 15, 2006
3,389
4
Can you not dilute a small bit of Detol or similar and run it through the lines until empty, hot water flush then fill up as normal?
 

sheffboy

avoiding potholes
May 25, 2007
655
1
try flushing miltons sterilising fluid through it with hot water.

I seem to remember a poster on here recently who had the same problem.

Or alternatively stick a peg on tha nose :happy:
 

Deemeek

Active Member
Feb 25, 2009
49
0
no no not tesco screen wash, dont knw wat make it is but i use it in my bros car and he doesnt have a smelly car,
 

R69

Active Member
Nov 18, 2008
313
0
West Midlands
I had the same problem just a few weeks ago!
I emptied the water by continuous use of the spray, then half filled it with diluted dettol.

Left it in for a week or two (until I couldn't take the smell of disenfectant anymore!) then just refilled with a stronger than usual dilution of screenwash! Voila!
Been ok since but may remove it for a good clean in the summer.

:D
 
Dec 6, 2008
612
0
Shropshire
ive cleaned it out, i removed it and scrubed the inside with a alloy wheel brush( ya know the bendy ones) and filled it with hot water and bleach and it cleaned it all out. it was like algee growing in the water bottle, the smell went away, now its came back.

i thought there might have been a filter somewhere

How long ago did you do this?
 

Muttley

Catch that diesel!
Mar 17, 2006
4,987
31
North Kent
There have been a lot more complaints about this recently. I wonder if some regulation or other has forced screenwash manufacturers to change the ingredients.

Screenwash is just something to lower the freezing point + something to clear off oily road spray. The antifreeze is always some kind of industrial alcohol.

I mix my own from meths + washing up liquid. It doesn't take much meths to kill off any bacteria, and you can use scented washing up liquid if you want. My screenwash smells of meths, though :)

Apparantly washing up liquid is thought to damage the paintwork, but looking for evidence all I can find is a avgue disquiet about it affecting wax polishes. I can' t see that being a big issue in the concentration it's used in the washer bottle.
 
Dec 6, 2008
612
0
Shropshire
Dont use cheap screenwash eg tesco sainsburys etc!! Use volkswagen or seat stuff. After washing my bottle out i used volkswagen screenwash and its been great:)

Add to the cheap list anything halfords sell, holts, stuff you buy from a petrol station.

Personally I use BMW screenwash now.

Maybe also try and let it get to almost empty or empty before you refill it
 
Dec 6, 2008
612
0
Shropshire
There have been a lot more complaints about this recently. I wonder if some regulation or other has forced screenwash manufacturers to change the ingredients.

I would say its more of a seasonal problem maybe, we seem to go through phases of only getting cars with the issue every now and then and then get a phase of doing 3-4 a day. thats been the case for the last 6 years that ive worked there.
 

Deemeek

Active Member
Feb 25, 2009
49
0
ok, so ive tried all of the above and it work for so long and now the horrible smell is back. does anyone knw wat else it could be
 

daboy3000

No Longer a Seat owner
Jul 2, 2008
710
0
Oxted
Is the water/cleaning fluid going a funny colour? Does it smell if you take the cap of a stick your nose in water bottle?
 
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