Cabin Air Filter

[twinscroll]

Vents before cabin air filters were filthy. When starting a car, dust flying out of the dash was normal, and bugs and smoker tar&ash cycled through the system unfiltered. I removed such vents and filled them with engine degreasing detergent; soap, boiling water, household cleaner, citrus degreaser, nothing else worked. I kinda want to try cutting a furnace filter and slipping it in.

Most car airfilters aren't ideal. They aren't HEPA, there's usually no activated carbon, and sometimes they pack them with bakingsoda. Still, it's great for allergies and HVAC efficiency. Activated carbon will remove some odours and VOCs etc. It's hard to imagine a car taking in anything without filtration, but oil filters were once a novel invention.

[lini]

Just a note on activated charcoal/carbon filters. They do remove odors but they last about half the time a normal cabin filter does. So you will need to buy them twice as often as normal ones.

[michaelmfl]

I bought a pair of the charcoal filters on ebay for $23.50:

Charcoal Cabin Air Filter 2004 2011 IX35 Sportage Serato Genesiscoupe Rio Verna | eBay

[xylene]

I picked up the STP brand CAF from AutoZone for $9.99. It seems to be a little thicker in the pleats and fits better than the OEM. I replace the CAF once a year regardless of distanced traveled.