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A good way to clean out grungy air-inlet vents?

Discussion in 'Prius c Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by davide, Jun 25, 2015.

  1. davide

    davide Junior Member

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    I have to park outside, & haven't been going to the car-wash frequently, so a mix of decayed leaves, twigs, bird doo & dirt has accumulated in the foot-long air-inlet vents just below the windshield (not the wider set of vents closer to the hood) . So today I used a tweezers to clean out quite a bit--pouring on some water helped--but some grunge still remains down in the vents.
    My plan: go to the car-wash & ask the guy with the high-pressure hose to spray into that foot-long vent area for a good 5-10 seconds to flush it out. Is this a good idea?
     
    #1 davide, Jun 25, 2015
  2. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    I vote no.
     
    #2 Mendel Leisk, Jun 25, 2015
  3. orenji

    orenji Senior Member

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    Don't think that will help. There was a post on Priuschat on how someone took the plastic cover off to clean the screen. I would try blowing it out with compressed air or as you have been doing it with tweezers and maybe a paint brush to clean it out.
     
    #3 orenji, Jun 25, 2015
  4. ufourya

    ufourya We the People

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    I would vacuum. It seems to me you'd want to get the debris out, not force it in.
     
    #4 ufourya, Jun 26, 2015
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  5. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    vacuum and plucking. maybe cover them when parked?
     
    #5 bisco, Jun 26, 2015
  6. ETC(SS)

    ETC(SS) The OTHER One Percenter.....

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    Concur.


    +1

    Bisco has the right approach.
    Clean, then find a way to cover the vent.
    You might be able to loosen debris with a clothes dryer brush.

    Buy a sun-shade and stop parking under trees.
     
    #6 ETC(SS), Jun 26, 2015
  7. orenji

    orenji Senior Member

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    Vacuuming does not work, tried it already. The screens are down to low and too wide to make any good suction.
     
    #7 orenji, Jun 26, 2015
  8. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Press some masking tape onto the screen, then peel off?

    Then, there's this stuff, hehe. Might backfire tho:

    image.jpg image.jpg
     
    #8 Mendel Leisk, Jun 26, 2015
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  9. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    ghostbusters?
     
    #9 bisco, Jun 26, 2015
  10. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Hey, it's "Swiss Formula". :rolleyes:
     
    #10 Mendel Leisk, Jun 26, 2015
  11. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    swiss slime? i'll stick with their cheese.:p
     
    #11 bisco, Jun 26, 2015
  12. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Well, it looks like radioactive yogurt...
     
    #12 Mendel Leisk, Jun 26, 2015
  13. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    exactly.
     
    #13 bisco, Jun 26, 2015
  14. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    I tried the CyberClean, actually worked quite well, and didn't stick or get hung up in the mesh.

    Before:

    image.jpg
    Not much, but anyway.

    image.jpg image.jpg image.jpg
     
    #14 Mendel Leisk, Jun 26, 2015
  15. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    mendel, you've been slimed!:eek:
     
    #15 bisco, Jun 26, 2015
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  16. orenji

    orenji Senior Member

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    How about Play Do, that may work too!
     
    #16 orenji, Jun 26, 2015
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