Smelly washer bottle

[Stanky]

I've noticed a nasty eggy smell when I apply the screen washer jets the last couple of weeks which has gotten progressively worse. Today I decided to do something about it.

 

I pumped out all the water/screenwash (mostly water) using my hand pump, then blasted the bottle out with the pressure washer lance, pumped it out again and then added a mixture of a squirt of toilet bleach and 2 litres of tap water. I used the washers to blast this through in bursts until it was all gone from the bottle, sprayed it all off with the hose, added another 2 litres of the same mixture, squirted some more through and then washed it off again.

 

Has anyone else had this issue? Having googled it, it sounds like I have bacteria living in the bottle which are giving of hydrogen sulphide which is causing the smell. I can understand a warm, dark, tank full of water which rarely moves is ideal bacteria accomodation, and weak blach solution seemed to me like an ideal solution.

 

Once it has been blown through (I'll use the washers a lot over the next couple of days) I'll refill with proper screenswash and water. Does bleach dissolve/damage rubber?

 

Any other solutions forthcoming?

[LabRat]

Keep a good screenwash concentration in there, not just water... That way leads to Legionnella growing in the bottle (seriously nasty shit).

 

Weak bleach or peroxide solution will do it in the short term, the alcohol in screenwash does the same job. It shouldnt rot the lines if you keep the bleach mix low (not more than 5-10% ideally)

 

 

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[Stanky]

Hmm, yeah I'd say its <50ml bleach in 2l of tap water so fairly weak but hopefully enough to kill of the cause of the smell (and legionella) in the next couple of days.

 

I'll get some new screenwash too.

[mouseflakes]

I often get a nasty eggy smell in my car too.

[Aston Martin]

its just stagnant water, just regularly use the washers.

[CHRIS1980]

A good way is to remove the bottle and soak in some soap powder,the cheaper the stuff the better. It does a good job of cleaning up the plastic. I had it on my frontera and just use neat screen wash.

[beko1987]

When I had the xm it had 2 tanks, 1 for screenwash and 1 for the headlight washers.

 

The headlight washers hadnt worked for god knows how long and I noticed a foul smell if id been cornering alot, so had the front wing off one day and found the tank full of stsgnant water, it fucking stank.

 

Off with that, was nearly sick as i poured it down a drain then I rinsed it with some zoflora that my mum had and never filled it up again.

 

Main tank was fine as it got used regularly, although the jets used to block up...

[Pillock]

I often get a nasty eggy smell in my car too.

Is yours, like mine, caused by a poor diet and lack of passengers leading to just guffing all the time?

[mouseflakes]

Almost the same. Passengers have learned to put up with it.

 

In future, when I feel the urge I'll just quickly use the screen wash and then blame Legionella, because I read it on this thread. She's the TV cook, yes?