Let Your Car Breathe with Fresh and Clean Air Filters

Humans need clean air to breathe, and though your car may be a machine, it also needs to have clean, breathable air, just like you. Air filters make this possible. These serve as protection against pollutants that affect both engine performance and cabin air quality.

As you may know, air filters are a line of defense for both your car's engine and you personally, and so their importance cannot be overstated. Have your engine and cabin air filters inspected and cleaned regularly to ensure solid engine performance and interior comfort.

Engine air filters vs. cabin air filters: What’s the difference?

Both engine and cabin air filters work to trap dirt particles, but the difference is while the former prevents the contamination and damage of engine pistons, piston rings, cylinders, cylinder walls, and bearings (also including the air flow sensor in modern vehicles), the latter is responsible for keeping the air entering the cabin clean and free of dust, pollen, bacteria, and harmful exhaust gases that may find their way into the vehicle's air conditioning system.

Engine and cabin air filters also differ in location--while the engine filter is placed somewhere near the engine, you can usually find the cabin air filter inside the cabin along with the air conditioner housing.

The different types of air filters

There are four different air filter types used in today's vehicles. These include:

• Paper – the most common type of air filter, usually installed as stock.
• Foam – aftermarket filters made of polyurethane soaked in oil. They are popular with drivers who own sports cars as well as those who live in dusty locations.
• High performance – air filters made of cotton gauze preferred by those who dabble in off-roading and rally racing.
• Oil bath – the earliest type of air filters used in cars. Widely considered obsolete, but some models still have them.

How to clean your car's air filters

Air filters usually need to be replaced annually or every 20,000 to 25,000 kilometers as recommended in the owner’s manual, but cleaning your car's air filters is something you can do on your own. There are a couple of preferred ways to do so--one is by washing using a recommended cleaning solution, and the other is by vacuuming. Both have their own advantages--for while washing will make your air filter cleaner, it will take more time before the filter is completely dry again. On the contrary, vacuuming is the faster process, but it may not remove as many contaminants as washing does.

To clean your car's air filters, you must:

• Locate and remove the air filter. If you can't find the filter, you can check your owner's manual, your mechanic, or the Internet. Car air filters are usually very easy to remove by way of loosening a clamp or a wing nut and simply pulling out the air filter assembly.
• Clean the filter using your preferred method.
• Clean the air filter housing as well using soft cloth or paper towel.
• Replace the air filter.

Do you have any questions about your car’s air filters? Sound off in the comments section below.