CHIPPO

My screen wash fluid has developed the most horrendous smell, a cros between PVA glue and Gin, it seems to be fermenting. I am tempted to try tonic and lemon!

Have flushed it out and tried new screen wash and at higher concentration, but after a week smeel even worse, it seems to feed the fermentation?

Should i try flushing with just water and leave hjust water ?

Or maybe a touch of mild bleach, Milton type stuff as used for babies nappies etc?

Does any one have any ideas LOL

FistralG

What brand of screenwash are you using? Gordans, Bombay or Unibond?

Seriously...try a different brand of screenwash and see if it makes a difference. Some have a higher Ethyl alcohol content, as an antifreeze, than others.

CHIPPO

I did try smirnoff but had troble getting it in the glass witout spilling the tonic or ice, the best gin was Plymouth!!!!!

This is now the third flavour screen wash, Halfords, previously comma and a non descrip other, the Halfords is at the very concentrated low temp conentration, and this seemed to makes things worse, i bleieve some bactiera feed on alcohol so maybe this is the problem, hence my comment regarding no additives or bleach ?

euan

I can't see Milton doing any harm in appropriate concentrations.

FistralG

You could try flushing with boiling water to sterilise the system or try adding an antibiotic to the screenwash... Amoxycillin is a good broad spectrum antibiotic. Just ensure the car finishes the course!

MedicUK

Try Milton they use it to clean baby bottles

Tommy2k

mines smelling like a sewer at the moment. bloody awful smell, any ideas?

nashby

Mine stinks to, i just keep topping up with plain water, i think if it was empty and i used boiling water may help as said before

MrM

I had this issue. My car is a weekend driver and I dont use that much windscreen fluid. Assumed it must have gone off as smelt vinegary and very acrid. Took me a while to work out what it was, almost smelt like burnt pollen which made me thing I might have had a heater vent clog up or something.

Pulled all the fluid through and held my nose. Filled up the bottle and pulled through again, and then filled up half way with some fresh fluid. Was using Halfords own brand for the record.

Petron

Used to use Milton to flush out the drinking water system on my boat. Will kill any bacteria and won't do your washer system any harm at all.