Less expensive issues caused by neglecting this component could mean the\u202fdust, pebbles and\u202fdirt\u202fmay cause your\u202fengine\u202fto work harder and decrease your gas mileage.\u202fCleaning\u202fit yourself is rated as an easy\u202fcar\u202fmaintenance\u202ftask<\/a>. Keep in mind that the drying portion of this takes up to 24\u202fhours, so plan this project for when your\u202fvehicle\u202fwill be parked for that long. Let\u2019s take a look. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Remember: Always check your owner\u2019s manual before starting any type of work on your\u202fvehicle. <\/p>\n\n\n\n They come in a variety of shapes, sizes and\u202fmaterials, but they all have one function: To keep the\u202fengine\u202ffree of potentially dangerous\u202fdebris. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Your ride is an amazing and complex collection of parts that all have one function: to get you from point A to Point B. One of the most humble parts is the\u202fair\u202ffilter. It\u2019s function is to ensure\u202fclean\u202fair\u202fmoves through the system, benefitting the automobile itself, as well as the\u202fpeople\u202finside. That\u2019s why\u202fcleaning\u202fit is important. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Early versions were\u202fpaper\u202ffilters. These are still available, as well as ones made from cotton,\u202ffoam\u202fand cotton soaked in oils. This is why you may hear\u202fpeople\u202frefer to them as either \u201coiled\u201d or \u201cdry\u201d. There is a difference in how these are handled when it comes to your DIY\u202fcleaning. <\/p>\n\n\n\n All are mounted on a frame, which also may come in a variety of\u202fmaterials, such as plastic or rubber or, in some cases, metal. Plastic and rubber frames are designed to produce a seal so the\u202fowner\u202fdoesn\u2019t need to purchase or install separate gaskets or seals.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Here are some guidelines for changing and\u202fcleaning\u202fbased on\u202fmaterial. In between recommended changes,\u202fcleaning\u202fshould be done for enhanced performance. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Never use a petroleum based\u202fproduct, or solvents or kerosene, to clean these\u202fscreens. These can\u202fdamage\u202fit. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Car\u202fowners\u202fhave a choice of installing disposable or reusable.\u202fManufacturers\u202fof reusable lines claim they last much longer although some experts claim the difference is negligible and they cost significantly more. Disposables are cheaper and, as long as both are clean, they provide approximately the same service. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The keywords here being both need to be kept clean in\u202forder\u202fto do their job efficiently. <\/p>\n\n\n\n There are 4 primary\u202fscreens\u202fin your\u202fvehicle\u202fand all have an important function. Here\u2019s a look. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The only cost associated with this\u202fprocess\u202fis your time and the negligible amount of\u202fsoap\u202fyou use. If you are replacing it, you can expect to spend anywhere from $15 to $25. If you choose to take it to a\u202frepair shop, a\u202fmechanic\u202fmay charge you anywhere from $20 to $40 to change it out. You may also choose to buy a\u202fkit, which typically costs between $15 and $25.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you are not in the least bit mechanically inclined or just don\u2019t want to mess with it, take your auto to a\u202fmechanic\u202fto have regular\u202fmaintenance, such as installing a clean one. Many\u202fpeople\u202fdo this when they get their\u202foil\u202fchanged. <\/p>\n\n\n\n However, if you don\u2019t mind tinkering under the\u202fhood\u202fa little, washing it is really pretty simple. It only takes 4\u202fsteps. Some\u202fthings\u202fyou\u2019ll need are a bucket and some dish\u202fsoap, cloth,\u202fscrewdriver\u202fand a\u202fvacuum\u202fcleaner. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Make sure your\u202fvehicle\u202fis parked on a level surface with the parking brake engaged and the\u202fengine\u202fis cold.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Typically, it is a black plastic box either side of or on top of the\u202fengine. The\u202fhousing\u202fmay be fastened with screws, clips, clamps or wing nuts. Open the box and remove the\u202fdirty\u202ffilter. Wipe down the\u202fhousing\u202fwith a damp cloth. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Gently tap it to remove any larger pieces of\u202fdirt\u202fand\u202fdebris. Next,\u202fvacuum\u202fit to remove anything between the pleats (don\u2019t\u202fvacuum\u202fso hard that you tear it). Some vacuums come with a special hose attachment for this purpose. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Mix\u202fwarm\u202fwater\u202fand dish\u202fsoap\u202fin a bucket and submerge the\u202ffilter. Gently swish it around for a few\u202fminutes. If possible, rinse it in a sink so you can control the\u202fwater\u202fpressure. Shake off\u202fexcess\u202fwater. <\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s critical that you do not install a wet one back in so you\u2019ll need at least 24\u202fhours\u202ffor it to completely dry. The\u202fbest\u202fway\u202fis to lay it in the sun to dry. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Place\u202fit back in the\u202fhousing\u202fand ensure all fasteners are tightened or clipped. And that\u2019s it! <\/p>\n\n\n\n Just like with most\u202fvehicle\u202fissues, your automobile will let you know if you\u2019ve dropped the ball on some part of necessary\u202fmaintenance. Luckily, you should see signs long before it becomes an expensive repair at the shop. Here are some common signs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In situations where your ride is trying to tell you something, it\u2019s best to pay attention. If you don\u2019t attend it now, you surely will later. This is one\u202freason\u202fwhy it\u2019s important to get service history records from any previous owners. And if you are a\u202fcar\u202fowner\u202fwho may sell your\u202fvehicle\u202fin the future, keep your service history, whether you do it yourself or take it to a shop. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Keep in mind, also, that if your automobile develops a problem while still under warranty, you may not be able to get it fixed for free if you cannot prove you have kept up with all recommended\u202fmaintenance. <\/p>\n\n\n\n At Freeway Insurance, we are invested in making sure your auto is protected while on the road. Keeping it maintained is one\u202fway\u202fyou can extend the life, and in\u202faddition, finding affordable insurance is another\u202fway\u202fto protect it. Get a fast and free\u202fquote online<\/a>, call us at\u202f(800) 777-5620<\/a>\u202for\u202fvisit<\/a>\u202fus today. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" What if you could take a simple DIY\u202fstep\u202fthat may save you thousands of dollars down the line? That\u2019s what happens when you clean the\u202fengine\u202fair\u202ffilter\u202fin your\u202fvehicle\u202fon a regular basis. Your\u202fengine\u202fneeds\u202fclean\u202fair\u202fto be its most efficient. In a worst\u202fcase\u202fscenario, leaving it dirty can affect critical items by allowing\u202fgrime\u202fand other foreign objects from the\u202fenvironment\u202fto infiltrate the system through the\u202fair\u202fintake. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1002599,"featured_media":7611,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[78,5],"tags":[],"importance":[],"type-content":[],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/knowledge-center\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7600"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/knowledge-center\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/knowledge-center\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/knowledge-center\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1002599"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/knowledge-center\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7600"}],"version-history":[{"count":15,"href":"https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/knowledge-center\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7600\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7644,"href":"https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/knowledge-center\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7600\/revisions\/7644"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/knowledge-center\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7611"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/knowledge-center\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7600"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/knowledge-center\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7600"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/knowledge-center\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7600"},{"taxonomy":"importance","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/knowledge-center\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/importance?post=7600"},{"taxonomy":"type-content","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/knowledge-center\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/type-content?post=7600"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}What is a\u202fCar\u202fAir\u202fFilter? <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"Mechanic](\"https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/knowledge-center\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/02\/freeway-why-cleaning-your-car-air-filter-is-important1-1.jpg\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nWhen to Change and\/or Clean <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Disposable or Reusable?\u00a0<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
What is the Difference Between All the\u202fFilters? <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
How Much Does it Cost to Clean a\u202fCar\u202fAir\u202fFilter?\u00a0<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
4\u202fSteps\u202fto Clean the\u202fCar\u202fAir\u202fFilter <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"Man](\"https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/knowledge-center\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/02\/freeway-why-cleaning-your-air-filter-is-important2.jpg\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n1. Locate and Remove the\u202fFilter <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
2. Prior to Washing <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
3. Wash, Rinse and Dry <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
4. Reinstall <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
What are the Signs I Need to Clean the\u202fAir\u202fFilter? <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Protect Your Auto with Affordable Insurance Too\u00a0<\/h2>\n\n\n\n