(You folks seem really good at diagnosing problems. I added one yesterday, and thought I’d ask about another problem.) This is about a 2006 PT Cruiser Convertible. When it’s warm out, I sometimes use my air conditioning. Once the air is turned off, the car smells like bad gymclothes. Sweaty, stinky gymclothes. There are no gymclothes - sweaty, stinky or otherwise - in the car. Does this have to do with the antifreeze or something similar?
This is most likely the result of mold spores growing in the passages of your A/C system. A good auto parts store (NAPA comes to mind) will stock an aerosol fungicide designed for use in a car’s HVAC system.
Just don’t use the term “fungicide” at the parts store unless you want to have the employees give you a very blank look! Tell them that you want something to “kill mold in my A/C system”, and they should be able to give you the correct product.
Some people advocate the use of Lysol spray for this purpose. You might want to try it, but I recommend that you use a fungicide specifically made for this type of application.
Whenever you use the A/C, at the end of your drive turn off the A/C but leave the fan on for a minute or two. This will help clear the ductwork of excessive moisture, which is conducive to the growth of mildew.