Homes that have air conditioning systems are often more prone to harboring Cladosporium and Penicillium fungi. These organisms, which cause allergies to some people, grow in the air conditioners themselves and then spread throughout the house when the appliances are turned on .
These fungi are what, in fact, are behind the unusual smell that sometimes appears when we turn on or off the air conditioning of our car. That smell means that fungi are coming out of the air conditioner.
Mushrooms everywhere
As we use the air conditioning in the car, the more fungi we will find there. To prevent its spread, it is advisable to clean air conditioners in both homes and cars. As Robert Dunn explains in his book Home Alone? :
In addition, since these equipment release the highest amount of fungus during the first minutes of operation, some scientists recommend opening the windows each time it is started. Or you can also keep the appliance off and open the windows, which has the added advantage that it allows the entry of a great biodiversity of bacteria from the environment.
Cladosporium is a genus of fungi that includes some of the more common indoor and outdoor molds. The species produce olive green to brown or black colonies and have dark pigmented conidia that form in simple or branched chains.In short, that bad smell from the car is, in most cases, a direct consequence of dirty ventilation ducts.