HELP!! My car stinks

[love__goofy]

Literally! Apparently my son spilled a milkshake on the carpet in my car and it sat a couple of days

I tried using a Little Green Machine..and although it helped some, the car still smells if left closed up for 18-20 hours.

Any ideas?

 

[maxiesmom]

Do you have any car washes nearby that will clean the inside as well as the outside? I would do that, and then buy a febreeze car deodorizer. Those work very well.

 

[LJSquishy]

I would soak the soiled area thoroughly in white vinegar, let it sit, add more vinegar, and then sprinkle with baking soda and scrub it a little. Then you can vacuum it up (if needed) and try "shampooing" it again with a vinegar/water mixture.

If it's just the entire car that stinks and the actual soiled area doesn't smell anymore (from when you shampooed it already), just sit a container of white vinegar in your car anytime you're not in it. It will help absorb any odor. I would leave the windows cracked ever so slightly whenever you can. It may take a while for the odor to dissipate.

 

[CyndiLooWho]

I would liberally spray the interior with Lysol to make sure you've killed anything that started growing, and then I'd put a couple of open boxes of baking soda in the car for a few days.

 

[NotUrsula]

FWIW, if you cannot get it out, it isn't horribly expensive to have a car re-carpeted. Custom shops can do it for you. (You can even DIY if you want; there are instruction videos all over YouTube.)

 

[pumpkinmomma]

I would soak the soiled area thoroughly in white vinegar, let it sit, add more vinegar, and then sprinkle with baking soda and scrub it a little. Then you can vacuum it up (if needed) and try "shampooing" it again with a vinegar/water mixture.

If it's just the entire car that stinks and the actual soiled area doesn't smell anymore (from when you shampooed it already), just sit a container of white vinegar in your car anytime you're not in it. It will help absorb any odor. I would leave the windows cracked ever so slightly whenever you can. It may take a while for the odor to dissipate.

This! I had to do this due to a milk spill and it got rid of the smell.

 

[mm1971]

Literally! Apparently my son spilled a milkshake on the carpet in my car and it sat a couple of days

I tried using a Little Green Machine..and although it helped some, the car still smells if left closed up for 18-20 hours.

Any ideas?

Vinegar works. The problem is that then the car will smell like vinegar for a week, but it goes away and I think it smells better than sour milk.

 

[Tallent]

Have your car detailed and they'll shampoo/steam clean your carpets.

 

[Green Tea]

Is it just on the mat that can be removed from the car, or on the carpeting? If it is confined to the removeable mat, I would throw it in the washing machine. I have put mine in the washing machine before and they came out great.

 

[3boymthr]

Ack! I had this happen to me. It was horrible I tried everything then we went on vacation and took DH's car. I was dreading getting back in that car when we got back. I got soooo lucky. While on vacation my dad cleaned my car for me. He used this spray bottle cleaning product. He just simply sprayed it on the spot where the milk landed and wiped with a paper towel it took out the smell - my car even had that new car smell cause he sprayed the whole car. The only problem is I can't remember what the name of the cleaning spray is If I remember next time I talk to him I'll ask him and post it here.

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

Charcoal asorbs odors. Use plain grill charcoal . We had bought a car that someone smoked in and it got rid of the odor.

Place 4-5 lumps in a dish. Place one dish in the front and another in the back. Change the charcoal daily and in a matter of 2-3 days the smell should be gone.

Then I would frebreze the area on the carpet with the frebreze pet odor solution if its strong enough to eliminate pet odors, it should help with the sour milk. I have pets and use the pet solution and I am happy with the preformance.

 

[jperrot1]

My son threw up in the car. Wow, it smelled. I tried lots of stuff and still the smell lingered. Then, I used BISSEL OXY PRO PET STAIN REMOVER FOR CARPET. This stuff works really well. No smell after just one application. I think I applied a few times though, just to get it looking clean.

 

[curlyjbs]

raw coffee grinds absorb odors really well. Plus they smell better than vinegar. Had an old bait cooler in the shed I cant even tell you how many times I washed it to get that smell out! Nasty! My dad told me to put an open can of coffee in there for 2 days and Voila! No more stink!

p.s. throw out the coffee grinds when you are done.

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

raw coffee grinds absorb odors really well. Plus they smell better than vinegar. Had an old bait cooler in the shed I cant even tell you how many times I washed it to get that smell out! Nasty! My dad told me to put an open can of coffee in there for 2 days and Voila! No more stink!

p.s. throw out the coffee grinds when you are done.

No don't throw out the grounds, put them in your flower bed. Coffee grounds are great for rose bushes!

 

[luv2mickey]

We bought are son a car that was owned by a smoker we tried all of these remedies but the only thing that worked was after washing everything was spraying it down with zero odor, you can buy it at bed bath and beyond.

 

[love__goofy]

Thanks for all the replies!! Tomorrow I decided to try the vinegar, vinegar, baking soda..vacuum...little green machine..spray everything down with lysol.

If that doesn't..next is coffee grinds and the zero product from Bed, Bath, and Beyond.

And if that doesn't do the trick..off to a professional cleaner.

And if all else fails..I'll replace the dag on carpet!

I'll reply back tomorrow with my progress! Again, many thanks!

 

[Mad4Mickey]

ok this happened in our truck with a bottle of chocolate milk and it exploded from the heat and went everywhere .The smell was super bad , we made a paste of baking soda and water and scrubbed the carpet with it .We let it dry and then used the steamer to clean up the carpet . Never smelled again : )