OT: How to "desmellify" a car interior Options

[saigon71]

I'm in the process of flipping a non 914 car. The interior smell is a unique blend of dog, possibly cat urine and wet carpet. It's pretty disgusting.

What process have you guys used to get rid of bad odors in cars?

Thanks,

Bob

[mepstein]

Take out every piece of carpet you can, go to commercial car wash and wash, or put in a tub and wash, rinse and dry in sun. Text me your address and I’ll send you my ozone generator or stop by and pick it up. It really works great but for dog and especially cat urine, it really helps to wash the piece and neutralize it.

Pet stores sell sprays to neutralize pet odors. Buy some and hose down the interior and then sit out in the son.

And try not to sell on a humid or wet day.

[Ansbacher]

"Ozium" spray is a great product for odor elimination.

Ansbacher

[Porschef]

Also, burning a scented candle with the car closed up helps

[Jamie]

Also, burning a scented candle with the car closed up helps

Open a box of Bounce fabric softener in a closed up car, much safer than a candle, and a nice clean smell! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smilie_pokal.gif)

[PlaysWithCars]

Take out every piece of carpet you can, go to commercial car wash and wash, or put in a tub and wash, rinse and dry in sun. Text me your address and I’ll send you my ozone generator or stop by and pick it up. It really works great but for dog and especially cat urine, it really helps to wash the piece and neutralize it.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif) Clean it then use the ozone generator.

[porschetub]

I'm in the process of flipping a non 914 car. The interior smell is a unique blend of dog, possibly cat urine and wet carpet. It's pretty disgusting.

What process have you guys used to get rid of bad odors in cars?

Thanks,

Bob

A spray bottle of Lavender liquid after a good dose of carpet cleaner,most car carpet is nylon but if you have wool based its rather hard to remove odours.
Good luck.

[RARE 6]

Deep cleaning. Then Febreze.

[fishgeckos]

Definitely remove all of the old carpet/seat covers, etc. Diluted ammonia in a spray bottle does well to cut smells.

[JmuRiz]

Take Mark up on his ozone generator offer...it's the best way. If you didn't have access to that, the cleaning of the interior carpets and using an activated charcoal deoderizor.

I used something like the item linked below when I had a freezer die that was full of fish and beef! Put that in the closet after cleaning it out and after a week all the shell was gone.
https://www.amazon.com/Willert-AirBoss-Acti...r/dp/B001ACRPY6


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-pEhqiCD27E

[Unobtanium-inc]

An oldie but a goodie that I learned from an old used car guy, the Christmas Tree air freshener, as the car gets hotter they get more fragrant.
So after you do all the cleaning put a couple of trees in there, you will be glad you did.

[old914dog]

A fire damaged interior had no oder after using an ion generator. I actually purchased one because the rental was almost as much!! Clean all you can, then turn it on. Do NOT get in the car until it airs out!!!

[bbrock]

For urine, "Nature's Miracle" available at pet supply stores works very well with enzymes to break down the molecules and permanently eliminate odors. No affiliation, I've just used it many times with great success.

[Amphicar770]

I bought car a while back. Great price, good condition, low mileage, BAD smell.

1) I shampooed carpets and seats, wiped down everything with disinfectant. Better but still smelled bad.
2) Tried the Ozium, replaces bad smell with a less bad smell but more of a cover up.
3) Picked up an Ozone generator and ran it for 45 minutes. Let the ozone clear out (really, really bad for you). After that, all bad smells gone permanently.

From what i have read, you should still shampoo and clean first or smells may return. Mine has been good for almost a year now.

Tree air fresheners smell worse than urine! Ack!

[ConeDodger]

Costco sells baking soda in huge bags. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[mepstein]

I bought an ozone generator years ago when I was a Realtor because it was easier to sell houses when they didnt smell like smoke, dogs or mold. Amazing how well it works. It’s good in cars because it gets everywhere. Permeates the foam and fabric and all the nooks and crannies. Some cars take a couple treatments, 15 minutes, air out, repeat.
If you use one, don’t seal up the room or car completely. Put the intake near a slightly open window. The machine needs to take in some fresh air to make into ozone.

[914forme]

Take out every piece of carpet you can, go to commercial car wash and wash, or put in a tub and wash, rinse and dry in sun. Text me your address and I’ll send you my ozone generator or stop by and pick it up. It really works great but for dog and especially cat urine, it really helps to wash the piece and neutralize it.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif) Clean it then use the ozone generator.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif)

You can also use a pressure washer in your driveway. Pull it all out, if the seats are fabric they can also be washed if they don't have electric components in them. Do it with all my Miata, you be amazed at the crap that comes out of the seat with this method (IMG:style_emoticons/default/barf.gif)

Put everything back in and ozone the hell out of it. Out in the sun, add an extra fan to move the air and then let it sit the longer the better, if you can afford days or weeks go for it. Open the doors and walk away, let it air out before going in. Then do your final detail, add a scent that would be found in the car. If it is leather uses something that brings back leather. Leather scent in a all cloth car is just wrong.

Also take your car scent of choice and place on a couple sponges and leave them under the front seats. I would also add something to absorb the smells like charcoal, backing soda etc....

Or just toss a open can of tuna in the car, I guarantee they will not smell the dog and cat urine. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/stirthepot.gif)

[Dr Evil]

Odoban has been useful in other instances. Ozone will be best after cleaning, but if you cant do that...

[914sgofast2]

To get rid of cat urine, take the carpets out of the car. Then liberally spray lots of distilled white vinegar all over them and let them sit outside for a couple of days. Drench the heck out ot the carpets.

White vinegar is cheaper than Nature's Miracle and works a lot better. It kills the enzymes in cat urine that cause the odor. I once had 2 male cats who keep peeing on a persian rug we had in the dining room. Gallons and gallons of Nature's Miracle would not take the smell out, it would only mask it for a short while, but they kept going back and peeing on it. Then I learned about the white vinegar trick and it worked like a charm. After the carpets have been treated this way and have dried out, you can then pressure wash them and rinse thoroughly to clean out the dirt. Then dry them again before re-installing in the car.

[RickS]

The absolute best way is not repurposing a product not designed for eliminating car funk but buying this product from Griot’s which kills smells, mold, urine, oil, you name it. I have used it in two old cars and this stuff works. https://www.autogeek.net/griots-odor-exterminator.html

How it works, is you place a packet of some lethal substance in a cup, add water, and seal the car completely as a gas is released that penetrates every nook, cranny, including the air and heating ducts. After 12 hours, air the car out for 2 hours and all smells are gone.