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red
Citizen
Username: Redy67
Post Number: 5485
Registered: 2-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 17, 2006 - 8:00 am: | 
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I was out of town all last week, and brilliant me left the sunroof opened....ALL WEEK. Now it stinks. Any suggestions how to get rid of this smell? |
Case
Citizen
Username: Case
Post Number: 1587
Registered: 2-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 17, 2006 - 8:03 am: |
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Depending on the car, it might be time to find a high-end car wash and throw yourself on their mercy.
Alternatively, I guess the first thing you need to address is mildew and mold. There's got to be SOME kind of product available to handle this. Try checking out Pep Boys or some other very large automotive place - you may find something there. |
MeAndTheBoys
Citizen
Username: Meandtheboys
Post Number: 3760
Registered: 12-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 17, 2006 - 8:21 am: |
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Fabreze?
Do you use it every day? Can you leave it completely open, sunroof and all windows, while the weather is nice to dry it out?
Is it cloth or leather?
Can you get a powerful wet/dry vac to try to suck extra moisture out? |
red
Citizen
Username: Redy67
Post Number: 5489
Registered: 2-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 17, 2006 - 8:25 am: |
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I was thinking Fabreze as well. Luckily, leather seats. Unfortunately, my car is my office!! I am going nuts with this smell!! I opened up all the windows right now before I get on the road.
Does anyone know of a good place to get the car detailed? |
soresident
Citizen
Username: Soresident
Post Number: 384
Registered: 10-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 17, 2006 - 9:29 am: |
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Milburn Car Wash 17 East Willow Street 376 7560 next to ShopRite |
Just The Aunt
Supporter
Username: Auntof13
Post Number: 5064
Registered: 1-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 17, 2006 - 10:00 am: |
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Valley Street in Orange just past Our Lady of the Valley Church. Think they told us it's about $150 for a complete detail which takes a little more then four hours...
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Bob K
Supporter
Username: Bobk
Post Number: 11538
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 17, 2006 - 10:08 am: |
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I think you need a little more than a detailing to be honest.
All the upholstery is going to have to be removed, dried and treated as are the carpets and maybe the headliner. Is there rust on the floor?
This is probably covered under the Comprehensive coverage of your insurance policy and you may want to consider reporting the loss as the repairs can be quite expensive.
Hate to rain on your parade. |
greenetree
Supporter
Username: Greenetree
Post Number: 7692
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 17, 2006 - 10:54 am: |
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The rear window of our SUV was shattered during a hurricane a few years back. The carpeting in the back was drenched & took days to dry. And this was after only a few hours of exposure (tried to cover it with plastic in the middle of the storm, but that was kind of useless). We tried everything DIY, but that damned mildew smell literally lasted for years.
Bob is right; you can try having everything shampooed, but you may be better off (if there is no rust, etc.) ripping up and replacing all the carpeting. It is also the only way to make sure that everything underneath is OK or dries properly. I'd do this ASAP. It's what we should have done. |
wnb
Citizen
Username: Wnb
Post Number: 371
Registered: 8-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 17, 2006 - 11:21 am: |
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That Fabreez crap will mask the odor and claim to get it out... but you will forever now have a moisture problem. Your windows are going to fog up like mad and you'll have to run the AC all the time any time it is the least bit humid out.
I strongly suggest getting or borrowing a dehumidifier and running it in your car for a good long period of time, and do it soon. It is the only way you're going to really dry everything out completely.
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Monster©
Supporter
Username: Monster
Post Number: 3227
Registered: 7-2002
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 17, 2006 - 11:23 am: |
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buy some super dry pellets like the ones at the link below, spread it all over your car and let set for however long, vacuum them up.
Purchase one of the mini de-humidifiers at the same link below, and use it in the car after the crystals, or at the same time, should work quite well.
http://www.nextag.com/mini-dehumidifier/search-html |
Sherri De Rose
Citizen
Username: Honeydo
Post Number: 206
Registered: 11-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 17, 2006 - 12:59 pm: |
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Remember the Jerry Seinfeld episode where a car valet with B.O. drove his car and no matter how he tried the smell remained? Hope you have better luck with yours.
I think Maplewood Tire used to do car detailing. Also, Bernies on the corner of Cypress and Millburn Ave does detailing. |
Kibbegirl
Citizen
Username: Kibbegirl
Post Number: 566
Registered: 5-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 17, 2006 - 1:59 pm: |
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Detailing -- a big YES! This happened to me a few times (damn kids!) Anyway, I did the detail thing and it did work, but the smell does return. My grandmother suggested pouring baking soda all over the interior carpets, rubbing it into the carpet and let it sit for days. If you have seats that come out or tip all the way up, pour the baking soda under the seating as well. I did this, vacummed up the baking soda, and VIOLA! no more musty smell. I did this every week for a few weeks until I was satfisfied that the smell was completely gone. It's a pain in the butt, but what can ya do? |
peteglider
Citizen
Username: Peteglider
Post Number: 1954
Registered: 8-2002
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 17, 2006 - 5:32 pm: |
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The ONLY way to deal with this is to have the interior pulled out (seats, carpets, door panels), then get the water out of the car itself and let the soft stuff dry. Very likely you need new floor padding and carpeting.
Depending on how much water - you may also have to deal with repair of any wiring that runs along the floor, seat motors & switches, etc.
Did the dash also get wet? If so -- this might be the straw that breaks it -- the cost of taking the electrical components out of the dash -- probably way expensive.
Once a couple of inches of water gets inside a car -- the damage is incredible. Many ECU units are mounted under the seat, too. And electrical that may work today -- will start failing as corrosion sets in.
Call your insurance company. If its an older car, they'll probably total it. But depending on how much water, even a newer car may not be repairable.
Good luck - Pete
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red
Citizen
Username: Redy67
Post Number: 5497
Registered: 2-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 17, 2006 - 5:34 pm: |
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Thanks Pete. Luckily there was no water sitting in the car, it just smells. Everything else is working just fine. |
Eats Shoots & Leaves
Citizen
Username: Mfpark
Post Number: 3355
Registered: 9-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 17, 2006 - 5:52 pm: |
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Car Talk has a few articles that might give you some help, but it sounds like basically you need to remove everything and bleach the heck out of what is left to kill mold spores. It will only get worse in the hot summer.
http://www.cartalk.com/ct/search.jsp?pages=columns
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Jersey girl
Citizen
Username: Critterlover
Post Number: 33
Registered: 2-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 17, 2006 - 7:04 pm: |
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Someone left the windows open on one side of my car, and I have 4 inches sloshing around in my car.
The electric, including the expensive stereo amp naturally, and the capeting , the seats, the console... all are being taken out , hopefully cleaned and dried and sanitized by the place on Valley St in Orange.
I can let you know how it goes.they knew exactly what had to be done, and they are a very busy place.
It sounds to me as if the water in your car dried up some, and set up its own little rainforest... steamy and moist. It is molding away in the crevices of the car, under the leather seats in the foam, and under the carpeting. Replacing car carpeting is expensive, upwards of $600 bucks I was told today.
If you have good car insurance, you may be able to utilize it as this is considered ''flood damage'' by the body shop folks I spoke with. I cannot vouch for that, but evidently some insurances do pay out on this type of claim.
I was floored. I never had anything like this before, in terms of a car being water-damaged! Katrina is one thing, but all this damage, from plain old rain?
Apparently, it is not unheard of.
I bet the poor folks up in Massachusetts residents will be putting in a lot of claims in the near future.
Good luck. And remember, whatever you decide, the sooner you take action, the better.
Jersey Girl
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