Mildewy car smell

[2wheelsx2]

My friend had the misfortune of having several gallons of water spilled in his Integra (long camping story). Anyway, the water is clean drinking water, and he did a good job of soaking up as much as possible and vacuuming everything, but now he has a mildewy smell in the car. Is this from mildew under the carpet? Should he try to steam clean it, or would that only make it worse? He has sprinkled baking soda on it and vaccuumed, and now has a box sitting in his car, but the smell persists. Suggestions?

 

[medic]

yeah, the carpet pads are probably still wet. does he have a wet vac he can use...it may get some. the smell will eventually die down, but ti takes a long time. the fastest way I've heard is to pull up the carpet and dry the pad

 

[2wheelsx2]

He has access to a steam cleaner, so I told him to try that. Pull the carpet entire removing all seat and most of the trim in the interior, and he really doesn't want to do that. I guess that's why he's not an Autopian.

 

[DtTall]

I use a product hursing homes use wich eat the things causing the odors; It is called microdine; can be found at a janiterial suply store. try it as a spray/ air freshner first/ then/or just clean that area of carpet with it ;it smells great. I clean flooded cars with it:bounce. It may be known as enzimes, or bacterial waste digester!

 

[C. Charles Hahn]

do you canada guys have access to the "rug doctor" machines?? They rent them at supermarkets here in the states (perhaps "Zellers" has them??) and they make a chemical called "Steam-in Odor Remover" that gets out deep down odors. That would be your best bet, I've rented one of those machines before when I was doing a car for a customer whos dog vommited in the back of their minivan...... what a mess. :shudder:



other than that, you might try getting some Ozium and spraying a crapload of it right into the carpets...... that would be the second step of cleaning that I would think to use.



hope this helps.