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May 18, 2009 9:51 a.m. dyintorace Dork

Does anyone have a good cure for "essence of rat"? My latest project car sat at a buddy's house for several months before I finally got it home. Evidently, during that time, many a rodent made good use of the car for living quarters.

As such, the car STINKS. I mean really STINKS. I took the first stab at cleaning it yesterday in the driveway by stripping what little carpet was left, pulling all the drain plugs (and drilling a few new ones), rinsing out as many of the offending pellets as I could, then attacking it with Purple Power. Another rinse and things are better, but not great.

I pushed the car into the garage and left the hatch open (much to my wife's dismay) and when I came out this morning, it's still not good.

Any suggestions on what to do next? Is there anything I can close up in the car to absorb some of the odor? The interior is nothing but bare metal at this point, so I can't pull anything else out.

TIA, Tucker
May 18, 2009 9:59 a.m. ClemSparks SuperDork

Your dashboard vents and such may be a source of remaining stench. Dismantling that stuff is a pain, but probably the only real way to get out the offending matter. A thorough dousing with lysol might help though, if removal is not an option.

I'm dealing with field death stench in my Z28 now too. It has a full interior, so it's going to be a big job.

Clem
May 18, 2009 10:09 a.m. JFX001 Dork

A quick search yeilded:

http://www.antiickypoo.com

(look at the kits on the left)

and

http://www.odoban.com
May 18, 2009 10:23 a.m. Jensenman SuperDork

During my problems with critters last year, a mouse died under the passenger seat of the Jensen. The funk was pretty bad. I removed that section of carpet, hit it with Purple Power but still had the stink. So I drenched it with Febreze, I used so much the carpet was soaked. I let it dry in the sun and then vacuumed it, no more funk.
May 18, 2009 10:34 a.m. mtn Dork

odoban FTW. It works on hockey equipment, I'd put it up against anything.
May 18, 2009 10:44 a.m. MrJoshua SuperDork

So the old rat poo filled car is in the garage and the shiny newish car sits in the driveway. Does the wife regret you meeting me yet?
May 18, 2009 1:15 p.m. dyintorace Dork

Thanks for the advice. I'll take a look at the Odoban stuff, as they advertised products for hard surfaces. The car has no seats, carpets, upholstery, etc, so there isn't anything for Fabreeze, etc to work on.

ClemSparks wrote:

Your dashboard vents and such may be a source of remaining stench. Dismantling that stuff is a pain, but probably the only real way to get out the offending matter. A thorough dousing with lysol might help though, if removal is not an option.

Great idea. I didn't think to tear into the dash. A fair portion of it is already torn up, so I'll have a go at the rest of it.

MrJoshua wrote:

So the old rat poo filled car is in the garage and the shiny newish car sits in the driveway. Does the wife regret you meeting me yet?

Nah...she loves you and really doesn't seem to mind when her car sits in the driveway. This weekend, she was actually scheming on if/how we could build something to store the car in! I love that woman!
May 18, 2009 1:52 p.m. 914Driver Dork

Ever heard of an Ozone treatment?

My friend has a shop and occasionally sells cars, hence the ozone. You roll up the windows leaving the driver's open about 3", the ozone thingie sits on the roof and pumps into the car via hose similar to a vacuum cleaner hose. (this is the weird part). Paul says that Ozone is O3, an uneven number of electrons, so it zips around looking for something to even out its numbers and picks up smells. Listen, don't shoot the messenger, I couldn't make this stuff up.

Anyway, it works. You have to have the vents open to evacuate them also, and some folks get a slight headache right after the procedure.

Dan
May 18, 2009 2:35 p.m. Nashco SuperDork

Once it's properly cleaned up, time and lots of fresh air helps. Of course, a single day in the Florida sun with the windows up seems to bring out the stench that took a week worth of fresh air to get rid of. The slightest of smells seems exponentially worse with the windows up and the heat/humidity down there!

Bryce
May 18, 2009 2:45 p.m. slantvaliant Reader

I'd leave it outside and as open as possible in anything but rain for a week or so. Widows down, doors and hatch open ... Let the sun and wind work for you.
May 18, 2009 3:00 p.m. benzbaron Reader

Try some bleach diluted into warm water after a thorough cleaning with degreaser and pinesol. If a smell can live after that it ain't gonna leave.
May 18, 2009 3:24 p.m. ClemSparks SuperDork

Oh wait...

Shotgun!

Clem
May 18, 2009 4:01 p.m. dyintorace Dork

914Driver wrote:

Ever heard of an Ozone treatment?

My friend has a shop and occasionally sells cars, hence the ozone. You roll up the windows leaving the driver's open about 3", the ozone thingie sits on the roof and pumps into the car via hose similar to a vacuum cleaner hose. (this is the weird part). Paul says that Ozone is O3, an uneven number of electrons, so it zips around looking for something to even out its numbers and picks up smells. Listen, don't shoot the messenger, I couldn't make this stuff up.

No, but I'll poke around on the web to see if anyone around here provides it. One issue is that the car is only a rolling chassis at this point.

Nashco wrote:

Once it's properly cleaned up, time and lots of fresh air helps. Of course, a single day in the Florida sun with the windows up seems to bring out the stench that took a week worth of fresh air to get rid of. The slightest of smells seems exponentially worse with the windows up and the heat/humidity down there!

No lie! I was actually hoping to take advantage of the heat by closing the car up with some sort of absorbent material inside as well. Kinda like moisture removal material, but for smell instead. But I can't find anything along these lines. I'm thinking mothballs, but for smell.

benzbaron wrote:

Try some bleach diluted into warm water after a thorough cleaning with degreaser and pinesol.

That may be the simplest solution. I could mix up a bleach/water solution in a spray bottle and spray away.

Thanks for all of the suggestions!
May 18, 2009 4:05 p.m. curtis New Reader
three things i would try. . . and have tried.
1. most dealerships offer a/c services and some of them can get pretty fancy with fogger bombs for the whole car and evap cleaners and such for pretty cheap sometimes, so check that out.
2. OZIUM its a spray that kills odors and germs and it comes in scents or unscented. Similiar to OUST but works a lot better IMO.
3. And three which was most succesful for clearing the 20 some odd year old stench from my 7 (rat poop included) . . . INCENSE. Im not joking clean the car like you said and the vents like everyone else said and the fog that biatch up with some good incense. Choose your scent and there you go. Worked for me and it actually kept the smell from coming back. I guess cause smoke itself is hard to cover up. w/e just tryin to help.
May 18, 2009 4:07 p.m. ClemSparks SuperDork

Dust the interior of the sucker with baking soda before whatever you plan to do (that's your mothballs-for-smell agent). I guess you could load a shotgun shell with baking soda to make my previous post relavent.

I don't know how bleach reacts with baking soda (if it's acidic, watch out)...but to just shake the stuff all over and then shop vacuum it up after a few days sealed up in the hot sun certainly wouldn't hurt...and baking soda is cheap.

Clem
May 18, 2009 6:16 p.m. Appleseed HalfDork

If you have access to a well stocked pet store, buy some cat pee remover. The kind used to clean up carpet. Scrub up the area like normal. getting rid of any big stuff. Then use a sprayer filled withe the pee remover and follow the directions. Buy more than you think you'll use. Trust me.
May 18, 2009 6:31 p.m. MrJoshua SuperDork

Remove the rest of the interior and pressure wash the inside top to bottom. I would be hesitant to use large amounts of anything Cl- based because you will probably end up with rust.
May 18, 2009 6:43 p.m. dyintorace Dork
curtis wrote:
1. And three which was most succesful for clearing the 20 some odd year old stench from my 7 (rat poop included) . . . INCENSE. Im not joking clean the car like you said and the vents like everyone else said and the fog that biatch up with some good incense. Choose your scent and there you go. Worked for me and it actually kept the smell from coming back. I guess cause smoke itself is hard to cover up. w/e just tryin to help.
I'm thinking this is the route to go! Incense FTW! Never would have thought of that.
May 18, 2009 8:43 p.m. Rob_Mopar New Reader

Appleseed wrote:

If you have access to a well stocked pet store, buy some cat pee remover. The kind used to clean up carpet. Scrub up the area like normal. getting rid of any big stuff. Then use a sprayer filled withe the pee remover and follow the directions. Buy more than you think you'll use. Trust me.

The stuff you want is called Nature's Miracle. It really does work. But first you need to find the offending matter and remove it. No amount of incense will cover rotting carcass. It will just make your car smell like a hippie died in there.

Mice got into my turbo Daytona over the winter. I think they got behind the rear cargo panels and left some presents... That's going to be the holiday weekend project.

-Rob
May 18, 2009 8:54 p.m. dyintorace Dork

Rob_Mopar wrote:

Appleseed wrote:

If you have access to a well stocked pet store, buy some cat pee remover. The kind used to clean up carpet. Scrub up the area like normal. getting rid of any big stuff. Then use a sprayer filled withe the pee remover and follow the directions. Buy more than you think you'll use. Trust me.

The stuff you want is called Nature's Miracle. It really does work. But first you need to find the offending matter and remove it. No amount of incense will cover rotting carcass. It will just make your car smell like a hippie died in there.

Luckily, I don't think I have any carcasses...just many, many "pellet presents" and presumably much urine. Yuck.
May 18, 2009 9:04 p.m. NYG95GA Dork

Vinegar. White.

Kills most any odor, but makes you crave salad.
May 18, 2009 10:16 p.m. mad_machine SuperDork

nobody mentioned miata? Thought that was the answer to everything?

I feel for you though. Not only are dealing with presents.. but you also have wonder what the little buggers also got into. They seem to LOVE to chew on wiring and hoses
May 18, 2009 10:20 p.m. Appleseed HalfDork

I wish chem engineers would make a plastic sheath for wire that would be toxic to rodents. Yes you would still have to fix the gnawed wires, but you'd get perverse satisfaction knowing the little buggers died a horrible death.
May 18, 2009 10:41 p.m. Strizzo Dork

914Driver wrote:

Ever heard of an Ozone treatment?

My friend has a shop and occasionally sells cars, hence the ozone. You roll up the windows leaving the driver's open about 3", the ozone thingie sits on the roof and pumps into the car via hose similar to a vacuum cleaner hose. (this is the weird part). Paul says that Ozone is O3, an uneven number of electrons, so it zips around looking for something to even out its numbers and picks up smells. Listen, don't shoot the messenger, I couldn't make this stuff up.

Anyway, it works. You have to have the vents open to evacuate them also, and some folks get a slight headache right after the procedure.

Dan

over easter, the g/f and i were in NY, long story short we had to check into a hotel one night earlier than expected (waldorf with hilton points) the only room they had left was on a smoking floor. "but its ok, we do an ozone treatment in every room between every guest" i was skeptical, and i could smell a bit of the cig smell in the hallway. once we got in the room though, i wouldn't have been able to tell whether the room had ever been smoked in or not.
May 19, 2009 8:47 a.m. CoryB Reader

You said it's a rolling shell. Is the headliner out too? Those hold an amazing amount of stink.

I went through the same exercise about 1.5 years ago with a Miata. I pulled out the carpet, seats and dashboard and powerwashed everything inside and out. What I found to be the biggest stink retention area was the foam covered flaps inside the heater/AC box. I actually had to disassemble the heater box and scrub the foam off of the flaps. Then I recovered them with some different foam and the majority of the smell went away.

The cloth inside of the top (think convertible headliner) still has some smell but that'll be going away soon since my wife ripped the rear window out of the top last weekend and now I need to put a new top on it.

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