Removing battery acid from carpet?: Grassroots Motorsports forum: Grassroots Motorsports Magazine

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Aug. 11, 2010 4:38 a.m. digdug18 HalfDork

I need a new battery for my integra, and used my fiancee's saturn vue suv to go get it, I left it in the back seat for two days, and sometime since i put it there to now it tipped over. She has those rubber mats that go over the mats that go over the carpet, so gladly they caught most of the acid, but some seeped into the carpet's underneath. I used baking soda to get what I could, on both the 2 mats and the carpet.

It ate the fur off the carpet and the one mat, in various spots, but gladly wasn't that noticeable because of the 2 layers of mats. And today is her birthday as well, lol. I'm hoping she doesn't notice.

Other then replacing the entire carpet what can I do to further resolve the problem? Need I worry about the fumes from the battery acid? Should I febreze the hell outta it and call it a day?
Aug. 11, 2010 5:18 a.m. NYG95GA SuperDork

Dude! You knew the answer to that question the second you asked it.

When you figure out how to return a pile of ashes into a living tree, then you will become the wealthiest, most important person in the universe. Heck, you will be able to buy and sell God. There's no reversing entropy. Ruined is ruined.

The real issue in front of you is this: You're planning on spending the rest of your life with this girl, and you are already trying to hide silly crap from her.

Think about it. Better learn to take your medicine.
Aug. 11, 2010 5:33 a.m. digdug18 HalfDork

ruined is a rather harsh word, and I'll tell her, after her birthday mind you. But for now its out of sight and out of mind.

And I already know how to turn ashes into a tree, it invloves duct tape, but that is beside the point.
Aug. 11, 2010 5:35 a.m. jrw1621 SuperDork

I suggest a birthday gift of some nice floor mats.
Aug. 11, 2010 5:40 a.m. digdug18 HalfDork

But I wouldn't be driving one of your cars foxtrapper. I just ordered a carpet, It'll arrive in a week or so.
Aug. 11, 2010 5:41 a.m. digdug18 HalfDork

jrw1621 wrote:

I suggest a birthday gift of some nice floor mats.

I'm thinking one of those digital photo frames for her desk at work. pics of the new baby and all.
Aug. 11, 2010 5:56 a.m. 914Driver SuperDork

Hose the area with baking soda and water, the acid is still working.

Seriously.
Aug. 11, 2010 6:09 a.m. digdug18 HalfDork

Will do, I need to get some more baking soda. I'll take care of this this morning. I'll try and dump some baking soda under the carpet as well, Hopefully the carpet won't be too hard to undo around the edge where it spilled. Gladly it is at the very edge, near the door threshold.
Aug. 11, 2010 6:58 a.m. TJ SuperDork

Lots of baking soda and lots and lots of water.
Aug. 11, 2010 9:31 a.m. digdug18 HalfDork

i just used a whole box of baking soda on the area, while pushing down on it to soak the wet baking soda mix into the fibers.

I told her this morning, after i gave her birthday presents to her.
Aug. 11, 2010 9:33 a.m. Giant Purple Snorklewacker SuperDork

I would place furniture over the area
Aug. 11, 2010 9:37 a.m. TJ SuperDork

A nice end table in the back of her Saturn Vue might not be practical.
Aug. 11, 2010 9:44 a.m. John Brown SuperDork

I know this one!

Remove Saturn from driveway replace with MIATA!
Aug. 11, 2010 2:58 p.m. unevolved HalfDork

digdug18 wrote:

ruined is a rather harsh word, and I'll tell her, after her birthday mind you. But for now its out of sight and out of mind.

I'm with you. Transparency and accountability is paramount in a relationship, but sometimes discretion is the better part of valor.
Aug. 11, 2010 4:00 p.m. Karl La Follette HalfDork

We towed a truck once of a dealer of white powder he carried a jug of muriatic acid , got pulled over booosh dumped stash and jug ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, busted for everything else but the drugs out next day . Grandmas name was on truck she picked up next day
Aug. 12, 2010 4:35 a.m. digdug18 HalfDork

John Brown wrote:

I know this one!

Remove Saturn from driveway replace with MIATA!

The answer isn't always miata, you'll learn eventually. Gladly as well, the Vue is really a honda in disguise, with the 3.5 V6 vtec. Gotta love the plastic body panels as well.

I think I have remedied the situation, I have been retreating the area, I dumped a nice pile of baking soda under the carpet, so that anything that gets through the carpet gets to the baking soda and not the metal underneath. I also have extra baking soda currently on the area of the top of the carpet that was effected.

If you look closely, you can see where the carpet fibers are burned off, back to the rubber. But if you just casually glance at it, it sorta looks like I dumped a black drink there, so coffee/soda, etc.