How to get that bad smell out?!

Wrinklechops · 04-13-2009 01:36 PM

Hey guys, I've been trying to figure this out. Came across this little "eHow" list on how to clean out some stenches from cars, figured I would post it here:

Clean your car as thoroughly as possible.
Get out any trash and items inside your car. Clear it completely out, making sure to check under the seats.
Wipe the car inside with cleaning product. Vacuum the rug and upholstery inside the car.
Shampoo the inside of the car. Open the windows to air out the vehicle.
If the odor is due to mildewing water leaks, then you may not be able to get out that funky smell until you can stop the rain water from coming in.
Spray carpet with Lysol for mildew.
Armed with a spray bottle of a quality odor neutralizer, begin by opening the hood of your car in a well ventilated (preferably outdoor) location.
Start the engine and set the parking brake for safety. Next, place the AC and FAN on full. Important: make sure the "fresh air/recirculate" setting is in the FRESH AIR (outside air) position.
Go to the front fender side of the car (usually the passenger side) and look in the engine compartment and find the ac/heater AIR INTAKE, sometimes called the cowl vent. Different vehicles use different air intake vent configurations but all are just below the bottom edge of the windsheild, normally on the passengers side, and all have some sort of screen, grid or louvers covering the intake.
Liberally spray the deodorizer directly into the intake screen.
After a few sprays, get back in the car and smell to determine if the deodorizer is circulating through the AC system. Repeat if necessary. This application should treat the air conditioning EVAPORATOR, BLOWER and DUCTING..the places where smoke and odor particles will collect.
Now, switch the AC/Heater control to FULL HEAT, leaving the engine run, the air control in "fresh air" position and the FAN on full.
Go back outside the car and repeat the spray treatments into the air intake as you did in step 4.
By switching to the HEAT position, the deodorizer is now treating the HEATER CORE, BLOWER and DUCTING..another place that odors will hide.
Repeat spraying if necessary.

Now, can anyone tell/show me where the "cowl vent" is on our cars?

**Sinister** · 04-13-2009 03:49 PM

Originally Posted by lundholm08

Now, can anyone tell/show me where the "cowl vent" is on our cars?

Try that vent right aft of the driver's side strut's top-hat.

Wrinklechops · 04-13-2009 07:07 PM

Originally Posted by Sinister

Try that vent right aft of the driver's side strut's top-hat.

Ok let me see if I can give it a whirl. Takin some Lysol with me down to the car now...lol

**Sinister** · 04-13-2009 07:22 PM

Originally Posted by lundholm08

Ok let me see if I can give it a whirl. Takin some Lysol with me down to the car now...lol

Well?

**Cicatrize** · 04-13-2009 08:04 PM

My old boss had a mold killing company (for homes) but he had these little Ozone machines that could be used in cars. One of my co worker's cars had been smoked in for 6 years and it smelled like crap, but after 1 hour of the Ozone machine treatment, it smelled like NOTHING. Amazing...but not easy to get a hold of, obviously lol.

Wrinklechops · 04-13-2009 11:41 PM

Well, wow! Yea, I think that was the right place! Man whew the car like fumed up with Lysol like crazy. I guess that's one way to clean your air ducts!

**2:43AM** · 04-15-2009 04:11 AM

Originally Posted by lundholm08

Well, wow! Yea, I think that was the right place! Man whew the car like fumed up with Lysol like crazy. I guess that's one way to clean your air ducts!

Didn't that just mask the odor? Whatever is causing the stink is still in there.

Wrinklechops · 04-15-2009 12:15 PM

Originally Posted by 2:43AM

Didn't that just mask the odor? Whatever is causing the stink is still in there.

Well yes and no. They say to obviously thoroughly clean your car, shampoo the carpet, let it all dry out completely and spray some Lysol into the carpet for possibly mold/mildew buildup. That helped a lot.

Then I did the Lysol and "Air Sanitizer" through the cowl vent and it really cleaned it out. The previous owner smoked in the car, and I just could never get the traces of it out of there, but now it's gone

***mycologist*** · 04-15-2009 12:44 PM

Just curious, what exactly happend in your car that caused it to stink so much?? Did Cheezybacon ride in it or something?

Wrinklechops · 04-15-2009 01:05 PM

Originally Posted by mycologist

Just curious, what exactly happend in your car that caused it to stink so much?? Did Cheezybacon ride in it or something?

LOL no, no Chili cheese Mac spillage or anything. I think I was dealing with two things: previous owner smokage and possible mildew/mold in the carpet. The reason I suspect this is because the smell only was strong during the cold winter months. My suspiscion is that because of the wet snow getting caked on the floor of my car and then melting into water, the carpet got soaked and nasty and I could never really let my car dry out with the windows cracked when it was snowing for example.

***mycologist*** · 04-15-2009 05:16 PM

Originally Posted by lundholm08

LOL no, no Chili cheese Mac spillage or anything. I think I was dealing with two things: previous owner smokage and possible mildew/mold in the carpet. The reason I suspect this is because the smell only was strong during the cold winter months. My suspiscion is that because of the wet snow getting caked on the floor of my car and then melting into water, the carpet got soaked and nasty and I could never really let my car dry out with the windows cracked when it was snowing for example.

Ah I see. That is a bummer, hope it comes out.

**metros** · 04-19-2009 05:35 PM

Don't forget to also replace your cabin air filter. You can also spray the new filter with deoderizer to keep the fresh smell coming.

Wrinklechops · 04-19-2009 05:38 PM

Originally Posted by metros

Don't forget to also replace your cabin air filter. You can also spray the new filter with deoderizer to keep the fresh smell coming.

Si. Did that. Found a cheaper way to do it too kinda. I went to Home Depot and bought the best air filter HEPA 3M all that jazz for like $20. Measured out the size I needed for the cabin air filter replacement... and cut the filter I bought from Home Depot into that size and it works great. Only problem is, the one from Home Depot is only like 1in thick and you really need 2in thick to fit in there good I think.