Way off topic: car cleaning advice needed

[johnh]

Gang,

I know we have quite a few car buffs on here, and I need some advice. My lovely daughter left a half-filled cup of hot chocolate in the back seat of my car for days, and it of course finally spilled on a curve. Curdled milk all over my leather upholstery. That was easy to clean up, but the smell persists. Any suggestions on what to try? Jasmine would be grateful (as would her dad) as she cleans the seats. :(

John

[WMD]

That is a tough one John. I helped a guy who ran out of fuel once and he spilled gas on my carpet. I was never able to get rid of the gas smell. In your case though, you may have better luck. I would use a really good leather cleaner. and see what happens. I am guessing you may have already tried that. Next would be a trip to the local autoparts store for some advice. Maybe even stop at a place that details cars and see what they might recommend.

Good luck!

[johnh]

Detailing is on my list. I hope I can find something cheaper though. Needless to say this won't happen again.

[Tinman507]

Sprinkle baking soda on the area and leave overnight. It's a great absorbent.
You'll need to vacuum up the baking soda later but smell should be gone.

[Bawanna]

If its carpet I agree with the baking soda. If it's in the leather seat I'd try tomato juice. I know it's about the only thing that will help at all on a skunk spray and I know it works in a freezer or fridge where the powers gone out or accidently got unplugged.

Can't promise it would work but cheap to try.

[Alfonse]

There might be some sort or enzyme spray that would help. I have used them on carpets with some success.

[downtownv]

There's an automotive deodorizer that's used in the GM Dealerships made by a company called Clearshield auto deodorizer. Various flavors....

[skiflydive]

Ozium spray. Cleans barf odor out of aircraft upholstery.

[kahrseye]

Hi John,

The best thing I've found for cleaning leather is Connolly Leather Cleaner. They also make the leather dressing for after the cleaning. That's called Connolly Hyde Food. I believe I purchased it as a package. Just look it up on the net, you'll find several suppliers. Let us know how you make out.

[eireguy]

You could try Natures Miracle.its for odors & it works by using enzymes so it actually cleans the odor out & should be easy on your leather(compared to other chemicals).i have no idea what the effect it would have on the color.or if it would work as well on leather as it does carpet,etc.i'd test a spot on the bottom of the seat first.car dealerships kill smells by using a de-ionizer machine.you could call around & see if you could find one that'll do it for you.might cost $100 or so.guess its up to you as to how bad you want the smell out.good luck.

[eireguy]

would Scotchgard protector maybe "seal" the area?i'm not sure if it'd "seal" the smell or not.

[getsome]

I've had good luck using Resolve brand liquid carpet spray cleaner for auto carpeting and even the plastic trim and it smells nice too...The leather can be cleaned easy enough and the odor won't absorb into it but if the liquid drink soaked into the carper behind the seat thats what you will have to get to...The rear seat should come out fairly easily and then soak the area really well with the Resolve and give it a good scrub then take it to a do it yourself car wash and vacuum up the remaining liquid and you should be good to go....

Several years age we had a Chevy Astro van and my wife spilled a whole can of chocolate Slim Fast on her way to work and didn't clean it up when she got there and it was parked in the hot Georgia summer sun all day and I like to have never got that smell out so I feel your pain.....Good luck!!!

[kb2wji]

Sprays and deodorizers will cover the smell, but thats about it. Check your local detail shops to see if they have a hot water upholstery steamer vacuum thingy. It's a gizmo that sprays hot steam/water into the upholstery and vacuum's it up at the same time. It's designed for auto interiors, and works incredibly well.

[johnh]

Thanks guys! Lots of options to try. Hopefully one of them works. I love my Charger and plan to keep it a while. Preferably without the cheese factory scent though.

[ltxi]

No help at all with the original problem, but.....

Back in the 80's, very early '80s, when I was working out of LA into East Windsor Township, NJ, etc, I rented one of them there then new Chevy Citations at EWR. Two days later after a drunken party I/we left the remains of three or four pizzas in the back of the car, hatch back, in the sun for a couple of days.

Well this was not good, but at the end of the week I needed to drive up to Chelmsford, Mass to hook up with my then girlfriend for a weekend plus. Drove up there with the windows open and it wasn't too bad.

Come Saturday afternoon, however, girlfriend's girlfriend calls in a panic. Her pet pig has escaped. So, we go help hunt down the pig and corner/capture it a half mile from owner girl's house. Now, how to get it home? No worries...load pig into the back of the rental Citation and drive it home. Pig, never having been loose in a moving vehicle before, totally freaks and craps all over the back seat.

Ok.....now I have a noticeable problem.

Back in those days....before Starbucks....I was in the habit of buying Dunkin' Donuts whole bean coffee to bring home to LA on my side trips to New England.

So...bought an extra pound of coffee, ground, ripped it open and spread it all over the back seat and hatch area of the car.

Drove back down to Newark airport, again with the windows open. Dropped off the car and ran for it.

Every bit of this is true and is one of several reasons why, at 70, I don't have a bucket list.

Thanks, National...I still owe you for that one.

[Bawanna]

My sides are busted!

He with the most toys and the smallest bucket list wins.

[olympicmotorcars]

I own a body shop so I have some experience with this type of thing. First of all all the advice everyone had already offered is good, but, some sour milk probably penetrated into the foam of the seat, and some probably spilled onto the metal floor under the seat. You are going to have to remove the seat and clean under it. There is probably some insulation type material the seat is sitting on top of that may have to just be thrown away.

If the foam of the seat has spoiled milk in it you probably need to visit an upholstery shop and get new foam cut for it , or try a salvage yard to just get a new seat. If you cannot find one locally try car-part.com

Hope this helps, good luck.

[sharpetop]

Google skunk odor recipes. I don't recall what's in it but my daughter used some concochtion to remedy skunk odor. IMHO, tomatoe juice doesn't work on skunk...don't ask how I know.

[nmkahrshooter]

If it spilled in back seat you need to remove bottom of back seat and I am betting there is some "stuff" there. Clean it up and problem solved.

[jlottmc]

Google skunk odor recipes. I don't recall what's in it but my daughter used some concochtion to remedy skunk odor. IMHO, tomatoe juice doesn't work on skunk...don't ask how I know.


Same here, and probably the same way I know.