Interior Smell

[Rodney Bullock]

I like the smell of old cars however not the smell of the rodents. I just finished cleaning my Plymouth with the 409 carpet cleaner. It is real strong and takes the smell of rodents away. I have the windows down and the trunk up. I washed the back inside of the for the second time since I built the car. The smell is pretty nice right now.

[Dan Hiebert]

When we picked my Terraplane up it had been sitting in a barn for 12 years and had a strong mildew odor. I happened to visit my aunt and uncle in Norris City, IL on the way home to New Mexico, and my aunt said to let an open bucket of amonia sit in the car for a few days and the mildew smell would go away. (She's a retired school janitor, so I guess she knows about getting rid of "smells".) I never got a chance to test it, because once I got it home the hot, dry southwest air cleared it up. I'm a bit surprised it hasn't come back since moving to cooler, damper climes.

[meadowbrook]

Thanks so much all, for the good suggestions, I really appreciate it.

Wouldn't it stand to reason that unless there is interaction between the odor 'remover' and the source, all you are doing is masking the odor?

So the wood chips, moth balls, and all the fixes that involve leaving some material sitting in the car to absorb the odor don't really correct the odor, but mask it? Maybe the ozone idea could fix it if the ozone 'gas' touches the odor causing material. I do own one of those electric air purifiers that used to be sold by The Sharper Image, maybe locking in the Dodge for a while would work like the rental ones?

Maybe also trying some of the spray products like the 409, or fabreeze and the like, directly on all of the possible odor sources, so basically, removing the seats and spraying their undersides to reach the coil spring wrappers and 'foams' as well as the headliner, carpeting and door panels.

What I am really trying to avoid is having to reupholster the seats because this car has its original 1950 seats and the fabric (wool?) is all original as well as the headliner and all door panels, with only the front seat bottoms having rips and damage.

[Joe Flanagan]

I like to toss a dead woodchuck in the back seat and close all the windows. That takes care of everything.

[Plymouthy Adams]

hey Joe..at least there is no question to the origins of the odor..however..skin him first, render the fat for lubing the hinges and seat slide..then chunk in the carcass for that fragrant aroma.may as well get full use of the animal..

[Rusty O'Toole]

Be careful of the ozone generator, the ozone deteriorates some materials like plastic and cloth. It is also bad for your health.

[Joe Flanagan]

And let's not forget hanging the tail from the rear view mirror. Who needs fuzzy dice?

[Plymouthy Adams]

I had a set of dice on the '49's rear view and a squirrel tail on the aerial..it was something from my neck of the woods when we were growing up..they were in the pictures of the ad when I listed the car for sale..the grand duaghter of the buyer insisted that they remain with the car..two days after taking ownership the car was in a parade in his area, the car was driven in the parade, yes dice and squirrel tail still in place, granddaughter smiling big time..glad to see it bening driven..I owned it three years..probably put less than 200 miles on the car..

[Joe Flanagan]

High speeds will denude an aerial-mounted squirrel tail eventually. Then it looks just awful.

[DutchEdwin]

I had the same muffy, dusty smell in my car. I took all the interior out, exept for the carpet as it looked new.

Took out the dashboard.

Cleaned all the interior parts and inside of the car with water and normal soap. Also the car interior with softly spraying with a high pressure cleaner (spray from a distance, I only wanted to get rid off the dust, not the paint) in area's where I couldn't get in. Carefully to prevent a lot of water getting in the car and soaking the carpet with durty water. Let all sit in the sun on a hot day. After that (as all was out) I sprayed the inside of the car with material that stops rust and spray it with a wax afterwards.

After assembly the smell was gone. It smelled like a used car of 3 year old. When I cleaned the interior and the dash a lot of dirty water was comming off. I guess that's what is creating the smell is just like in old buildings.....a lot of dust. I didn't do anything about the seats. Thay are old and still the original ones with foam falling appart. They do not smell. I only cleand them with water and soap on th outside carefully.

If it is mice.....well I know the difference of that smell. When leave the area you will tast the smell in your mouth and throaght for five more minutes. Lucky I didn't have that problem.

[Plymouthy Adams]

High speeds will denude an aerial-mounted squirrel tail eventually. Then it looks just awful.

what can I say...shoot more squirrel...

[Plymouthy Adams]

just posted on Yahoo..four ways to rid car odors..#3 may work..not sure of the others..they seem to be more of a cover up..

Sniff salts

Pour fragrant bath salts into a loose-leaf tea strainer, and place it in the glove compartment for a fast refresher every time you pull out the map.

Get a whiff of wax

Drop a potpourri wax tart- commonly made by candle companies-into a cup holder, and take your favorite scent with you wherever you go.

Dry and drive

Lay fresh herbs, such as basil, on a piece of newspaper in the backseat and leave the windows rolled up to dry the leaves and banish bad odors.

Sprinkle oil

Shake a few drops of lemon or eucalyptus essential oil onto car mats for a naturally sweet scent that will last a few weeks.

[greg g]

For cloth upholstery, what we did in the detail shop was spray the cloth with a all purpose cleaner solution (we used automotive products but 409 or simple green will work), then scrub the area with a brush. Thie will also remove stains if there are any. Then respray, and then suck the area as dry as you can with a wet vac. You do not want to soak the seats, and do small areas across the seat bottom and back. As always try the product on an inconspicuous place to start. Like the front of the lower cushion near the floor where its hard to see from the top.

Also you can get a lot of stuff out of the headliner by brushing and vacuuming with or without the cleaning solution. Try it dry.

So a light spray agitate with the brush and suck dry with the vacuum. Works on carpets also.