How to remove a huge odor

[Misanthropical]

Hey guys, we accidentally left milk in the trunk of our car and didn't realize it till the car started to smell.

Anyway, I have tried everything to get the odor out of the trunk of the car and it still smells, so do any of you know what I can do to get the smell out? Thanks in advance!

[crazyofficeclerk]

My mom left a container of frozen chicken in her car for like 2 weeks this spring and the only thing we found that helped was boxes of baking soda. We found the ones for the fridge/freezer that have the cloth covering. It took a while but you can at least sit in the car without gagging now.

[Misanthropical]

Thank you, crazyofficeclerk! I will try that.

[ohsobitter]

removing smells

Vinegar is also good for absorbing odors. If you can't take that smell ( I love it) then coffee grounds also will do.

Newspaper is great for absorbing odors, but you'd need a lot for a trunk!

[protege]

Years ago, one of my idiot relatives managed to spill an entire gallon of milk in my car...and then left the windows up. Should add that it was the middle of summer, and that you could literally cut the odor with a knife Trust me, it was pretty nasty. The only thing that seemed to work...was to drop the windows, and leave the car in the car port at Grandma's...during a heavy storm. Took the smell out quickly.

These days though, I'd spray everything with several bottles of Febreeze

[It's me]

Along with the baking soda, you can also use carbon, which absorbes pretty much any orgainic odour... you can buy specially made packaged thingies (I have a couple in my car after dumping coffee everywhere) , or just go to the pet store and buy some of the granulated carbon used for fishtank filters. You will just need to find a way to put it in the trunk without spilling all over the place... maybe use a small cheesecloth sack or something like that.

[Sliceanddice]

backing soda is great what you should do is mix alittle bit of coffee grounds with some and leave in there over night, coffee clears nasual smell docks.

also shampoo it.

[It shouldn't]

long with the baking soda, you can also use carbon, which absorbes pretty much any orgainic odour...

Buy a couple bags of grilling charcoal (not the self lighting kind, just plain) and store them in the trunk for a while. Works faster if you open them, but then make sure they won't spill all over the place.

[Boggles]

Quick trip to the baking aisle at the grocery store and get some bicarbonate of soda (not baking powder as that has other stuff in as well). Make a thick paste using this and some warm water. Apply to the affected area, work in with a sponge and then when dry, hoover out. (Or remove whilst wet using a wet vac/carpet shampooer if possible.)

Also treat it with an anti-bacterial agent. It is the bacteria making the smell not the actual milk. Most pet places have a sprays for this designed for cleaning urine etc from carpets. It works on the same principal.

EDIT> If you can't get pet disinfectant, white vinegar is a god send!! It cleans everything. I tend to buy a big jug of it every month or so and almost no branded household cleaning products. Depending how you prepare it, you've got disinfectant, oven cleaner, drain unblocker, glass cleaner etc etc.

[mandaliz8704]

Try Home Depot, they carry this stuff called Renuzit Odor Eliminator... its in a big spray bottle. Use the whole damned thing. It worked to get the cat pee smell out of my backseat after my cat freaked out and peed all over my backseat when we were moving.

Cat pee is NOT pleasant in a hot car in the florida summer heat.

[Food Lady]

This may sound crazy, but you can use bleach. Properly diluted, it will kill bacteria but not damage anything. The proportion is 1 tablespoon bleach to 1 gallon of water.

[Evil Queen]

My suggestion (baking soda) was already added. Several times.

But I agree with Sliceanddice too. Make sure you don't forget to shampoo the carpet. Otherwise, there is a chance of it coming back (or getting worse).

[Tanasi]

I've dealt with this on two occasions. One time I got a professional quality carpet cleaner with deodorizer and cleaned the heck out of the carpet. Second time I gutted the interior and put in new (I was going to replace it anyway.)

[Barracuda]

Febreze does wonders. One I spilled homemade clam chowder in the front passenger seat of my car and of course, even though I cleaned it it started to stink. Febrezed the whole area, smell was gone in a day or so (smelled of carbon for a little while as the odor was neutralized, though.)

[Misanthropical]

Barracuda, Febreze didn't put a dent in the smell. I found some carbon things in the store and put them in the trunk, but I know the smell will come back when they are used up.

It's going to need to be shampooed to get the smell completely out. So, we will need to have it detailed. The whole car needs to be cleaned anyway.

Thanks for all the help, guys.