My car stinks...

[Lavabe]

I was transporting good southern food to one of my classes when liquid from the collard greens somehow seeped through its sealed container and through the carpet in my trunk. Three days later after three total trunk shampoos, the fermented collard juice is still stinking up everything. I mean, it stinks.

I feel like Seinfeld with the B.O. in the car.

Any recommended products? My googling has yielded no practical way to cure the problem.

This is emergent, as I am driving between Atlanta and St. Louis with this car, and would prefer NOT to transport stink over state lines... it's a federal crime, you know.

Thank you,
Lavabe

[EarlJam]

I was transporting good southern food to one of my classes when liquid from the collard greens somehow seeped through its sealed container and through the carpet in my trunk. Three days later after three total trunk shampoos, the fermented collard juice is still stinking up everything. I mean, it stinks.

I feel like Seinfeld with the B.O. in the car.

Any recommended products? My googling has yielded no practical way to cure the problem.

This is emergent, as I am driving between Atlanta and St. Louis with this car, and would prefer NOT to transport stink over state lines... it's a federal crime, you know.

Thank you,
Lavabe

Did you go to the O.K. Cafe???

A few months ago, I had large blood stains all over my trunk carpet and it made my car stink something awful (despite multiple shampoos). I finally just had the trunk re-lined.

-EarlJam

P.S. Seriously, I did have to have my trunk re-lined about 1.5 years ago because of some funk in the trunk. Could never get the smell completely out.

[Lavabe]

Did you go to the O.K. Cafe???

P.S. Seriously, I did have to have my trunk re-lined about 1.5 years ago because of some funk in the trunk. Could never get the smell completely out.

It was from Gladys & Ron's Chicken and Waffles... the sweet potato cheesecake was killer.

Cheers,
Lavabe

[captmojo]

Febreeze is good product. Follow up with Oust spray. If this fails either fire or close up the trunk with a cat inside.:rolleyes:

[hughgs]

I was transporting good southern food to one of my classes when liquid from the collard greens somehow seeped through its sealed container and through the carpet in my trunk. Three days later after three total trunk shampoos, the fermented collard juice is still stinking up everything. I mean, it stinks.

I feel like Seinfeld with the B.O. in the car.

Any recommended products? My googling has yielded no practical way to cure the problem.

This is emergent, as I am driving between Atlanta and St. Louis with this car, and would prefer NOT to transport stink over state lines... it's a federal crime, you know.

Thank you,
Lavabe

There was a recent article in the N&O car section about removing stink that I'll try and summarize. Remove the carpet and make sure the front and back are completely dry. Then use bleach, etc. to kill the mold (which is causing the stink). Reinstall and you should be good.

cartalk.com may have a more thorough set of instructions.

[devildeac]

I was transporting good southern food to one of my classes when liquid from the collard greens somehow seeped through its sealed container and through the carpet in my trunk. Three days later after three total trunk shampoos, the fermented collard juice is still stinking up everything. I mean, it stinks.

I feel like Seinfeld with the B.O. in the car.

Any recommended products? My googling has yielded no practical way to cure the problem.

This is emergent, as I am driving between Atlanta and St. Louis with this car, and would prefer NOT to transport stink over state lines... it's a federal crime, you know.

Thank you,
Lavabe

Dear Stinky,

I am sorry about your stench. I hope you have learned a valuable lesson. You should just stick with the basics like 'cue, slaw, hushpuppies, maybe a bit of 'tater salad now and then. It can all be washed down with swayt tay(or unswayt tay if you are needing to count calories). Then, 'nana pud'n for the finale. Of course, a nice pint of Sweet Georgia Brown or Pale Ale may be substituted for tay at any time.

Have a safe trip,

Devildeac:D

[YmoBeThere]

Given the series of events that occured, not sure if there was enough time for mold to grow...

A more specific timeline would be needed to answer that.

[mpj96]

An open box of baking soda and (separate from the baking soda) a sliced up apple + professional cleaning have worked for me in the past.

Good luck. To my mind, the only thing more annoying than a stinking car is one that rattles.

[OZZIE4DUKE]

liquid from the collard greens somehow seeped through its sealed container and through the carpet in my trunk.

Collard greens. There's your problem right there! Stay away from that , uh, stuff. It'll kill ya. Mustard greens and turnip greens too.

'Cue and nanner pudding is as southern as I get in my choice of foods. And on New Years Day I'll eat one black eyed pea, just to make my wife happy.

[allenmurray]

I think hughgs and ymobethere both had responses that were partially correct. There probably hasn't been enough time for mold to grow (ymobethere), but you probably will have to remove the carpet to get the smell out (hughgs).

Collards have a pretty disgusting odor (and this comes from someone who loves to eat collards) and I doubt that all the febreeze and baking soda in the world will get the smell out.

I'd suggest trying to take the carpet our yourself, but don't be surprised if you are not successful (though trunk carpet is usually a lot easier to get out than carpet in the interior of the car). On some cars this is really easy, on others really difficult. Most car detailers don't take carpets out as a routine part of detailing. I'd suggest taking it to a body shop and letting them take the carpet out. Then have the carpet cleaned, clean out beneath the carpet, and have it re-installed.

If none of that works you might want to splash some Texas Pete brand hot pepper vinegar around the car so at least it smells like collards being served properly.

[IamMatt'sUserName]

Mineral spirits (think paint thinner) spilled in my trunk during a move. I tried everything (woolite, shampoo, etc.) to erase the resulting noxious fumes. Ultimately, I had to have the trunk re-lined. That did the trick.

[Lavabe]

Given the series of events that occured, not sure if there was enough time for mold to grow...

A more specific timeline would be needed to answer that.

Wednesday 530PM, I pick up the southern food.

Thursday 830AM ... the stink appears.

Friday 830AM ... professional shampoo-ing.

Saturday 830AM ... stink reappears.

Sunday 1PM ... professional re-shampoos, both top and bottom of carpet. Professional also cleans trunk side carpet lining. After the cleaning, I leave the trunk open for 8 hours, and the carpet was left outside in the sun.

Monday 930AM ... carpet is still outside. Carpet smells okay, but trunk still stinks.

Does mold start that quickly? I can't imagine it does. On metal? Perhaps I should just leave my trunk open in the sunlight some more?

Thanks,
Lavabe

[YmoBeThere]

I would go with AllenMurray, my questions were really to determine that mold wasn't the issue as it doesn't likely grow that fast. Is is possible that collard juice seeped underneath the spare tire, etc. Or perhaps the item that was covering where the spare tire is located? I have had a couple of cars(Nissan in particular) now that had some sort of pressed wood board that actually covered over the tire area. If it would have gotten wet, it could have retained the smell also.

[mapei]

EJ: "large blood stains all over my trunk carpet"? Do explain.

[-jk]

EJ: "large blood stains all over my trunk carpet"? Do explain.

You've not been paying attention! He offed (http://www.dukebasketballreport.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2610) his neighbor, and now is moving out of state.

-jk

[DevilAlumna]

Does mold start that quickly? I can't imagine it does. On metal? Perhaps I should just leave my trunk open in the sunlight some more?



I don't see how fresh air and sunlight could hurt....

I might also recommend a pet product called "Nature's Miracle (http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=769&Ntt=natures%20miracle&Ntk=All&Ntx=mode+matchallpartial&Np=1&pc=1&N=0&Nty=1)."

It's really great at killing bad odors from "natural" sources.

[Lavabe]

I don't see how fresh air and sunlight could hurt....

I might also recommend a pet product called "Nature's Miracle (http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=769&Ntt=natures%20miracle&Ntk=All&Ntx=mode+matchallpartial&Np=1&pc=1&N=0&Nty=1)."

It's really great at killing bad odors from "natural" sources.

Thanks Ymo... the particle board between the spare and the carpet was foul beyond all belief.

Although I didn't really smell any lingering odor on the trunk carpet, I pulled it out and doused both sides with some Home Depot-recommended chemical, then followed it with a thorough drenching, and am hoping it all dries up in the next two days.

Meanwhile I took my portable steam cleaner and went over the whole trunk floor and the spare tire. Didn't smell a thing while wiping up. Upon drying, I then emptied a box of baking soda, took the leaf blower, and let the powder permeate everything in the trunk.

allenmurray had the best solution, but my wife and daughter can't stand anything spicy.

devildeac: I gave up caffeine 1.5 yrs ago, so no thank you on the swate tay. In the meantime, I might just order DA's solution.

Here's to hoping it all works!
Cheers,
Lavabe

[YmoBeThere]

Thanks Ymo... the particle board between the spare and the carpet was foul beyond all belief.

I've ruined a couple of these in my time with leaky containers of coolant/antifreeze, so I am all too familiar with their presence. Glad to provide a small bit of assistance...shoulda never stuck my head over on the PP Board...

[greybeard]

Try the old leave-the key-in-the-car gambut. Course, we are talkin collared greens here. Still, gives you a shot which is more than you've gotten so far.

[Lavabe]

Baking Soda Inventor Gets Nobel ... or should.

The trunk is improving. I guess it's just a matter of time and patience ... and daily carpet bombing with baking soda!

The particle board spare tire cover is, however, a lost cause.

Cheers,
Lavabe

[OZZIE4DUKE]

The particle board spare tire cover is, however, a lost cause.

Cheers,
Lavabe

Here's a thought to recover the cover if the stink is caused by mold and not the collard juice. Spray it with something that kills mold, like Tilex Mold and Mildew Remover, and let it sit until it dries. Works wonders in the shower.

On the other hand, you should be able to replace the cover either by buying a new previously used one at a junk yard (it should be pretty cheap) or making a new one by cutting either a piece of plywood from Home Depot or Lowe's, or maybe cutting a plastic chairmat to fit, like these at OfficeMax
http://www.officemax.com/max/solutions/product/prodBlock.jsp?BV_UseBVCookie=yes&expansionOID=-536891973&prodBlockOID=48159

or Office Depot
http://www.officedepot.com/textSearch.do?uniqueSearchFlag=true&Ntt=chairmats