car stank

I recently was putting a radio in my dad truck and left my trunk open to use some tools that i had in there for car stereos and such. As i was working in the truck one of my outside cats jumped in the trunk. Unknown to me that the cat was in there I closed the trunk and went in. I drove to town and back later that night with the cat in there (20 mile round trip) and still didn't notice it. Now i opened my car this afternoon and all i could smell was cat. Dirty nasty cat stank and i've tried using oust in the car. There commercials are wrong. And its still there. Now i'm deep cleaning the trunk and wondering what i can do with the trunk matt. Can i run it through the washing machine? If not what can i do with it. This is a terrible smell.

Thanks Kmk

Re: car stank

kmk_7110 said:

Can i run it through the washing machine? If not what can i do with it. This is a terrible smell.

Thanks Kmk

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It all depends on what it is made of.

Re: car stank

I have found vinegar a more effective remover of stink than the commercial products I have tried.

I wouldn't try the washing machine. I would lay it out and scrub it first with soap, then with vinegar.

Re: car stank

Take it to the car wash,lay it out flat and wash the heck out of it with high pressure.

Re: car stank

Thanks everyone will try them all and tell ya what happens.

Re: car stank

If it's urine or feces, Nature's Miracle or comparable enzyme based product. It's sold at pet supply places.

Re: car stank

What Gary H said. Lay the liner on the ground and spray it with some detergent solution, then rinse thoroughly. Let it air dry a few days.

Meanwhile, thoroughly clean the inside of the rest of the car with a good detergent / cleaner. Prop open doors, windows, trunk (anything that will open) and set a good high velocity fan to move as much air through it as possible, for at least a couple days. You may try other things to absorb odors: shallow pans of vinegar, baking soda, and/or charcoal (not mixed together).

Basically the best solution is *lots* of fresh air.

Re: car stank

i would pre treat with a enzyme cleaner apply it liberaly and let it sit wet for 30 mins and then eather shampoo or presure wash at an coin op car wash let it dry for a couple days and put it back in also clean under neath where it could have seeped threw with an enzime cleaner as well open all the doors and anything you can open. and put fans in as previously stated.

febreeze or other products may work if there is any residual oder as long as the source of the odor is removed.

Re: car stank

My wife had a gallon of milk spill in the minivan, and it sat overnight- talk about stink the next day. We took it to DeltaSonic and paid $75 to have them clean it and use the ionizer, and it really did work. Worth the money we spent, as the smell would knock you over. I had tried doing it by hand, but it just wouldn't dry, being winter, and nothing we used worked. Try a professional cleaner if you don't have luck doing it yourself.