Shampooed twice and it still smells!

[beavis195]

For some reason, my X reaks and I have no idea why. I rarely if ever eat food inside, never smoked inside, I don't smoke. But I have to park it outside and it rains here a lot so I can't air her out like I used to inside the garage. Anyway, I've shampooed the inside twice including the headliner and seats and it still smells, but it smells like the shampoo is molding. Anyway, I used the bissel deep cleaning for small areas machine. It does a good job of getting the shampoo in there, it sucks at extracting it though. If I were to rent a rug doctor or other machine like that, would that work any better. Or, with my bissel, if after I had sucked all of the shampoo out that I could get, I go back over and redo the shampooing but with just plain water instead of the shampoo? Please help me. Is there anything besides febreze!?!

 

[95ExplorerLtd]

This guy we used to know who owned a used car dealership with his dad said that if after a detailing a car would still smell bad, put a few pieces of charcoal in the car. It is supposed to neutralize the smell. This may not work in your case if its the shampoo, but its cheap, easy, and worth a try

 

[Bill Kemp]

I drilled the firewall of a Pont. installing fog lights a number of years ago and that hole let in water to the interior. After a year the carpet and pad mildewed. Only fix was remove the pad and clean rubber carpet backing and floor w/bleach solution. I hope you dont have to do this as it was a real pain.

 

[Perry]

If the shampoo machine sucked at getting the water out then that is your problem. The water and soap will stay in the pad under the carpet. You might have to take it to a detail shop and let them clean it for you.
There machines are made to suck up all the water.

 

[gijoecam]

The first thing is to get it dry... that means getting a vacuum strong enough to extract the water... Don't know where, though.

Once that's done, get a can of Ozium. Spray the whole can in there and keep it closed overnight. Don't plan on driving it first thing in the morning either... it will need a couple hours to air out.

-Joe-

 

[leenjen]

go to a do-it-yourself car wash. use their vacuums. it's usually like $0.75 for 5 minutes. they are very strong with a wide hose, and they are wet/dry vacs. my friend used one to suck soda out of his rear seat, when his sister spilled a 44oz. pepsi. it worked great.

 

[fixer]

Febreeze can do a good job of getting rid of the smell, but it you still have mildew it will come back.

a really heavy dose of Lysol might help, but a stronger vaccum, or professional cleaning will probably be needed.

 

[mrsteve]

Here's a really cheap thing you can try. I borrowed a family friend's spare car a few weeks back for a couple of days and it smelled really mildewy. Take a few of those anit-static dryer sheets like Bounce or something and place them under the seats. It absorbed the smell in my friend's car. But it sounds like you've got more of a serious problem.

Steve

 

[beavis195]

Thanks guys. That's a great idea that car wash wet dry vac. I'll give that a try before doing the professional route. Thanks again.