That dank, musty 'used car' smell...

[2K4CE]

You know the one. You sit in a car that's more than a few years old on a car lot-- Or even a friend's car that has never once so much as vacuumed the interior.

It's a bit of a plasticky, musty, almost armorall-like smell. I can't place the source -it's not the AC vents.

Well, we lent the car to a friend for the weekend. When we got it back, it had that smell bad. They are clean people, and it doesn't look like they spilled anything in it... But now my 8 year old car smells like one of those musty old used cars.

I've done the following on all cloth/carpeted surfaces, minus headliner:
1. Vacuum.
2. Folex shampoo.
3. Vacuum.
4. Steam Clean.
5. Vacuum.

On the hard non-glass surfaces:
1. Light degreaser with high pile side of a microfiber towel.
2. Damp water wipe down.
3. Aerospace 303 application.

The car in question is a toyota with cloth seats.

Despite all that, the musty used car smell persists.

Any other thoughts on getting the odor out? I thought for sure steam would have killed it.

 

[dad07]

This stuff works really well.

CarPro So2Pure Air Purifying Coating 120 ml.


I also have used OZIUM in the past with excellent results.........but seams to be getting hard to find.

 

[2K4CE]

This stuff works really well.

CarPro So2Pure Air Purifying Coating 120 ml.


I also have used OZIUM in the past with excellent results.........but seams to be getting hard to find.

Jeeze, what will they think of next!

 

[hernandez.art13]

Did you check the trunk? Dead body?

And I'll subscribe to see what others have to say, because seems like you took care of a lot of things I would have thought of.

 

[platinumdetailp]

+1 for ozium, that little can kills any smell.

 

[rbss]

I just did a customers car that had musty dog smell and they left there windows cracked during a rain. I steamed the interior and used a combo of DG371(absorb it) and about a half can of Dakota odor bomb. It been a few weeks and she says her car still smells great!

 

[bill walsh]

try score 10x

 

[BillE]

Been reading some good results from using Meguiar's "Air Re-Fresher," #G16402. About $7-$8.

Bill

 

[dcjredline]

HOW in the world does one make a car smell so bad in one weekend??? GEESH. Sorry this happened to you man

 

[Dark Shadow]

Does the car have a sunroof? If it does I would check it out and clean and deodorize the track,seals,and surrounding area.

 

[RTexasF]

Just posted this on another stinky car thread:

Eco Touch Odor Eliminator, air freshener

 

[KMdef9]

You have to find the source of the smell.

 

[Gotanks234u7]

You know the one. You sit in a car that's more than a few years old on a car lot-- Or even a friend's car that has never once so much as vacuumed the interior.

It's a bit of a plasticky, musty, almost armorall-like smell. I can't place the source -it's not the AC vents.

Well, we lent the car to a friend for the weekend. When we got it back, it had that smell bad. They are clean people, and it doesn't look like they spilled anything in it... But now my 8 year old car smells like one of those musty old used cars.

I've done the following on all cloth/carpeted surfaces, minus headliner:
1. Vacuum.
2. Folex shampoo.
3. Vacuum.
4. Steam Clean.
5. Vacuum.

On the hard non-glass surfaces:
1. Light degreaser with high pile side of a microfiber towel.
2. Damp water wipe down.
3. Aerospace 303 application.

The car in question is a toyota with cloth seats.

Despite all that, the musty used car smell persists.

Any other thoughts on getting the odor out? I thought for sure steam would have killed it.

Did you try these too? It helped me it's just some quick tricks with household products. It's an image site so you know it's a pic. imgur: the simple image sharer