Waisted Bleach! What to do?

El Flaco Taco

El Flaco Taco

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Friend of mine spilled bleach in her trunk. She asked if I could shampoo it. I'm wondering what you guys would do to try and get rid of the smell. (Which is her biggest concern) What products work best?
 
White distilled vinegar.

Otherwise chemical guys makes some odor eliminating products along with their fabric clean which also has an odor eliminator in it.
 
If it is a chlorine based product, I would not use vinegar, as it may produce toxic gases.
 
El Flaco Taco said:
Any suggestions?
Click to expand...

If it is spilled on a carpet with pad, I would extract with pure hot water multiple times to remove as much of the product as possible. I would then use baking soda as an odor neutralizer.

I've never had to neutralize the smell of bleach spilled in a car before, but any neutralization process begins with removing the product. Since it is a water based product, I would hyperdilute and suction as much of the product as possible (extractor).

Now don't forget that the bleach has done its damage and the dye in the carpet will have suffered the bleaching effect.

P.S. There are some truth in the vinegar idea, however if I was to use the vinegar technique, I would leave a small crack in the window, put a cup of vinegar in the car overnight to react with the remaining fumes (after a thorough clean up)...... but would definitely stay way from breathing in the chlorine fumes.... and would not mix the two directly (unless I had a respirator and was in a well ventilated area).
 
This isn't a perfect option but it's a simple option.

If there is carpet in the trunk, remove it and flush it with water and then let it dry. Even spraying it with water from a hose will flush the bleach out of the material then let the remaining water evaporate.


If there is no carpet or after the carpet (or whatever is in the trunk), then wash with normal soap and water the inside of the trunk and blot or wipe dry. Place an air mover in the trunk and let it blow high speed overnight.

Chlorine/Bleach will evaporate into the air and after a good cleaning and a few days the odor should be gone.


I've owned a couple houses with pools as well as hot tubs and one time one of the Pool Cleaning guys told me that the chlorine evaporates off the water on hot sunny days and for this reason I would need to monitor and add more chlorine in the summer months.


The initial odor will be VERY strong but with some simple cleaning and evaporation the odor should go away...



:)
 
Dr_Pain said:
If it is spilled on a carpet with pad, I would extract with pure hot water multiple times to remove as much of the product as possible. I would then use baking soda as an odor neutralizer.

I've never had to neutralize the smell of bleach spilled in a car before, but any neutralization process begins with removing the product. Since it is a water based product, I would hyperdilute and suction as much of the product as possible (extractor).
Click to expand...

I wish I had an extractor.
 
anonymoususer said:
Please don't make completely uneducated recommendations!

Vinegar and chlorine bleach will create chlorine gas and in an enclosed vehicle could cause major respiratory damage.
Click to expand...

wasn't trying to. It works for me and I advised to use in a well ventilated area. I also suggested using cg products as both of these have work ed for me in the past in this situation.

You're never fully educated.
 
Mike.Phillips@Autogeek said:
This isn't a perfect option but it's a simple option.

If there is carpet in the trunk, remove it and flush it with water and then let it dry. Even spraying it with water from a hose will flush the bleach out of the material then let the remaining water evaporate.


If there is no carpet or after the carpet (or whatever is in the trunk), then wash with normal soap and water the inside of the trunk and blot or wipe dry. Place an air mover in the trunk and let it blow high speed overnight.

Chlorine/Bleach will evaporate into the air and after a good cleaning and a few days the odor should be gone.


I've owned a couple houses with pools as well as hot tubs and one time one of the Pool Cleaning guys told me that the chlorine evaporates off the water on hot sunny days and for this reason I would need to monitor and add more chlorine in the summer months.


The initial odor will be VERY strong but with some simple cleaning and evaporation the odor should go away...



:)
Click to expand...

Thank you Mike. This is in my power to do!
 
Bleaches are very corrosive to metals...
You need to pull the carpeting and everything else out of the trunk!!!
The trunk area needs to be cleaned/bleach-neutralized ASAP!!

Even though bleaches are bases (ph 12-13)...
DO NOT ...repeat: DO NOT!!...use vinegar or any other acids to try to neutralize bleach!!
As others have said: The gas(es) that are formed can be lethal.

I'd neutralize the affected area with either:
-Bleach Stop...get it at your local photography supply store (they may call it: thiosulfate)

-Hydrogen Peroxide (3%)...at any drug store for around $1.00 a bottle.

After the neutralization processes:
-Trunk area needs to thoroughly dry...
(UV-rays exposure is a God-send.)

Then, if needed (Your smeller/nose will be your guide):
-Wash the area very well with a Dawn solution...
Followed by: Rinse and thoroughly-dry session.


If the carpeting is synthetic it's probably ruined.
-Even if you clean it up...the damage to the fabric has already taken place.
-May need to be replaced. Personal preference is the "decider" in this case.


Hope this helps some. Good Luck!!


:)

Bob
 
FUNX725 said:
Bleaches are very corrosive to metals...
You need to pull the carpeting and everything else out of the trunk!!!
The trunk area needs to be cleaned/bleach-neutralized ASAP!!

Even though bleaches are bases (ph 12-13)...
DO NOT ...repeat: DO NOT!!...use vinegar or any other acids to try to neutralize bleach!!
As others have said: The gas(es) that are formed can be lethal.

I'd neutralize the affected area with either:
-Bleach Stop...get it at your local photography supply store (they may call it: thiosulfate)

-Hydrogen Peroxide (3%)...at any drug store for around $1.00 a bottle.

After the neutralization processes:
-Trunk area needs to thoroughly dry...
(UV-rays exposure is a God-send.)

Then, if needed (Your smeller/nose will be your guide):
-Wash the area very well with a Dawn solution...
Followed by: Rinse and thoroughly-dry session.


If the carpeting is synthetic it's probably ruined.
-Even if you clean it up...the damage to the fabric has already taken place.
-May need to be replaced. Personal preference is the "decider" in this case.


Hope this helps some. Good Luck!!


:)

Bob
Click to expand...

Thank You Sir! That was extremely helpful!
 
FUNX725 said:
Bleaches are very corrosive to metals...
You need to pull the carpeting and everything else out of the trunk!!!
The trunk area needs to be cleaned/bleach-neutralized ASAP!!

Even though bleaches are bases (ph 12-13)...
DO NOT ...repeat: DO NOT!!...use vinegar or any other acids to try to neutralize bleach!!
As others have said: The gas(es) that are formed can be lethal.

I'd neutralize the affected area with either:
-Bleach Stop...get it at your local photography supply store (they may call it: thiosulfate)

-Hydrogen Peroxide (3%)...at any drug store for around $1.00 a bottle.

After the neutralization processes:
-Trunk area needs to thoroughly dry...
(UV-rays exposure is a God-send.)

Then, if needed (Your smeller/nose will be your guide):
-Wash the area very well with a Dawn solution...
Followed by: Rinse and thoroughly-dry session.


If the carpeting is synthetic it's probably ruined.
-Even if you clean it up...the damage to the fabric has already taken place.
-May need to be replaced. Personal preference is the "decider" in this case.


Hope this helps some. Good Luck!!


:)

Bob
Click to expand...


Thanks for providing all the above Bob... after being a competitive swimmer all my life I've seen the corrosion chlorine can cause to metal.



:xyxthumbs:
 
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