Tips for Odor removal inside car ??

[VX KAT]

I know I've read some VXers here have been in the car detailing biz. Need tips.

Got a used Acura MDX (yes, sanity prevailed and I didn't go for the SRT8). Interior has an odor driving me crazy - kinda floral, kinda weird.
Dealer said they used a fogger and something that goes thru the air system to kill any mold/fungus etc.

Been 7 weeks, I can't stand it! Used Zero Odor sprayed in the vents and put on recirc for 15 minutes, x2. Also put it on all carpet and plastic, Zymol on every square inch of leather -still smells

Saw these foggers on ebay, but don't know what they'd smell like
http://www.ebay.com/itm/310373013778...84.m1438.l2649

HELP! Suggestions?

[Ldub]

Have your local serv pro, or other cleaning professional, put an ozone generator in the cab for a few hrs...

http://www.servpro.com/odor_id

[VX KAT]

Have your local serv pro, or other cleaning professional, put an ozone generator in the cab for a few hrs...

http://www.servpro.com/odor_id

oops, should have mentioned that as you suggested, I did and they said they don't do cars
maybe I didn't ask the question correctly?

[Ldub]

maybe I didn't ask the question correctly?

Yeh...you could try dumbing it down a notch or two.....

Maybe something like: "Car inside smell bad...can make good smell?"...

Or getch-self one'a these here thingies:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-COMMERCI...f541157&_uhb=1

http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-3-5G-Hou...43888d4&_uhb=1

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Commercial-O...094ec68&_uhb=1

http://www.ebay.com/itm/COMMERCIAL-O...ed443e7&_uhb=1




Prolly a good thing for any indoor mammalian critter keepers...

[wintermute]

+ 2 on ozone treatment.

I tried every spray, cleaner, and air freshener on the market to get the cigarette smell out of the VX I acquired, and nothing worked until the ozone treatment.

It has a weird scent of its own after the treatment, but it fades over time and the cigarette smell never returned.

Have your local serv pro, or other cleaning professional, put an ozone generator in the cab for a few hrs...

http://www.servpro.com/odor_id

[tom4bren]

Yah, ozone will do the trick.

I had a sick dog go explosive from both ends in my car once. It was BAAAAADDD!!!!

Believe it or not, my insurance paid for a professional detailing. I had already shampoo'd the seats & carpet 3 times & still couldn't drive it. I had to wear a military gasmask to drive it to the detail shop (people look at you funny when you do that). The owner of the detail shop literally tossed his cookies out the window just driving it from the parking lot & into the shop.

He ran his ozone generator in it for 3 days (not recommended but it worked). I put another 100K miles on that car after that.

[mdwyer]

+ 2 on ozone treatment.

I'll go ahead and make that a +3 (at least!). I'm a firm believer in them! The dealer ran an ozone generator for just a few minutes in my VX when I bought it. It completely removed the cigarette smell. I used one in my house to get rid of cat smell. I recommended one to my neighbor after three rooms of his house were sprayed by a skunk.

I rented one for about $20 from a rental store. You can buy one for about $140. (Denver VXers, feel free to borrow mine, if I ever get it back from the last person I lent it to...)

When you run it, it generates ozone that in low quantities smells like a xerox machine or like static electricity. In high doses it starts smelling like bleach, and will give you an instant sore throat. So, you just run it for 15 minutes or so with the fan and AC on. Then, let it air out a bit. After that, things will smell oddly neutral for quite some time!

Don't run it too much, though. It oxidizes everything it touches, which can include plastics and rubber. This might be a Bad Thing. Also, the gas is very reactive, so it goes away pretty quickly and doesn't absorb deeply into things. If the odor is soaked into your carpets and seats, you might be out of luck.

[VX KAT]

x100! Super thank you to all who recommended this!
Got the machine yesterday, paid $129/Free Shipping. Covers 3,500 sq feet, commercial model. Brand new.
Did 1 hr on, 1 hr left alone with closed windows - odor 90% gone, so much better.

Did another hour today, same time, and it's gone baby! Has a faint bleachy smell for just a little while, and then a neutral type odor. I decide tomorrow if it needs any more treatment. Did the VX for an hour today, still sitting in garage closed up. It was kind of starting to smell like "old car" smell, thought it could use a blast of this stuff. Next I'm going to try a few rooms inside - like kitty box area.

I got a face-full of it the first time I turned it on, had it on floor mat and leaned over to turn timer dial - WHAM! that stuff instantly starts blowing air that smells farily strongly of this bleachy type smell.
Note to self, next time - hold breath, turn dial, turn away ASAP and slam door and run.

[Etfren]

There is a high end auto detail shop up in Seattle (North West Auto Salon) that does the ozone generator treatment. I'm sure there has to be one in the Phoenix area as well.

Edit: Also if I remember right, when Jack was working at Car Toys he said they offered it as well.

[VXorado]

+1 on ozone. It is commonly used to remove cigarette odors from cars & hotel. Ozone is an excellent oxidizer.

We also use ozone in water treatment to oxide different contaminants and it does a great job removing taste & odor. --- irrelevant fact for the day.

[Triathlete]

Eat less beans before driving....


....my farts smell kinda "floral"

[VX KAT]

lovely Billy.

Thanks Dub, I just bought the 3500 model from your first link.

[Anita]

Eat less beans before driving....


....my farts smell kinda "floral"

you are bad, Billy

[Triathlete]

I was surprised no one had posted it earlier...slackers

[etlsport]

I've used "professional" foggers, usually just smell like bleach for a day or two after