How to deodorize your ride?

[Crossy]

Regular members may remember my thread from April, this one;-

 

Here we are 4 months on and there's still a lingering niff. I took the moth-balls out pretty rapidly, they were affecting my mind (by causing temporary sanity).

 

So, whilst there's not actually a horrible smell there's still a background pong.

 

Any ideas what to use that can finally finish off the job, the pong could have found its way into the cloth seats ?

 

 

[transam]

I don't know if they still do but Tesco had STP upholstery cleaner, it is the best, easy to use with great results...Do not use recirculating air with your A/C.....

[Kwasaki]

Just pick up a load of young ladies with perfume on.

 

Seriously the dead mice smell in our previous truck's air-con we kept spraying the new filter with scene.

[transam]

Oh, did you renew the A/C filter...?

[Crossy]

3 minutes ago, transam said:

Oh, did you renew the A/C filter...?

Good point, I'm not even sure the Ranger has an A/C filter.

 

[transam]

8 minutes ago, Crossy said:

Good point, I'm not even sure the Ranger has an A/C filter.

 

Have look in your handbook, that thing will definitely hold the stink chum...But keep recirculating air off and crack one window opening a little when you go out....

Edited August 19, 2018 by transam

[thaiguzzi]

17 minutes ago, Crossy said:

Good point, I'm not even sure the Ranger has an A/C filter.

 

Every pick up truck has an A/C filter - normally very accessable. Our Vigo one is out behind the glove box - 10 seconds.

[transam]

1 minute ago, thaiguzzi said:

Every pick up truck has an A/C filter - normally very accessable. Our Vigo one is out behind the glove box - 10 seconds.

I think the Mitsu didn't, but may have now...?

[Crossy]

Well, I can't see a filter and I didn't see one when I had the blower motor out to clean out the evidence bodies debris.

 

The manual doesn't show one in the pictures (it's in Thai or course).

[transam]

3 minutes ago, Crossy said:

Well, I can't see a filter and I didn't see one when I had the blower motor out to clean out the evidence bodies debris.

 

The manual doesn't show one in the pictures (it's in Thai or course).

What year is the pickup...?

[transam]

 

[Crossy]

@transam Yup I found that video, whilst the blower assembly looks similar to mine there's no pull out filter there.

 

Truck is 2005-2006.

 

[transam]

2 minutes ago, Crossy said:

@transam Yup I found that video, whilst the blower assembly looks similar to mine there's no pull out filter there.

 

Truck is 2005-2006.

 

2005 doesn't have one...?

[jvs]

We had a rats nest in our 2009 Ranger,in the blower motor.I took it all apart and cleaned it out the best i could.Next day a slight smell,not so bad.

The day after a horrible smell,very bad.

Took it apart again and there was a complete nest along with smashed

dead smelly rat babies.

Cleaned it again and it smelled bad for a month,maggots were blown from the aircon.

Took it to the shop this time and they told me the Rangers seem to attract a lot of rats for some reason.(we had to fix wires from the signal lights four times already)

TheTiger we had kept the rats out od the blower if we put the aircon on recirculating.In the ford they can still get in.A plate was put over the entrance of the fresh air and now no more rats.

There is some kind of chemical for cleaning but we did not use it.

The problem seems to be fixed now.

[jvs]

4 minutes ago, transam said:

2005 doesn't have one...?

2009 does not have one either!!

[sammieuk1]

Have you driven over the odd motorcyclist and didn't realize its very common here?

Edited August 19, 2018 by sammieuk1

[Crossy]

Just now, sammieuk1 said:

Have you driven over the odd motorcyclist and didn't realize it very common here?

I hit an old biddy ghost-riding on a bicycle (there's a thread on here), does that count?

[worgeordie]

I had a terrible smell of burning meat coming from my toaster

the other morning,took it apart and found 2 well done Gecko's,

maybe you have some in your A/c, 

regards Worgeordie

[mogandave]

With the recirculating vent open, you might try fixing a blower in one window and force air through it over a weekend.

Smell gets in everything...

[canthai55]

Vinegar.

First years of car ownership I was single, so car sat while I was on contract. Even under cover, during the rainy season, humidity would build up inside.

Return to LOS and had a complete interior shampoo. Still that lingering odor.

Got an old spray bottle, rinsed, filled with vinegar - not diluted. Sprayed every surface, all seats, headliner, carpets until damp.

Repeat if/when required.

Will not damage fabric, discolor, is environmentally friendly, and best of all - cheap

[sirineou]

3 minutes ago, canthai55 said:

Vinegar.

First years of car ownership I was single, so car sat while I was on contract. Even under cover, during the rainy season, humidity would build up inside.

Return to LOS and had a complete interior shampoo. Still that lingering odor.

Got an old spray bottle, rinsed, filled with vinegar - not diluted. Sprayed every surface, all seats, headliner, carpets until damp.

Repeat if/when required.

Will not damage fabric, discolor, is environmentally friendly, and best of all - cheap

Yes but were you constantly hungry for a nice oil and  vinegar dressing salad?

Seriously doesn't vinegar have a strong smell it's self? 

[canthai55]

1 hour ago, sirineou said:

Seriously doesn't vinegar have a strong smell it's self? 

Odor is caused by bacteria. Vinegar kills them.

And evaporates. Faint smell for a day or two. Then nothing.

[JAS21]

Put some bowls containing white vinegar in the vehicle for three days ... then to get rid of the vinegar smell some coffee beans for another three days.

 

That should do the trick... well it worked to remove the residule smell after BMW cleaned up following Mrs J's fishwater spillage ...

 

Then buy an AMWAY car air purifier ...they only cost 13K thb ... so you won't miss that ...even myself on just a small uk pension has one ..

 

That purifier even eats those 2.5 thingees you get whilst sitting in BK traffic ...

Edited August 19, 2018 by JAS21

[Crossy]

I like the vinegar idea, I'll try bowls first.

 

I'm not so sure about the 13 grand air-purifier, I just dropped 22k having the front suspension sorted (the "clonk" was rather more pervasive than anticipated), no that wasn't at the dealer either ?

 

[pest]

pine sol from usa Villa mart sold it before not seen it lately but that will kill any odor quickly but use a little at first 

[dotpoom]

19 hours ago, Crossy said:

cloth seats ?

 

 

[henry15]

I took my  MU 7to  a dealergarage and they cleaned the airco by a special procedure  Costed me 4000 Baht. Never had a foul smell anymore 

[transam]

If me I would do a bit of experimenting before I went down the paying folk route in his position..

 

Buy upholstery cleaner and scrub the seats, headlining and door panels first (STP). When they have dried out thoroughly, put the A/C blower on full speed with the cooling turned off. Find out where  the blower is pulling in air, with a high end air freshener spray where the air is being pulled in so the freshener is pulled through the system which may kill of bacteria..

 

PS. I reckon an A/C shop may sell a spray to do the smell job in the system..

[canthai55]

3 hours ago, Crossy said:

I like the vinegar idea, I'll try bowls first.

pour or spray some in the evaporator compartment too. Will kill any odors there caused by condensation

[Mattd]

As well as the vinegar, you could also try to sprinkle baking soda over the cloth seats and carpets, leave it for one hour or so, then thoroughly vacuum it all up, this should remove any smells that may be in the fabrics.