Rain + Window Open = HELP!

AmBo · Jul 18, 2005

I went camping this past weekend in PA. It uffin POURED on us one night and it just so happened to be the night I left my drivers side window open a 1/2 inch. Didn't matter though. That rain went RIGHT in! Now my car smells HORRIBLE! I mean you step in and you get knocked back by the odorous smell.

Have any of you guys had wet, smelly carpets? What can I do to get rid of this smell?!

Pittsas · Jul 18, 2005

Yeah that's a horrible smell isn't it...Been there

What I did was 1st take out your floor mat sprinkle some arm and hammer baking soda all over the wet spot get a hair dyer and dry the capet out real good and leave the baking soda in there for a day or two to soad up the odor. Or you could get some of that scented capet powder stuff instead of baking soda

DageonYar · Jul 18, 2005

Fabreeze?

Pittsas · Jul 18, 2005

I use to have a jeep and it got rained in all the time when the top was off. So i've done this several times but the Jeeps have drain plugs in the bottom so it's not as bad.

GT-03 · Jul 18, 2005

Pittsas said:
Or you could get some of that scented capet powder stuff instead of baking soda

Or get the carpet powder stuff that includes baking soda.

AmBo · Jul 18, 2005

Dageon: My friend sprayed Fabreeze on his wet car carpet and he said it was worse smelling then when it started. So I'm staying away from the Fabreeze path. LOL

GT-03: Ok, I'm assuming Pepboys will carry this carpet cleaner stuff? Just lay it on my floor carpeting for a couple days and vaccum up? I already took out the carpet (as it was SOAKED!) and it's currently thrown in my garage cuz I was pissed off at the smell and had to get my anger out on SOMETHING! lol

So basically baking powder on the rug for a couple days to absord the odor. Anything to get out the dampness on the floor carpet?

Pittsas · Jul 18, 2005

as for the floor capet get a hair dryer and go to town the long it stays wet the worse it's going to smell.

The scented carpet stuff can be bought at your local supermardet or wally world

AmBo · Jul 18, 2005

Ok, I'll get a hair dryer to my carpet asap. Then I'll throw baking soda all over my carpet. LOL! This smell is disturbing...

BooWFO · Jul 18, 2005

If it got totally soaked it also soaked the matting under the carpet. Try and shop vac it out. hair dryer will dry the top but may not get the matting. Also if you have a steam cleaner it might help. BUt basically you are in for a long smelly time. Once you have it dry baking soda/ carpet cleaners. are the best shot. If the matting got soaked the best way is to pull it and the carpet out and replace kinda costly though.

AmBo · Jul 18, 2005

Don't tell me that... *sigh*

Jinx · Jul 18, 2005

Try getting some of that painters scillica (sp?) that pulls all the moisture out of the air. I'd use that in conjunction with odor eliminator. If you think about it, the odor will come back unless you eliminate the source. good luck.

corgan · Jul 18, 2005

Yea, the shop vac is the best option. After that you need to just keep the windows down as much as possible to let it air out. Get an air freshener for the meantime.

Milenko · Jul 18, 2005

corgan said:
Yea, the shop vac is the best option. After that you need to just keep the windows down as much as possible to let it air out. Get an air freshener for the meantime.

I've done it more times than I can count.

Leaving the windows down as much as possible after you do it seems to be the only way.

You need to air it the hell out.

GT-03 · Jul 18, 2005

AmBo said:
GT-03: Ok, I'm assuming Pepboys will carry this carpet cleaner stuff?

I get it at the supermarket. Just read through the labels, and get the one which includes baking soda.

If that doesn't work, get the dry carpet cleaner stuff (I forget the name) sold at Sears and at Home Depot.

JohnyD05 · Jul 18, 2005

I used to work for hertz...

Shop vac it to death, or even better get a steam cleaner, u can rent them at some grocery stores, and walmarts, they are red and are called "rug doctors" they work great on the carpets, not only will it clean and get rid of that smell, it will suck alot of the moisture out. make sure u get all the padding dry too otherwise it is going to get your carpet wet again, and if u have a wet pad under the carpet it will never dry, i would pull that out too and put it in the sun on a hot day. I think the smell is either a bacteria or a mold growing in the carpets, the steam cleaner will kill all of that. If u can't get steam cleaner, use the shop vac. once all that is done baking soda or the rug powder stuff is a good idea, just don't put the carpet back in the sun at all wet, leave it in the garage with a fan running under and above it.

DropTopPony · Jul 18, 2005

sounds like a breeding ground for black mold....better trade it for a cobra!!!lol

this happened to me except my sister left my vert top down for 20 mins while it was raining. I went to a car wash with the steamer/shampoo machine and hit the carpets a few times....then used about 10 bucks on the high power vacuum to suck up anymore that could be their. Then i used carpet fresh with baking soda and left it in for a few hours, vacumed and repeated for several days. It worked pretty well but was alot of work. When i had the new carpet installed recently my under pads were in decent shape and not wet so i must have got them dry. Also a good trick for absorbing air moisture is rock salt. If you have any left over from winter put it in a tupper ware container and leave it sit when its shut up for the evening....this is a poor mans dehumidifier.

AmBo · Jul 18, 2005

Gah! Freakin bacteria smells horrible. I was going to go out for lunch today, left the office, opened the door and fell back. LMAO! I ate at the cafe. ;-)

I'm going to try to rent one of those vacs you guys speak of. For the time being, I'm going to hit it with a hair dryer and try to take the carpet out.

Is it hard to take the carpet out? Don't I have to remove the seats and lots of extra parts to do this??

tomustang · Jul 18, 2005

droptopponynj said:
better trade it for a cobra!!!lol

Best advice in the thread, AmBo Where in Pa did you camp?

AmBo · Jul 18, 2005

I would love an 03 cobra, but don't have the cash to drop on it. $25k is too much when my car is only worth about 10.

I spent the weekend at Hickory Run State Park (off Exit 274 on Rt. 80)

Rain + Window Open = HELP!

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