my dad is a jerk

[deathbynosleep]

My little sister went away for the week leaving her car behind. My dad is using it for the week. One day he took it to the gas station to fill up a small tank for the lawn mower. While returning home he took a turn(obviously too sharp...probably was speeding) the tank went sideways and a good portion spilled. He has since taken everything out of the trunk(down the bare metal) and cleaned and scrubbed everything. After two days it still has that gassy smell. Any suggestions on how to get rid of it? We're working on a deadline...my sister comes home on sunday. I've googled a few times and it came back with a lot of mixed ideas...baking soda...laundry detergent.

[Tommy]

I would think you would need to use some sort of engine degreaser type of cleaner. (if you already haven't) Soap and water won't work. :m2:

[deathbynosleep]

I would think you would need to use some sort of engine degreaser type of cleaner. (if you already haven't) Soap and water won't work. :m2:

I have no idea what he's been using...i'm pretty sure my mom used carpet cleaner...on the carpet.

[triz]

:m2: I would say just use some strong detergent and just scrub it...maybe on the driveway, and just give it a good hosing.

[MoJoe]

It sounds like it soaked into some fabric also. Maybe a quick shampoo of the inside, and lots of lemon juice :) Just a thought, it works for every smell you get on your hands. :laugh:

[02EnvoySLE Guy]

oof.... did any of the gas get into the passenger compartment, or is the physical spill contained to the trunk? (Meaning the smell is just permeating into the cabin from there)?

That will make a difference on what it's going to take to get that smell out.

[deathbynosleep]

yeah it was just in the trunk. We've been keeping all the windows and trunk opened...but that doesn't seem to help any at all.

[02EnvoySLE Guy]

In that case:

As for the trunk liners or any fabrics out of the trunk I agree with some of the others, but maybe take them to a coin-op carwash with a pressure washer and use that on 'em with full-strength simple green. Then rent a rug-doctor (or get some sort of extractor) and extract out as much as you can. The paint should just be gone over with carwash soap, and some degreaser like simple green to get any residue off. (Alternative if you have one is to use a high-pressure steamer).

To get the rest of the smell I'd use an odor bomb, if you can find one locally. Look in the phonebook for janitorial supply houses and see if they sell to the public; then look for something meant to work in fire/smoke damage restoration or something of that sort. Even the "industrial-strength" febreeze/odor-kill is a good option. Again, if available the other good choice would be an ozone generator. :m2:

The odor bombs I use regularly are these ones: http://sparkleauto.com/odorcontrol.html

[deathbynosleep]

thanks everyone for the replys. I'll try some stuff tomorrow.

[ENVOY2LOW43]

Try febreeze auto. :) You never know, it might just work. :m2:

[02EnvoySLE Guy]

Try febreeze auto. :) You never know, it might just work. :m2:

That's not going to be strong enough for a gasoline spill the size of what he's talking about :m2: unless you know where to buy it by the case!!

I've dealt with spills of this magnitude before; trust me on this one. I once had a customer call me, frantic because she had a BIG jar of pickles (from sam's club/costco) that leaked its entire fluid/brine contents onto her cloth back seats. Now THAT was a fun job :rolleyes:

[SATBLS]

Try febreeze auto. :) You never know, it might just work. :m2:

i think gasoline is too strong for febreeze. However, just last weekend my girlfriend dumped a glass of beer in the back of the TB when we were tailgaiting before a concert. I soaked it up as good as I could, but the truck smelled like an old brewery the next day. Just horrible. The Febreeze, to my suprise, actually got that nasty smell out. I don't know about the gas, but that stuff is pretty darn good for anything short of that.

[sallen]

i know someone who spilled some in their car, and they tried cleaning it for about a year nothing worked, even put in new carpet lol they finaly sold the car

shay

[Envoy Fan]

i know someone who spilled some in their car, and they tried cleaning it for about a year nothing worked, even put in new carpet lol they finaly sold the car

shay

New car for little sister? :undecided :rolleyes:

[02EnvoySLE Guy]

i think gasoline is too strong for febreeze. However, just last weekend my girlfriend dumped a glass of beer in the back of the TB when we were tailgaiting before a concert. I soaked it up as good as I could, but the truck smelled like an old brewery the next day. Just horrible. The Febreeze, to my suprise, actually got that nasty smell out. I don't know about the gas, but that stuff is pretty darn good for anything short of that.

Febreeze is good; but sometimes all it is good for is covering smells up, not eliminating them. Especially for some permeating odors, a deep-reaching chemical reactant is the only option. Febreeze is almost too weak to perform that task adequately. :m2:

[Beanz]

I would think you would need to use some sort of engine degreaser type of cleaner. (if you already haven't) Soap and water won't work. :m2:

I agree then I would let it air out until the last minute I had the same problem and it cleared out after several cycles and a good airing out.

[02EnvoySLE Guy]

I agree then I would let it air out until the last minute I had the same problem and it cleared out after several cycles and a good airing out.

Yeah, but that process can take 3-4x longer than what these guys have. For a job that you're trying to finish quick, its time to pull out the big guns! :raspberry:m2:

[ENVOY2LOW43]

New car for little sister? :undecided :rolleyes:

:yes: :yes: :yes:

[deathbynosleep]

New car for little sister? :undecided :rolleyes:

It already is a new car. It only has like 6000 miles on it. 04 jetta. I'm gonna try some of the suggestions today.

[thor]

try leave the trunk crack open the gas should evaporate, not sure if it works for gas smell, but when i changed out the oil tank in my house,some residue oil was left in tank[there's always some], and spilt out, someone told me to sprike some vingar, to neutralize the smell[house reeked of oil]work like a charm,NOT SURE IF YOU WANT TO TRY IT!!!!!!!!! your call

[deathbynosleep]

I took her carpet out and shampood(no matter how i spell this it doesn't look right) it. I put a box of baking soda in the trunk for a few days and then had a friend take it to his work and use an odor bomb. I'm guessing it worked because i haven't heard my sister complain recently.

[tb_ky]

Well I'm glad ya finally got the stink out...I was just about to suggest lighting a match and throwing it in the trunk to just burn it out :rotfl: