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Removing Moth Ball Smell from a Car |
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I can't get the moth ball smell out of my car! I have pretty much tried everything to take out the smell. I left my car outside with the windows down, the sunroof open, and the doors open for about a week straight. (I had to borrow my dad's vehicle during this time.) That did not do a single thing. I then sprayed 2 bottles of Lysol (the 99% one), a whole container of Febreeze, broke a few bottles (on purpose) of perfume in the car, and still the smell was there. The other smells couldn't even be detected over the moth ball odor.
I then took several of the Sam's Club size boxes of baking soda and poured it on the floors, vacuumed it out, and repeated it 5 times. I also took a box of odor diminisher and did the same with that. I have leather seats in my car so I thoroughly cleaned the seats, the windows and the counsel. I have taken a whole box of fabric softeners sheets and spread them throughout the car. I have air fresheners that are plugged in to the cigarette lighters, and on every single one of the air vents.
I have also taken a rug shampooing vacuum, used a pet odor shampoo in it, and shampooed my car twice from the floors to the ceilings. I have gone to several detailing shops and all have said that they don't know what to do about it. One man suggested a bottle of heavy duty stain remover, and of course that didn't work either. I have also tried coffee, lemons, and vanilla. After all of these different techniques NOTHING has seemed to work! With all of the different smells I have put in my car the only thing that you can smell are moth balls. What do I do?
Samantha from Michigan
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RE: Removing Moth Ball Smell from a Car
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Post By (Guest Post)
(05/27/2008)
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Thanks for all of your comments. To explain how the smell got in the car: I bought the car brand new. For my freshman year at college, I was unable to have a car on campus so my dad stored it for the winter. He put two whole boxes of moth balls in the car. (even though the label recommends only using 1 moth ball per 50 cubic feet). I have, since posting this, used coffee grounds, charcoal, and some product that I found online called X-odor (or something along those lines). Yet again I left my car open for a week......no change.
I am taking a chemistry lab right now, and strangely enough, we had an experiment that was trying to dissipate the smell of mothballs. The experiment failed and only proved that water, alcohol, and some other chemical worsen the smell.
As someone suggested: I will try keeping the windows closed in the heat..... Here's hoping!
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RE: Removing Moth Ball Smell from a Car
Good ideas here..... However, I agree it may be the air system. I'm not a mechanic tho... I like the coffee trick and think closing the car up will really help there. I also use a citrus spray from a beauty supply store. I spray it into the air intake of the air conditioning system. So far, so good. Have not had to deal with moth balls tho.
good luck
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RE: Removing Moth Ball Smell from a Car
Sounds like a mothball or two is hiding in there somewhere? Maybe enlist friends to help you 'follow your noses' to find one. Have doors and windows open so you can locate it. Good luck.
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RE: Removing Moth Ball Smell from a Car
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Post By Mary (Guest Post)
(05/22/2008)
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Wow...could someone have dropped some mothballs in your air conditioning/heating vents, thinking it would be funny? (NOT funny, but people are weird sometimes... I seem to remember someone telling a story once of leaving a fish in a home heating vent as a prank, ick...) It sure does sound like some whole mothballs or maybe mothball flakes are lurking in some hidden area, and until they're found and removed, the smell going to stay there.
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RE: Removing Moth Ball Smell from a Car
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Post By Janet (Guest Post)
(05/22/2008)
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How did such a strong mothball smell get in your car in the first place? If you knew that, it would help you know where to go to eliminate it. Since you've tried virtually every known odor eliminator, there must be a place you haven't uncovered where the smell is coming from. Bottles of perfume, air fresheners, etc. only cover up odors. You need to eradicate the source. I'm just curious where the smell came from in the first place. Did you buy it used or something?
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RE: Removing Moth Ball Smell From Car
But a couple of cans of coffee (grounds); and put them in flat dishes (to increase surface area exposed) in the car. Close up the windows and leave it for several days. I know it will get rid of lots of odors; not sure about mothballs; but it is worth a try!
(I learned this trick from my mom; but its value was confirmed by a quartermaster who spent some time stationed at Guantanamo Bay in the 80s, and used the coffee trick to de-odorize a container that had lost refrigeration, allowing the whole load of meat to begin to rot. They steamcleaned the interior, then put the coffee in and closed it up for a few days. Worked like a charm.)
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RE: Removing Moth Ball Smell From Car
Luckily, I haven't had to learn from experience, but I was told if you coarsely crush charcoal briquettes and hang them in a cheesecloth bag or nylon etc., it will eventually(?) absorb the odor. Also, this might be asinine to ask, but in all your work did you go over the trunk and checked the vents as well? Maybe the continuing odor is being transferred from the vents, so try a couple of removable sachets of charcoal tucked in the vent(s). Good luck!
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