Spilled milk in truck.....it stinks!!! Help!

[P3 Photography]

My hubby's truck started to smell yesterday and we finally found the spot of what must be milk that leaked out of a sippy cup. We tryed oxy clean and our carpet steamer and it still smells this morning. He is convinced that we have to cut the carpet out!! YIKES!! (The truck is less than a year old) Does anyone know a way to get the smell out?

 

[Scatterbrained]

Certain fats when they decompose can leave irremovable odors. Hopefully for you this isn't the case. I would try and ionizer (we use them to get the cigarette smell out of smokers cars). Also remember that under the carpet is usually an inch or more (sometimes up to six inches in places) of foam, you can't just "cut it out" like household carpet. If you can't get the smell out you can order a replacement section of carpet from the dealer. Cutting the carpet shouldn't be an option because the foam backing is usually bonded to the carpet. The carpet is usually made in three sections, left front, right front and rear. Changing it shouldn't be too hard.
On a side note you can remove the carpet, clean it and let it hang in the sun for a day or two.

 

[Big Mike]

Rather than cut it out, you can dismantle the interior 'furniture' and take the carpet out. The seats, console etc. should be just held in place with bolts or screws. The plastic trim shouldn't be to hard to remove, just be careful with it. You may want to get a repair manual that can show you the steps.

Once you get the carpet out, you can inspect, clean and air out the carpet and underlay, replace if needed.

 

[icassell]

Sorry I can't help, but I can sympathize. Several years ago, a half-gallon of milk burst in the back bed of my Suburban and soaked the carpet. It was over a year before you couldn't smell it anymore.

 

[P3 Photography]

Thanks all. Still working on it. I'm REALLY hoping we don't have to replace the carpet!

 

[clarinetJWD]

Just don't cry.

 

[TheSolicitor]

Try a product called Ozium and see if that works. If that doesn't work, see if you can find a steamer of some sort (one of the Toby stand-up clothing steamers would be just fine) and steam the mother out of it. That may begin to get some of that organic material to start moving again, and be ready to soak it up.

You may want to call a professional carpet cleaning service and see what they suggest before you do anything rash (unbolt the seats and start pulling carpet up). Another option may be to call a mortuary and see what they'd suggest--if anyone can get an odor out, it's people who mess with dead bodies. Morbid, but it works.

 

[AnneRiceBowl]

I can sympathize. Have you thought about using distilled white vinegar? When I had two stinky cats, I cleaned the litter box and where they had accidents with vinegar. I also use it in the washing machine with towels, cleaning cloths, and my work clothes (the camera rooms at work can be like working in a sauna). You can also try adding baking soda to vinegar added directly to the milk funk. The vinegar smell will dissipate quickly, especially in the warm weather.

ETA: Forgot to add: I also use distilled white vinegar to clean buckets and equipment for my many fish aquariums. I also use it to get hard water build-up off drinking glasses, in the bathrooms, and kitchen, and for freshening the dishwasher.

 

[AnneRiceBowl]

Just don't cry.

 

[Derrel]

Try steaming it again. Use a small amount of lemon juice in the steamer water. Lemon juice is a pretty good smell-cutting agent.

 

[mwcfarms]

I can sympathize. Have you thought about using distilled white vinegar? When I had two stinky cats, I cleaned the litter box and where they had accidents with vinegar. I also use it in the washing machine with towels, cleaning cloths, and my work clothes (the camera rooms at work can be like working in a sauna). You can also try adding baking soda to vinegar added directly to the milk funk. The vinegar smell will dissipate quickly, especially in the warm weather.

ETA: Forgot to add: I also use distilled white vinegar to clean buckets and equipment for my many fish aquariums. I also use it to get hard water build-up off drinking glasses, in the bathrooms, and kitchen, and for freshening the dishwasher.

Vinegar, baking soda and lemon juice are all natural antibacterial deodorizing cleaners. I use them for most of my household cleaning and for yes cat accidents. Make a baking soda paste scrub it really well and then add vinegar and scrub again. You can rinse it or steam it after to pick up the residue left behind. Try it a couple times and I bet that will help.

 

[Big Mike]

Another trick I've tried, way back when I used to manage the car wash detail centre, is to take the 'smell killing agent' and inject it under the carpet/underlay with a syringe.

 

[pbelarge]

I can sympathize. Have you thought about using distilled white vinegar? When I had two stinky cats, I cleaned the litter box and where they had accidents with vinegar. I also use it in the washing machine with towels, cleaning cloths, and my work clothes (the camera rooms at work can be like working in a sauna). You can also try adding baking soda to vinegar added directly to the milk funk. The vinegar smell will dissipate quickly, especially in the warm weather.

ETA: Forgot to add: I also use distilled white vinegar to clean buckets and equipment for my many fish aquariums. I also use it to get hard water build-up off drinking glasses, in the bathrooms, and kitchen, and for freshening the dishwasher.

The vinegar smell will dissipate quickly, especially in the warm weather.

[/quote]

Vinegar, baking soda and lemon juice are all natural antibacterial deodorizing cleaners. I use them for most of my household cleaning and for yes cat accidents. [/QUOTE]


I guess you can see where I am headed.
If this does not work, do not cut the carpet, sell the truck.:mrgreen:

 

[AnneRiceBowl]

So, how is the funk battle?

 

[AnaBo]

this morning I saw on tv that you can dilute mouthwash and water and pour that over pet urine on carpets to freshen the smell...
you could try.. don't know if its already bad this might be a fatal combo. how about keeping the windows down a little? to let the fresh air flow and have the milk dry all the way through all the layers.