Musty smell

Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum

Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

LouT

Can't wait to go AG...
Joined
Jan 24, 2007
Messages
849
Reaction score
3
Location
Reading, MA
My truck had a small leak at the rear window, that I didn't know about. Now with all the rain we've had over the past few weeks there's a really musty smell in the truck. It's a 4 door Avalanche, and pretty new, but way past warranty. Anyway, I found a spot on the carpet in the rear of the truck, near the window leak, that is still damp and the padding underneath is damp. This is definitely indicating the reason for the smell.

Now, how can I kill this stuff with anything other than bleach? The carpet is black, so I can't use anything that discolors it or it will show badly. What can kill mildew and not stain or bleach carpet?

Any ideas about how to get rid of the smell -- airing out and heating the interior to very very hot with the sun and heater running haven't worked.
 
Isnt bicarb soda and water meant to be good for getting stuff out of carpet?

I dunno... might be worth a shot...
 
Got any cats in the neighborhood? Just leave a window down all night and one will come and freshen it up for ya. Nothing like the smell of cat pee when your truck has been closed up in the sun all day.
 
Chrus said:
Isnt bicarb soda and water meant to be good for getting stuff out of carpet?

I dunno... might be worth a shot...

I was thinking about baking soda, but worried that it'll be a son of a gun to clean the baking soda out of the carpet. Other ideas? Also, if the baking soda doesn't kill the stuff, the smell will return, which is a bigger concern...
 
Ok....all kidding aside. Go to a hardware store or pet store and get some carpet cleaner for pet stains. I know....I know. It isn't a pet stain. However, they use enzymes of some sort and it cleans up all kinds of organic stuff. Mold being organic, I imagine it would work.

and if it doesn't, you're not out much....................
 
No, I have the repair in the works. The rear glass is removable, and a piece of the trim had been broken. Black RTV silicone and it'll be fine. Problem was the severe volume of wind driven rain we had over the last couple of weeks. Raining right now (but not windy, so not getting additional water intrusion), so the RTV repair will have to wait.

I just want to avoid having to pull out the seats, their bases, the console, carpet, and padding... DIY job, but a bigger one than I want to mess with if I have alternatives.
 
Well, it's done. took everything out of the vehicle, scrapped out the carpet. Found there was a LOT of water in the padding under the carpet, rear of vehicle only. Cut out all the padding, cleaned, used mildew killer, cleaned everything with Fabreze. Used and upholstery cleaning machine on all the seats while they were out of the vehicle. Added soundproof matt and new padding, and new carpet (higher grade than stock), and put it all back together. No more musty smell, but it smells too much like Fabreze now!!
At least the leaking is done with, and for <$500 I got my ride pimped out without getting into payments.

I'm glad I didn't end up getting the FJ Cruiser I had considered. Maybe I'll reconsider if/when they come out with a good-fuel-mileage-diesel version...
 
Back
Top