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removing rodent stink from insulation

gadget73

gadget73

junk junkie
Subscriber
Hoping to tap into the collective experience here on AK for a non-audio issue I have.

I parked one of my cars in the garage for several years and critters got inside. Dead squirrel in the glovebox which i took care of, but there was a lingering stink I couldn't find. Finally I pulled the headliner and found a mouse house with a dead resident up there. The body and house have been vacuumed and the headliner is out of the car but I'm left with a big stinky panel. The headliner cloth is in surprisingly good shape so I'd like to save that if possible. The backer board is a fiberglass insulation panel with some molded shape so I can't easily replace it. Plan is to vacuum all the loose stuff up, but from there I'm not quite sure how to proceed with de-stinking it. I can't just soak it with any sort of liquid because thats likely to destroy it completely.

Anyone have suggestions on what sort of cleaning remedy might get rid of the smell? I really don't want my car eternally smelling like dead mouse and mouse bathroom. I was thinking maybe one of those enzyme cleaners marketed for pet urine cleanup but I have no experience with them.
 
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I had an old radio that rodents got into and urinated inside. I used bleach water, but that might be too harsh here.

For my pets I've used this: Nature's Miracle Cat Urine Remover Spray - 24 fl oz

Works pretty good. I'd get the kind for cats, since they have stronger urine. Spray it on, and maybe leave it in sunlight. Tends to stink more when hot and better to know the smell is gone before you re-install it. Eventually that smell should go away after a number of applications.

Another thought... sprinkle baking soda on it and leave it for a day or two.
 
Some times a tough call to eradicate that "stink".

Seems at times to penetrate the metal surface and linger, so you might have to do more of a tear down to get at the affected area.

Maybe a complete spraying of vinegar of the fabric front area might help, and I don't think it will show this application as a stain.

A visit to an auto body shop might be in order, as I've heard of cars wherein someone has died, and had to be worked on in this foul odor-related situation.

Q
 
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The headliner panel is out of the car, so I have full access to the back side to clean it. Hopefully that will make it easier to deal with rather than having to work overhead and hope it gets through the layers.


I'll try the cat pee cleaner stuff and see if that gets it done. Need some sun for that part of the process, its cloudy and probably will remain so all week. Absolute worst case I'll see if I can come up with a replacement panel but 40 year old interior parts in the junkyard just aren't the easiest score these days. Re-covering it isn't that big of a deal if the backer board is present.
 
Was taking garbage to the dump and one of the bags leaked. It got onto the carpet plus it leaked down into the area where the spare tire is.

I scrubbed and scrubbed the spare tire area multiple times, took the carpet out and scrubbed that too, plus I took it to a car wash and used the high pressure sprayer on it.

Couldn't remove all of the smell. I sprayed a scented liquid on it to mask the smell which helped. After a few weeks it was either gone or I got accustomed to it.

I haul garbage in a large tray now.

Good luck with your project.
 
On an unrelated note, ran over a dead baby skink while mowing today. Never saw it until after the mower trisected it. Smelled it though.
 
Subtraction said:
If it runs I would just drive the hell out of it
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I can't live with this level of stink, and thats from someone who has worked in a building with literal tons of spices for nearly 20 years now. My nose is extremely fried, and even I think this smells too bad to put up with. I'd sooner drive it with no headliner
 
Its roughly a 4x4' flat panel, I could probably make a giant bag by taping together a couple to fumigate it.

I've tried running an ozone generator in the car but that didn't do it. Maybe with it out, giving it a clean with the enzyme stuff, after having removed the body and the droppings that will have more effect. I've got the enzyme cleaner in the mail, hopefully that will get me somewhere. If not I can try ozone on just the headliner in a bag, or see if the clorobomb will do it.

DesertRatt said:
Well dang! THAT is worth saving, man!
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It doesn't think so. I've been fighting with this car for 22 years, literally every single time I fix something, it develops an unrelated fault. This car spent the first 18 of its life being used as a farm truck that towed a horse trailer and its still pissed off about it. I'm convinced machines have a soul of sorts, and some of them are just miserable jerks. Maybe if I remove the trailer hitch it will quit it's ****.
 
Ozone Generator... put it in the car with the windows up and let it run for an hour... repeat as necessary until the stench is gone. I used mine on my wifes car, took about four one hour sessions to get rid of all the cigarette stench. I also had to do a couple runs in the trunk too. People that clean up homes after fires or hoarder cat ladies use these:

 
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krautmaster said:
Ozone Generator... put it in the car with the windows up and let it run for an hour... repeat as necessary until the stench is gone. I used mine on my wifes car, took about four one hour sessions to get rid of all the cigarette stench. I also had to do a couple runs in the trunk too. People that clean up homes after fires or hoarder cat ladies use these:

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"Not available in California"

It must be good. :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
 
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