Spring Cleaning Time!

[Rodeo Joe]

Taking advantage of the decent weather we've finally been getting, I decided to awake the T-Bird from it's winter slumber.

I have it stored in my driveway under a ShelterLogic garage. I disconnected the battery tender, picked up all dryer sheets and Mint X trash bags I had placed under the hood. Then I go inside to start it. Apparently I had a visitor(s) over the course of the last month after I last checked it. Strong odor, more like urine. Looking for suggestions on proven cleaners and methods to get rid of the odor.

I'm probably going pull the seats and most of the interior out to do it, can't wait to see what I might find. I'm thinking of an ozone generator air purifier, but I might do that after I clean everything up. Open for suggestions, steam clean the rugs and seats, vent cleaners for the A/C.

Funny thing is, the trunk and under the hood are fine. No signs of any visitors, just the interior.

Joe

[007Cruiser]

That’s awful Joe. Did you figure out how it got in? Could the odor be coming from the AC vents? Baking soda is good for absorbing carpet odor along with Febreeze. You may want to take the carpet up to look for mold and mildew. Hope that it all turns out to be something simple.

[philsbird]

Call Serv-Pro!

[chromer]

I believe pet stores sell products to remove 'smells' in carpeting & upholstery.

[BacktotheFuturePete]

Use the ozone machine after you clean. They work well. I store a car in one of those shelters. I cut one foot pieces of pvc pipe and cap one end. Then I fill them with 1 half cup of mouse poison and put a brick or rock on them so dogs and cats can't get at them. I put 6-8 around the inside of the shelter but not near the car. Keep them filled and no mice. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sHOvdS1U9tM

[Rodeo Joe]

Phil,

Only if I have to!

Cheryl,

Looked around on Amazon yesterday and there seem to be quite a few, I'll look more into those.

Peter,

I thought of using some kind of bait trap but was afraid they might end up in the car and die. I like your idea, thanks!

Joe

[TBird1stLuv]

Ozone generators work well. I would give it a good scrubbing and then do the ozone treatment. So sorry to hear about this bad luck.

[BillyL]

Sam's Club sells a product called "odor Eliminator". Comes in a blue spray can. After the 2016 flooding, this was found to be the best product for getting the soured odors out of appliances such as refrigerators and freezers. I have used it successfully on outdoor cushions to remove cat spray odor. Still takes a lot of scrubbing and airing! Good luck with your cleaning. If not, I would go to a auto detailer or Serv-Pro for help.

[BacktotheFuturePete]

F.Y.I. once they have found their way in they will follow the urine track they leave behind and continue to find their way in. That is why traps or poison work best. The poison makes them thirsty and they go looking for water.
Mouse urine glows under a blacklight. It might help to track where they are entering. I love to hate mice. I get a load of repairs due to those little F.ers. But it is always a nasty job.

[Rodeo Joe]

More good info, thanks Billy and Pete!

Joe

[Rodeo Joe]

Sent you a PM Peter.

Joe

[007Cruiser]

Maybe something like this could help.

https://naturefreshpurifier.com/

[Rodeo Joe]

I finally got into it and started removing the interior over the weekend, this is worse than I thought!

The worst of it appeared to be in quarter panels under the rear speakers. Sound deadening and insulation are pretty much trashed. The only thing that I haven't pulled out is the dash and I'm not touching that. I'll work on trying to clean out the vents if I have to, hopefully nothing is under there.

Started to work out the carpet on the drivers and surer than shit a freakin' mouse (live!) pops out and makes a beeline over to the passenger side rear. Not sure where it went, I'm thinking in the hole here in the frame rail. (see picture)

Ordered a bunch of traps on Amazon this morning, can't do any real cleaning until they're gone. Getting bait traps outside the car and loading them up with poison and hopefully that will keep them away.

Not what I wanted to be doing with the car this year!

Joe

IMG_1279 (1024x768).jpg

[FatMan]

If the mouse eats the poison bate then goes in the frame a dies, the smell will last a very long time, and it's not a very pleasant order.

[Rodeo Joe]

That's the only thing I'm afraid of, I might just go with more conventional traps outside the car for now.

Joe