I took my girls to a soccer game last Friday. It was warm and overcast but I left my windows cracked about an inch. Sure enough one of those sideways blowing rains cooks up and the interior of my MPV van gets soaked. Since then, we've only had about two sunny days and now we are immersed in the constant drizzle remnant of Tropical Storm Bill and I haven't been able to really aggressively air/dry out my car. The stale smell is not as bad as I feared but it is still there. Are there any commercial solutions for this problem?
giddy, How soaked did it get? Underneath the carpet of the car, is a padding that is called "jute". Its similar to the padding that is put underneath carpet in houses. Once that jute gets wet, if its not dried out quickly (within a day), it will start to rot and mold and you will never get rid of the smell unless you replace the jute.
No commercial solutions. Take it to a car wash/detailer. That was the only way to get rid of it from my friends car after Alison.
codell is right. If the padding got wet, no amount of cleaning will take away the stale smell until you repace the pad. Good Luck!!
Thanks for the info-- wish there were better alternatives. My car got soaked. My windows were cracked an inch or so and papers stuffed above my visors were wet. The upper reaches of the dashboard were wet... I went to this game not knowing that they were enforcing remote parking and shuttlebuses. I had to carry two screaming girls 150 yards from the shuttlebus stop to my car through sheets of rain. I was as wet as if I had dived into the deep end of a swimming pool. Totally soaked 360 degrees. Suns out; time to go open up the car!
I hear Stitches Auto Shop and Upholstry does some good work, maybe you could call them and see if they have some suggestions.
