I was visiting my parents in Deer Park on Sunday when the flash flooding occurred. My car was parked on the street and I got about an inch of water on the driver's side floorboards. Not pretty. The car still runs and I cleaned up as best as I could, but the water soaked through the carpeting and I can already smell the mildew growing. Anyone had to deal with this before? What can I do to get rid of the mildew and the STENCH that it puts out? My only thought was that maybe I could find some heavy-duty dessicates somewhere (Home Depot?) and leave a bunch of them on my floorboards. My liability insurance does NOT cover this, and I can't afford to get a new car at the moment. Any advice would be appreciated!
Get a fan and dry it out. I know that is easier said then done in Houston, but what other choice do you have. You could try pulling the carpet up some so that the fan can dry the botton part and padding. Then when it is dry, put the carpet back down. Maybe steam cleaning the carpet and then letting it dry.
i would take it to a car wash and put some cleaner in the carpet then suck it out with those giant vacuums right away.
Are you sure you're not covered? My car flooded during the Great Flood of the 1970's, whenever the hell it was, (when I hitchhiked home to our pad in the W. Alabama/S. Shepard area, from someplace close to the Pierce elevated and the Gulf Freeway, traveling by various canoes and john boats most of the way) and I was covered. Didn't like paying the deductable, but I was covered. Good luck getting the stench out. Yuck!
You are going to have to replace the jute (the padding underneath the carpet). Jute rots very easily and its impossible to clean. If its just the driver's side floorboard, pull back the carpet and cut out the offending part of the jute. You really want to use auto jute (you can get it from any dealer parts dept. or Autozone) or use standard carpet padding from home depot. Make sure and spray the metal with a bleach/water solution.
My car flooded back during Tropical Storm Allison... i had it repaired/cleaned by the dealership (under warranty, covered by insurance) they did a bang up job, but now, everytime right before it rains, my car gets this musty, wet smell...it's my reminder of that unfortunate event. The smell's not real bad, just sorta subtle, but your car may forever have a tinge of that smell... Just sharing my flooded car story.
1970s? i would think times have changed a bit. besides, he only has liability. doesn't that only cover damage done to other cars by the owner?
Same thing happened to me at my parents house in Pasadena. I got about 7 inches in the car. I literally had to submerge my feet to drive it out of the flood at 4 in the morning. Ugh.
Where were you at in Pasadena? I live near the mall and the water didn't get high enough to get into my car, although I was parked on small incline.
Well, hey, we already knew that. Okay, well it sounds like my best option is going to be tearing up the carpet, removing the padding and bleaching it down. Great, that's how I wanted to spend my weekend! At least the car was a huge piecer to begin with, I guess. That spoiled milk smell is gonna kill me though if I don't do something. At least DarkHorse will be there to suffer with me!
Exactly. And even when you replace the padding, it might still not ever be smell-free again. I had this happen back in 98. Not fun. But the padding HAS to be replaced regardless.
Or you could take up smoking cigarrettes in the car and make it smell like an ashtray, plus all the time dulling your own sense of smell.
