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  1. #1

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    Hi all - we left a gallon of milk in the trunk which unfortunately leaked on the trunk carpet. The milk was in a hot car for about 3-4 days and the smell is horrible. Any suggestions besides using basic carpet cleaner/shampoo?

  2. #2

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    Apply a layer of baking soda to absorb odors and get spoiled milk smells out of a car. Allow the area where the milk has spilled to dry completely. Sprinkle baking soda over the area, then sprinkle a layer of cold water on top of the baking soda and let the mixture sit overnight. Once the baking soda has been left overnight, vacuum it out of the carpet.

  3. #3

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    Quote Originally Posted by WaxManRonnie
    Apply a layer of baking soda to absorb odors and get spoiled milk smells out of a car. Allow the area where the milk has spilled to dry completely. Sprinkle baking soda over the area, then sprinkle a layer of cold water on top of the baking soda and let the mixture sit overnight. Once the baking soda has been left overnight, vacuum it out of the carpet.


    Thanks - I will give that a try.

  4. #4

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    Same thing happened to a friend of mine....only thing that worked was replacing everything that had gotten wet.

  5. #5

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    A pal of mine had this happen in his new Audi, but it was a pint or so of mild/protein drink mix, not a gallon.



    IME the only way to solve the, uhm....issue...100% is to use a "Protein Stain Remover" to kill off the nasty stuff that makes it smell.



    I had my pal buy a cheapie Bissell and I lent him my jar of Protein Stain Remover. Told him to overkill it, my instructions were pretty simple, along the lines of: "don`t be stingy with the PSR, and let is soak. Treat it more than once. Rinse it thoroughly and make sure everything really does dry so you don`t end up with a mold/mildew problem."



    He did what I suggested and it worked out fine. No residual odor or other issues. But again, it wasn`t a gallon...that`s a lot.



    I trust the "double bag all such products every time, use plastic trunk liners, etc. etc."- type advice is no longer needed, right?

  6. #6
    The Old Grey Whistle Test togwt's Avatar
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    Food Spills



    1. Remove everything from the trunk (including spare and tools)

    2. Thoroughly wash(P21S Total Auto Wash) and rinse (remove rubber drain plugs on trunk floor pan and allow any water to drain, replace rubber drain plug)

    3. Mix 1/4 cup HT-67 to a gallon diluted P21S® Total Auto Wash. Spray on the stained area and let set for a few minutes. Scrub with a carpet or upholstery brush or use a carpet extractor; and then apply a disinfectant to the area

    4.Allow to dry thoroughly before re-installing

    5. Wash spare wheel as (2)

    6. Allow trunk to ‘air out’ thoroughly



    Protein Stain Remover HT-67 will remove blood, urine pet, and food stains, but what makes it unique is its formulation. The stain remover is a highly concentrated, biodegradable powder that is designed to be mixed with an all-purpose cleaner–
    TOTL
    What gets overlooked too often is that one must be a student before becoming a teacher.

  7. #7

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    The "odor" is not the "milk", but the proteins and fats in the milk are feeding several species of bacteria.

    The "bacteria" is what you are smelling.

    Use a simple "protein alterer", getting the affected and surrounding areas damp with it and the bacteria stop feeding and die.

    When they die, the odor goes away.
    "Logic dictates I have been at this detailing thing way too many years!":wink1:

  8. #8

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    Note that anybody with Pets (and probably kids also) oughta have the Protein Alterer/Stain Remover stuff on hand anyhow.

  9. #9
    The Old Grey Whistle Test togwt's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ron Ketcham
    The "odor" is not the "milk", but the proteins and fats in the milk are feeding several species of bacteria.

    The "bacteria" is what you are smelling.

    Use a simple "protein alterer", getting the affected and surrounding areas damp with it and the bacteria stop feeding and die.

    When they die, the odor goes away.


    Agreed



    Milk comprises 70-80% protein, when milk or any of its derivatives is left standing unrefrigerated for a while, it turns "sour". This is the result of fermentation, the lactic acid bacterium ferments the lactose in the milk and turns it into lactic acid, the bacteria is the cause of the unpleasant odour.



    To remove the odour you need to kill the bacrerium
    What gets overlooked too often is that one must be a student before becoming a teacher.

  10. #10
    Forza Auto Salon David Fermani's Avatar
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    And to kill the bacteria, you need an enzyme:



    �



    For $9 you can`t go wrong.
    Metro Detroit`s leader in cleaning, preserving & perfecting fine automobiles!

  11. #11

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    Protien alter products don`t actually "kill" them, they "starve" them to death and have a longer shelf life and easier to use.

    One of these types, if enough percentage of it in the water carrier, is non-toxic, you can actually drink it, like I used to demo at trade shows with the ValuGard Odor Terminator.

    Really upset the "ozone machine" booths at those shows. Would do a quick demo and they would walk back to the ozone booth and cancel their order.

    "Logic dictates I have been at this detailing thing way too many years!":wink1:

  12. #12

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    1% NaOCl will also kill the bacteria.



    Of course avoid carpet, vinyl, etc.

 

 

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