# Deodorizing a car
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deodorizing-a-car/256090
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [July 20, 2004, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deodorizing-a-car/256090 "2004-07-20T23:47:27Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@vetbridge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vetbridge)
#### Post date: [July 20, 2004, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deodorizing-a-car/256090/1 "2004-07-20T23:47:27Z")
Well, to make a long story short…as a favor to a friend I had her dead 175 pound great dane in my Jeep Wrangler soft top for 24 hours. They were 24 hot, sunny hours. And the dog died 24 hours before I arrived and had been sitting in the sun on her patio.
I have cleaned up the small amount of fluid that leaked, and there was no carpet in the back of the vehicle where the dog was.
How can I get rid of the odor? IT REEKS!! So far, Lysol(R) and Ozium(R) have put nary a dent in the eau de dead dog.
Oh, and PS…that old thing about good friends help you move bodies…🙂
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### Author:  [@chaoticbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chaoticbear)
#### Post date: [July 21, 2004, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deodorizing-a-car/256090/2 "2004-07-21T00:07:32Z")
Well, MythBusters did something on this. Basically, this company who deals in cleaning up dead things/bodily fluids has a proprietary liquid that uses enzymes to break down the stuff. Perhaps you could google around for something like that.
\*MythBusters, was, IIRC, pig. Oh well. Pig~=dog
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### Author:  [@cromulent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cromulent)
#### Post date: [July 21, 2004, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deodorizing-a-car/256090/3 "2004-07-21T00:14:01Z")
You might try some of the products that pet owners use to get out cat and dog pee/poo odors. Many of them work pretty well. And yes, I am speaking from experience here.
One product that many people say works for them is Nature’s Miracle, although I’ve found that it’s not as strong as Arm and Hammer Fresh n’ Clean Oxy Strength. I’ve bought both of these at Petland, although I bet nearly any pet supply store will have them.
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### Author:  [@vetbridge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vetbridge)
#### Post date: [July 21, 2004, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deodorizing-a-car/256090/4 "2004-07-21T00:48:55Z")
> [@cromulent](#):
>
> You might try some of the products that pet owners use to get out cat and dog pee/poo odors. Many of them work pretty well…
Hehehe…I am a veterinarian. The products you are describing were the first thing I reached for (free is good). They didn’t do squat, but then again they are not marketed with any claims for this application;).
**chaoticdonkey** , I will look for that info. I have nothing better to do; certainly not going for a drive;)
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### Author:  [@Manduck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Manduck)
#### Post date: [July 21, 2004, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deodorizing-a-car/256090/5 "2004-07-21T01:46:11Z")
Might as well give Febreze a shot.
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### Author:  [@Baron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron)
#### Post date: [July 21, 2004, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deodorizing-a-car/256090/6 "2004-07-21T01:49:00Z")
If all else fails, you can always paint over the uncarpeted areas.
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### Author:  [@cromulent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cromulent)
#### Post date: [July 21, 2004, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deodorizing-a-car/256090/7 "2004-07-21T02:54:27Z")
> [@vetbridge](#):
>
> Hehehe…I am a veterinarian. The products you are describing were the first thing I reached for (free is good). They didn’t do squat, but then again they are not marketed with any claims for this application;).
Eeek! Well, I tried! :o So much for that suggestion.
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### Author:  [@Rikster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rikster)
#### Post date: [July 21, 2004, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deodorizing-a-car/256090/8 "2004-07-21T03:06:23Z")
do a search for crime scene cleanup [http://www.crimescenecleanup.com](http://www.crimescenecleanup.com) there are others as well.
maybe you could email them and get a free recommendation.
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### Author:  [@vetbridge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vetbridge)
#### Post date: [July 21, 2004, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deodorizing-a-car/256090/9 "2004-07-21T04:02:17Z")
> [@Rikster](#):
>
> do a search for crime scene cleanup [http://www.crimescenecleanup.com](http://www.crimescenecleanup.com) there are others as well.
> maybe you could email them and get a free recommendation.
Thanks **Rickster** great site. Can’t find an email, but I’ll keep looking. Sounds like a job I would not want:
> [@](#):
>
> Among the biologically enriched environments cleaned, I include crime scenes, suicide scenes, traumatic injury scenes, accident scenes, and unaccompanied death scenes (decomposition).
Hmmm…my 13 y.o. daughter and 10 y.o. son have been on vacation in Florida with their mom. Wonder how they will handle it when I pick them up tomorrow?
Me: “What smell?”
😉
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### Author:  [@vetbridge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vetbridge)
#### Post date: [July 21, 2004, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deodorizing-a-car/256090/10 "2004-07-21T04:04:51Z")
> [@Manduck](#):
>
> Might as well give Febreze a shot.
Hmmm…if it works they might wanna do an ad featuring my “situation”. Naaah.
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### Author:  [@David\_Simmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_Simmons)
#### Post date: [July 21, 2004, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deodorizing-a-car/256090/11 "2004-07-21T04:32:16Z")
It probably isn’t going to sound like it but I do sympathise with you in this. And I have no suggestions. If a DVM who must have dealt with dead animals before is stumped, I can’t help.
However, this sounds like a good scenario for a _Seinfeld_ episode.
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### Author:  [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)
#### Post date: [July 21, 2004, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deodorizing-a-car/256090/12 "2004-07-21T04:50:29Z")
You’re sure this Dane wasn’t just pining for the fjords?
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### Author:  [@Little\_Cloud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Cloud)
#### Post date: [July 21, 2004, 6:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deodorizing-a-car/256090/13 "2004-07-21T06:11:21Z")
Another vote for Febreze. Spray the whole damn van every day, once a day, for a week. Especially the upholstered seats and any carpeting you may have in the front. Upholstery and carpeting retain the odors long after you have eliminated them from the uncarpeted surface where the fluids collected.
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### Author:  [@vetbridge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vetbridge)
#### Post date: [July 21, 2004, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deodorizing-a-car/256090/14 "2004-07-21T16:38:29Z")
> [@Little Cloud](#):
>
> Another vote for Febreze.
Well, I am going to try Febreze. There is a touch of irony here. Years ago there was an internet hoax about Febreze being deadly to pets! Cite:
> **[Febreze Pet Danger](https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/hanging-in-the-febreze/)**
>
> Does ordinary use of Febreze pose a general danger to household pets?
> [@](#):
>
> There’s a big difference between “My pet died after I used Febreze” and “My pet died because I used Febreze”
hehehe…howzabout “My pet died and so I used Febreze”?
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### Author:  [@ltfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ltfire)
#### Post date: [July 21, 2004, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deodorizing-a-car/256090/15 "2004-07-21T20:41:18Z")
Perhaps you can turn your Jeep into an urban legend.
See here: [http://www.snopes.com/autos/cursed/deathcar.asp](http://www.snopes.com/autos/cursed/deathcar.asp)
Also, a mention of a Seinfield episode…same problem on the smell, but, this one from body odor.
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### Author:  [@Adoptamom\_II](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Adoptamom_II)
#### Post date: [July 22, 2004, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deodorizing-a-car/256090/16 "2004-07-22T00:18:31Z")
A few weeks ago my darling daughter :rolleyes: left a bottle of chocolate milk in my car. It was in there for almost a week before I used my car again and discovered it had curdled and exploded, getting nasty, spoiled milk everywhere!
My hero, Mr. Adoptamom, shampooed and scrubbed all of the soft surfaces in my car (I have a very queasy tummy) and there was still a residual nasty smell. He bought a bottle of Nilium from Home Depot and liberally scrubbed the interior with it and baking soda. We left that in over night and vaccumed it up the next day. My car smells better than it did before the milk explosion!
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### Author:  [@jacksen9](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jacksen9)
#### Post date: [July 22, 2004, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deodorizing-a-car/256090/17 "2004-07-22T02:16:47Z")
I suggest this device [http://www.air-purifiers-cleaners.com/springair-classic.htm](http://www.air-purifiers-cleaners.com/springair-classic.htm) . Maybe this is kind of drastic. I have one. No dead bodies or anything but I like the way my house smells. There are a number of people who refute these claims about what these machines do. All I can say is that I have one and I am pleased with it. The guy that sold it to me told me it could eliminate very severe odors… smoke, skunk. However, we never discussed dead animals.
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### Author:  [@Rikster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rikster)
#### Post date: [July 22, 2004, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deodorizing-a-car/256090/18 "2004-07-22T03:24:38Z")
“Thanks Rickster great site. Can’t find an email, but I’ll keep looking. Sounds like a job I would not want”
I think I still have their card in my office, I’ll see if I can find it tomorrow; had to use them once for a work related job. no bodies, just animal feces in a house we condemned that hadn’t been cleaned in a good while.
they didn’t use it there but there is a air cleaner that removes the O2 from a space that kills all the odor causing bactira, for whatever reason I do believe it is very hard on the rubber door seals though. I’ll see if I can look it up
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### Author:  [@Rikster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rikster)
#### Post date: [July 22, 2004, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deodorizing-a-car/256090/19 "2004-07-22T03:44:21Z")
Found it quick enough, it wasn’t absence of O2 but an abundence of O3 which I think is still bad for rubber door seals. [http://www.air-zone.com/shock.html](http://www.air-zone.com/shock.html)
there is a link to the shock treatment i think she was talking about, again not endorsing a brand just a technique.
They charged us like 8k but that stinking filthy disgusting house which caused more than one person to puke is now on the market fresh and clean as ever.
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### Author:  [@vetbridge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vetbridge)
#### Post date: [July 22, 2004, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deodorizing-a-car/256090/20 "2004-07-22T13:46:39Z")
Thanks everyone for the input. I emailed a company called **Crime Scene Cleaners** and the owner, Neal, just sent me his cell number. Later this afternoon I will call and see if the folks who handle “unattended deaths and violent suicides” has any further thoughts.
At this point the Febreeze has helped some.
Oh, and **Adoptamom\_II** I really hate the smell of sour milk. I think dead dog is just a little more pleasant (IMHO).