I assume my query can be satisfied by some common sense remedies, but I figured I would pose the question in the event anyone had a ‘great idea’ that I don’t know.
The background is I have just resurrected a 2004 Ford Explorer that had been my work truck. Just before Christmas 2008 my truck’s engine gave out. After six months of sitting in the company garage the decision was made not to repair it. I bought it for $200 and towed it home, with the idea of fixing the engine myself as a project, or parting it out for a profit. Thus for the last 2 years the car has sat in my driveway awaiting my lazy butt to attend it.
Recently my dad in an act of generosity decided to replace the engine for me. One month later the truck sports a brand new Jasper engine, basically a new truck now. Unfortunately in the two years the truck sat in my driveway it became home to mice and a huge black snake (who decided to exit the vehicle in the repair shop and has apparently taken up residence there.)
The shop had to clean the AC blower motor of a mouse nest to get it to work, and when I run the AC it does emit quite an odor, likely that of mouse turds and perhaps worse.
My plans of action include: shop vacuuming the vehicle (done), air compressor to blow out the vents (not done), pulling the AC blower and vacuuming as best I can (not done), wet rug doctor type interior cleaning (not done), and interior disinfectant wipe down (not done).
Some years back, I had a car whose AC absolutely stank of death. What I wound up doing was locate the intake for the AC/heater blower in the cowl, then with the system running, I sprayed in liberal amounts of morgue disinfectant* then put the system to recirculate for about 10 minutes with the doors and windows closed. Once the dead smell seemed to be gone, I followed with regular Lysol to get the morgue smell out - that stuff was definitely not “Crisp Linen” fresh-scented! IIRC, it took five or so rounds with the disinfectant. Finally, the interior got a liberal Febreeze-ing as the upholstery was retaining odors as well.
This stuff literally was marketed as a disinfectant for ambulances, hearses and morgues. Sorry, but I don’t recall the brand, but we found it at a commercial cleaning supply shop.
If you can pull the blower and do hand-to-hand combat with the ductwork to clean the inside surfaces, so much the better.
In my (limited) experience, nothing gets the smell out of a car better than rolling down all the windows and leaving it in the sun for a few days. I think this is the poor man’s way of pumping a car full of ozone, the way professionals eliminate foul smells from cars.
Be very careful, blowing mouse truds around can spread the Hantavirus. This can prove deadly.
seriously when we had to clean a vehicle with mouse infestation, we would outfit our personnel with a tyveck jumps suit, gloves, booties, and a respirator (not just a dust mask)
I refused to take a chance with my employee’s lives. You should not take chances with your life either.
Link for hantavirus info: Orthohantavirus - Wikipedia
There is a spray called “ozium”, usually used by hospitals. It has a rather unique scent, but it will get most smells out of things.
When I say “unique”, it’s not a bad smell, but it is strong.
If the smell is in the passenger cabin, buy a cheap bag of charcoal, (not the instant light stuff that has lighter fluid in it), open the bag and let it sit inside the closed car for a couple of days.