Most of the above tips are worth trying. You need to know what you are trying to do to the smell so you don't end up working against yourself. Dead animal odor is airborne complex organic molecules. We humans are wired to be very sensitive to these odors. You can mask the odor, physically drive the odors out, you can absorb the stinky molecules, or convert them to something else less stinky. The ozone machine drives out the odors (a fan) and converts them to a different compound (extra oxygen gets attached to the molecules). Most of the other methods above mask or absorb. If I had this problem I'd try the briquettes / baking soda / banana peel method with a small fan running inside the car. Get the car hot inside too. And try bleach on the area where the animal was - odors can leach into almost any surface (even paint) and bleach will help.
My mom said that she used bowling water and a cup of white vineger. put it in the car with the windows rooled up and let it set in there for a day or so. the vapors will get into all the era's that you can't get to Good Luck.
Like tstclr said, an ozone machine will do it, AFTER you clean up the SOURCE of the smell. Clean the area where the rat was found with disinfectant and get an ozone-generating air purifier. Leave it in the car with the windows and doors shut. Overnight should do it. Carpet cleaning businesses that do odor removal or water damage should have them for rent. 24 hrs shouldn't cost much. I left a borrowed purifier in my shoebox for a week to get the rat poop/urine smell out after I brought the car home. Very successful!
pet odor spray, gonna have to do it in all the places the rat pissed (usually headliner ) my 55 is stripped, completely inside though it hasn't been treated with odor eater. Yesterday, I opened it up and could still smell the rat piss and this is after four months stripped. Note that it has NOT been washed inside yet due to the fact that I'm still grinding and sanding so that's probably why it still stinks. I hate to break your nuts on this, but it's probably never going to not smell until you redo it.
The local John Deere dealer has a package of stuff for tractor and combine cabs for odor removal ,works great .
It may be hard to get but formaldehyde will eat up the odor of any protein. They used to make small formaldehyde candles you lit which contained paraformaldehyde which is the solid form. Close the doors and windows and let it burn out. Follow that by a thorough airing to remove the formaldehyde fumes. Wear gloves and eye protection. (I worked in a formaldehyde plant for 34 years). If the candles are not available an ounce or so of liquid left in a plastic soap dish in the closed car will work as well.
Take the dead rat out of the car. If it still smells, try this stuff they sell at pet stores called "nature's miracle". It's takes dog piss and shit out of carpet, so a dead rat should be no match. Just soak the area where you found the little bugger. BTW Moonglow2.........beat ya to it
The pine air freshener responses reminds me of the story about the young girl selling home products She had just got on an elevator when she had to fart. Since she was alone in the elevator she let it rip. Embarrased by how bad it smelled she whipped out some of her best pine air freshener and srayed it liberally around the elevator. On the next floor a drunk gets on and after sniffing a couple times says" What's That SMELL! Proud of her product the lass says "Well what does it smell like sir?" Drunk takes another whiff and replies. " Smells like someone shit a Christmas tree don't it!?"
if this does not work, nothing will... feminine dosh if it can take the stink out of the cat hole it most likely will get the stink out of your car
Were gonna change your name to 'Skunky" Irish spring soap bar,grated on a cheese grater,all over the floors wiil make it smell like a dead rat took a shower before he died...
I had the same in my belair only it was about a dozen mice.... EVERYWHERE!! when i took out the carpet and headliner most of it went away i found tons of mouse poo in the headliner and a dead mouse or two, hope that helps
Thanks for the help everyone. Im gonna tear out the headliner first then use the pet smell cleaner then close it up with either baking soda or charcoal and see what happens. If it still smells then its onto everything else that was suggested.
You can do like Jerry Steinfeld did with his Sabb and leave the key in it in a bad part of town and collect the insurance money!!!
I've had success with the "nature's miracle"from the pet supply,followed with a bag of charcoal briquets or lava rock to absorb odours.A fan to circulate the air helps the charcoal.
check with one of the local ho's they must have something good to hide their "stank". check into a "ionizer" the local fire dept. uses them to remove smoke smell from burnt buildings. i have seen them used to remove smoke smell from clothes that smoke damaged.
Someone threw up in my 34... didn´t like my driving habits , hahahaha I couldn´t get this smell out until I removed all of the " smelly" parts of the interior and pressure washed them. I ´ve let them dry in the sun for a day or two, smell was gone.
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