Crying over spilled milk, literally

[eisenmann]

Alright, so we have a brand new Touring and about a quarter gallon of milk got spilled while transporting (it wasn't my doing!!!) into the trunk/back seat area. We travel regularly to the Reno area and as you can imagine with temps around 100 or higher the bacteria took hold and turned the inside of the car to smelling rancid. So far I've scrubbed/soaked the liners in the trunk and back of the rear seats and anyplace else I can get to back there with enzyme cleaner and various other rug cleaning or pet cleaning products. The smell just keeps a strong hold in the trunk area.

Right now I have charcoal bags and baking soda to see if it can absorb any more of the odor. And I'm considering using an ozone machine to see if that works.

I'm open to any suggestions as I've read through every online post I can find to get the bacteria neutralized, but they aren't working. Vinegar is on the last to try list (I hate that smell too).

This has been the last 2 weeks of owning the car that is 4 weeks old

 

[b8zzl8ghtyears]

Man…I’d take milk over my situation. A few weeks back dropped some gas in the rear trunks cargo space when I had to transport for a generator. Can still smell it.

Used baking soda a few days later but by then it was too late lol. I was inexperienced

 

[HC_79]

Oh crap! That sucks! My friend had that happen to one of their cars and the smell was horrendous. I’d contact a car detailer and see if they recommend anything or get them to come out and do a deep clean.

The sooner you get it out the better

 

[b8zzl8ghtyears]

Oh crap! That sucks! My friend had that happen to one of their cars and the smell was horrendous. I’d contact a car detailer and see if they recommend anything or get them to come out and do a deep clean.

The sooner you get it out the better

Oh man it’s been several weeks now. It still smells a little but I’ll def be cleaning it later on

 

[HC_79]

Oh man it’s been several weeks now. It still smells a little but I’ll def be cleaning it later on

Yeah you’re probably to need to get it deep cleaned if it’s been that long. Just saw online to try spraying white vinegar

 

[eisenmann]

No doubt i'll need a detailer to look at it. I'm going to try the vinegar first, but that smell makes me gag as bad as the milk.

 

[b8zzl8ghtyears]

Yeah you’re probably to need to get it deep cleaned if it’s been that long. Just saw online to try spraying white vinegar

Yeah I figured as much I’ll probably get it done this month

 

[eisenmann]

Yeah I figured as much I’ll probably get it done this month

For what it's worth gas spilled in another car some years back while transporting the can (lid wasn't on fully) in the backseat floor area. After washing, rewashing, scrubbing, etc. I decided to wait it out. The smell did fade to nothing but it took maybe 3 weeks for the amount of gas I spilled, which was probably a half of a cup

 

[Amster]

No doubt i'll need a detailer to look at it. I'm going to try the vinegar first, but that smell makes me gag as bad as the milk.

I know the feeling. I spilled most of a latte in an old car of mine. By the next day I had to drive with the windows partially open even in the rain, because the smell was so rancid that I was gagging whenever I got in the car. Luckily it was mostly on one of the floor mats, and I ended up tossing that. After a really good interior detail the smell was gone. And there has never been a milk based drink in my car since.

 

[Bobby]

I remember a Seinfeld episode where he literally threw his keys to his BMW to a homeless guy because he could not get the odor out of it.

 

[dcr33313]

Find a detailed with a steam extractor, those things are very helpful. That should help with anything left behind by an enzymatic cleaner.