3 days ago, melted ice cream was spilt down side of rear seat, onto seat belt and original floor mat. Immediately wiped up with damp and dry paper towels, then next day with Resolve, then with white vinegar, but the odor remains. Son claims it didn’t drip down the seat belt and into the mat cutout for seat belt???
How can we get rid of the odor (not mask it with freshener)? Hoping it doesn’t have to go into the shop for mat removal…
Paper towels will never do, you’re only sopping up the surface residue.
A wet/dry shop vacuum is the way to go .
Have a gallon jug of HOT water and pour it in the same manner as the spill ( you’ll be able to see everywhere it ran into ) then chase it with the vacuum…over and over…getting deep soaking and long suction to get everthing way down.
Otherwise you’ll have to take out seats and pull up carpet to get all the way down where it ran and soaked.
Actually, I’d take the seats out and clean it that way. You can rent steam upholstery cleaners that will make it all look (and smell) like new.
Spoiled milk is the most difficult odor to remove…The human nose can detect it down to parts per billion…If it has soaked into carpet, the carpet will have to be replaced, along with any mats under the carpet…You can usually get most of it, but on a hot day with the car parked with the windows up, it will always greet you…