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How to get that funky smell out of your truck?

Krugermeier

Krugermeier

Banhammer
Banned !
Minuteman
Aug 25, 2022
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196
Carolinas
I've owned the same truck for 8+ years. It's got a recurring 'dirt' smell in it and want to know if I can do something other than shampoo the carpet, vacuum the floor, and wipe down the interior. Have you guys had any luck getting your older vehicles smelling like a newer one?
 
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What kind of truck? And can you pinpoint where teh smell is coming from, or the whole cab smells?
What does the bottom of the cab and in the wheel wells look like?
 
Krugermeier said:
I've owned the same truck for 8+ years. It's got a recurring 'dirt' smell in it and want to know if I can do something other than shampoo the carpet, vacuum the floor, and wipe down the interior. Have you guys had any luck getting your older vehicles smelling like a newer one?

Those smell-bombs do not work, either.
Click to expand...
Just saying, the seat cushions absorb a TON of body odor and or any type of pet odor and require taking the seat covers off and doing a foam cleaning and or replacement of the foam cushions…


Just an fyi from your local alcoholic 😎
 
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N2evilDR said:
Just saying, the seat cushions absorb a TON of body odor and or any type of pet odor and require taking the seat covers off and doing a foam cleaning and or replacement of the foam cushions…


Just an fyi from your local alcoholic 😎
Click to expand...
I change the seat covers ever two years but never have touched the seats themselves

SanPatHogger said:
What kind of truck? And can you pinpoint where teh smell is coming from, or the whole cab smells?
What does the bottom of the cab and in the wheel wells look like?
Click to expand...
It’s an old school Tacoma, the whole cab just smells like dirt no matter how much I clean the interior. I’m thinking I should power wash the carpet but I don’t know.
 
Zap_Rowsdower said:
I put a liter bottle of wild turkey 101 in a buddy's single cab f150. I guess the sun somehow got to it and the bottle broke, leaking the entire contents into the carpet. He could smell it before he even got close and nearly knocked him down when he got in.

I recommend a nice bourbon fragrance.
Click to expand...
I drink one every time the key hits the ignition brother!
 
Strip the interior. Take the seats out, the carpet or mats. Take it down to the paint. Scrub the cabin thoroughly and scrub everything else while it's out of the truck, you can do a much better job when you can access every nook and cranny. This is a great time to reupholster, replace worn stuff.
EDIT TO ADD: Don't forget the headliner
 
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I worked at a paper mill for 7 years and this worked great keeping the truck smelling nice.

IMG_6442.jpeg
 
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eat a whole lot of asparagus
1697850216257.gif

, let the farting begin one stinky Oder will canticle out the other . but it's best to avoid the Oder in the first place stinky women you can't be that lazy soap fits in a glove box really easily and streams or a hose can be found almost everywhere even a car wash .
 
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Pull seats and carpet, steam clean those. (power wash on low works ok with foam soap drench), Headliner is a major plus as well on steam cleaning. Don't forget the little things such as visors. Wash floorboard with Joy Lemon dish soap and scrub, dry, and repeat.
 
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Aftermath said:
Strip the interior. Take the seats out, the carpet or mats. Take it down to the paint. Scrub the cabin thoroughly and scrub everything else while it's out of the truck, you can do a much better job when you can access every nook and cranny. This is a great time to reupholster, replace worn stuff.
EDIT TO ADD: Don't forget the headliner
Click to expand...
Yup
 
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Stevo86 said:
You win, if that will keep that disgusting smell out… it’ll take care of anything ! Even dead hookers!!!
Click to expand...
He worked at a paper mill he can't smell shit anymore.

Foaming coil cleaner on you AC evaporator and heater core. Make sure and get one that is aluminum safe and states no rinse. I still rinse it anyway. My 2000 f350 the evaporator was so nasty I just replaced it, there was no way in hell it was going to come clean
 
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mcameron said:
A full interior detail will run you $150-200...they'll use a hot water extractor and pull all the shit out of your upholstery, and get you car as close to showroom as possible..

If any smell persists after that is in the vents, and youll need ozone

Also replace the cabin air filter before you do anything
Click to expand...
These tacomas don’t have cabin filters
 
Of course, if stripping everything out and giving it a serious Summers Eve douche doesn't get the stink out, try one of these:
Incindiary.png
 
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Why does it bother you that it smells like dirt? Mine smells like dirt because there's a perpetual layer of it on the floor and everything else. It's a truck, not a Lambo.


If, however, it's mold and mildew, you're going to need to clean everything. When I bought my truck it had a moldy smell. Can of coil cleaner, new air filter, and quite literally hosing out the vents fixed it.

Or leaving it run with the heater on and the windows cracked in 90* heat just cooked it to death while I was making sure the system was nice and dry.
 
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Krugermeier said:
What the hell is coil cleaner? I have never thought AC could be a source of smell
Click to expand...
Mold and mildew will grow in your A/C system. Cool, dark, and moist, it’s a nearly ideal environment.
 
www.castorcreekoutdoors.com

Scent Crusher Ozone Go - Car/Truck - Castor Creek Outdoors

The Scent Crusher Ozone Go is designed to remove odors and contaminants from your vehicle using the power of ozone. The chemical free ozone destroys odors in 30 minutes. Simply plug the unit into your vehicle’s 12-volt outlet for hassle-free use. Declared Best New Product at the ATA Hunting Show.
www.castorcreekoutdoors.com

At work I inherited a truck from a supervisor that retired. The guy sat in the truck and chain smoked Camel lights 10 hrs a day. His ash tray was a 32oz insulated steel tumbler in the cup holder. Always full of wet cigarette butts.

I ran that scent crusher for a couple weeks and it killed the smell. Well worth the $50. I’ve had it for about 3 years now and it still works like new.
 
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hlee said:
Mold and mildew will grow in your A/C system. Cool, dark, and moist, it’s a nearly ideal environment.
Click to expand...

Yes. Turn the AC off a quarter mile or so from your destination, leave the fan/vent on. The coils are still cold and this will warm them up so less moisture will condense out of the air. Adjust distance as needed, try for 15 seconds to a minute of warm air from the vents. Will help reduce any moldy smells.

Thank you,
MrSmith
 
Go buy a package of fries from McDonald's and leave them in the cup holder on a sunny day. It'll smell like a locker room instead.
Or, brush the dirt off the corpse before taking it out on the town next time to save the dirt smell.
 
My AC coil in my 04 Ford.
No cabin air filter and a large, hairy dog.

20230926_141207.jpg


20230926_141023.jpg


It wouldn't vacuum off, so I took a garden hose and nozzle to it.

It looks like new now and cools much better.
No funky smell anymore.
 
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Careful with ozone. If you go so far as to rent an ozone generator, don’t run it long. Ozone will degrade rubber and nuke seals and the like. A smelly truck is better than a leaky truck.

Hopefully a good scrub or detailing will sort it out.
 
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