What is the best way to get rid of musty car smell, not just mask it?
10 Answers
Get a big box of baking soda, and scatter it around the vacuum-able parts of the car. Admittedly, not as cool as the vodka trick, and you do need to vacuum it up after a few days, but it also works. You don't need to scrub it into the upholstery or anything like that, just spread it out evenly.
Ozium works great. I've used it to get out things ranging from a rider with serious BO to some party induced vomit. Air everything out in the sun first then spray liberally, close the door, and let it sit. Follow the same regimen for 2 to 3 days and everything will be okay.
All 3 suggestions will definitely work, but the smell might be coming from under the carpet, which definitely indicates a serious problem. This obviously would call for the carpet to be ripped up and/or replaced or just buy a new vehicle (expensive I know). Another method that you might try is shampooing and rinsing the mats in the car. I've done this several times and it continues to work. Just simply take the mats to a do-it-yourself car wash and have at it. I usually spray some stain remover or a fabric cleaner to add to the effectiveness.
What I read (and it has worked on my car) is this: the musty oder could be coming from the condensation made by your air conditioner. What I was told is to turn off my air conditioner 30 seconds to 1 minute before I get to my destination. That has really helped to get that smell to go completely away from my car so it must be worth something, especially if you use it in conjunction with the smell removers that the other guys have listed.
DO NOT mix Vodka and water. Sorry to smash another post, I do not recommend adding water. Water not only has the tendency to revitalize odors, it can make them worse or spread them. Worst of all, if the smell is bacterial or fungal related it can feed them.
Most products mask odors. Depending on the cause of the odor, different steps can be taken. Since not all odors stem from the same source, there is no single best way.
I use concentrated ozone, but the equipment is thousands of dollars and it is very dangerous in high concentrations. This is not a DIY'ers project.
IMO, Ozone is the best and safest way....period.
DO NOT mix Vodka and water. Sorry to smash another post, I do not recommend adding water. Water not only has the tendency to revitalize odors, it can make them worse or spread them. Worst of all, if the smell is bacterial or fungal related it can feed them.
Most products mask odors. Depending on the cause of the odor, different steps can be taken. Since not all odors stem from the same source, there is no single best way.
I use concentrated ozone, but the equipment is thousands of dollars and it is very dangerous in high concentrations. This is not a DIY'ers project.
IMO, Ozone is the best and safest way....period.
Make a 50/50 mix of vodka and water and put it in a squirtbottle; spray it all over the inside of the car. It won't smell like vodka because alcohol evaporates way faster than water, but it's enough to kill the bad smells inside. This also works for musty closets full of clothes.