The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Interiors A Question Of "Smell"

Last week, I took my gas can up to the station to fill it up for cutting the lawn. Unfortunately, I filled it a little bit too full and some spilled out of the vent cap on the can on to the carpeted flooring in the rear of my station wagon.

When I went in to work later that day, I took that floor panel out, sprayed it with Castrol Super Clean and pressure washed it with warm soap and water, then blew it dry and left it out in the sun to dry for the remainder of the afternoon.

Since then, I have also placed some coffee grounds in there in a little plastic dish, I seem to remember someone posting here at The 'Bolt some time ago that would help absorb odours?

Anyway, the car still has a persistant smell of gasoline inside. It's not as bad as before I cleaned it, however it is still there and is somewhat annoying, possibly even unhealthy?

Can any of you folks recommend some form of "down home" remedy for eliminating the gas smell? Or will it fade out over time? Or am I stuck with it for ever? :confused:

Any help you knowledgeable folks could offer would be most appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Regards,
Wannabe

Baking (ARM/hAMMER)soda might help,,,I would just go ahead and replace it with new carpet, I am sure that the smell will go away in due time though,,Fred

Fred,

Thanks for your response! I had thought about using the Arm&Hammer Baking Soda, just haven't tried it yet. Think I'll pour a little around back there tomorrow. Certainly can't hurt!

This is my "beater" daily driver car, so there won't be any carpet replacement going on. In fact, since I basically use it as a truck, I've been contemplating replacing the rear carpeting altogether with some thin rubber flooring!

Thanks again.

Regards,
Shea

Even an opened box of baking soda will absorb smells ... so maybe sprinkle some and let an opened box sit there, too.

Wanna Be-

Have you considered one of those HIGH TEC evergreen trees hanging from the rear view mirror?!!?

Seriously, what you're smelling are some of the organic components of fuel that are chemically sticky. Once airborne, they latch onto many components or your interior. They will "fall off" over time, so rather than competing them off with a different smelly compound, consider parking with the windows down for a while. As the weather in your area is still wet, you might use your garage space to house the car, windows open for a while. This will help "air out" the interior and drop the gas smell.

Interestingly, our noses are really sensistive to certain compounds and we smell them at very low levels, even below their toxicity. For example, the "smell" of natural gas is added so we can detect a leak, but the smelly componet is a sulfur-compound at exceedingly low levels. The smell of fuel in your car is annoying, but not likely to be toxic.

Good luck!

Alan and 51Phat-Thanks also for your responses!

I've actually been leaving the car parked @ work with the windows down and the back door window propped up with Vise-Grips (stoopid darn prop cylinder :mad: ). The constant airing out seems to be helping, as the smell gets lighter every day. Unfortunately, we have been having off-and-on rain for the past week, so I've been unable to leave the windows open for really long periods.

It is, in fact, quite interesting how our noses work. When I used to work at the car dealership, Diesel fumes literally made me ill. We didn't have too many Powerstrokes coming in for work. Now, that I work on trucks, the smell of Gasoline makes me absolutely nauseous. Changing a fuel filter on a "gas job" just about drives me to puke!

Anyway, I was mostly concerned about having my wife riding in the car with these fumes. She's pregnant right now and I don't want her or our offspring to come to any harm as a result of my incaution. By the time she has to ride in my jalopy again, it'll be well aired out.

I'm actually thinking of making up a bracket to hang on the back bumper, like a jerry can holder on an old Army Jeep. That way, any fumes and smells will stay "outside" of the car.

Thanks again for all your responses. Once again, I'm amazed by the helpful nature of the folks gathered here at "The 'Bolt."

Regards,
Shea

Well thanks, one and all, for your thoughtful replies and ideas here.

A week's worth of having all the windows and liftgate open at work all night has totally eliminated the gas smell.

Yes, Wannabe's MUCH HAPPY about THAT!

Have a good evening, all!

Regards,
Wannabe