[VapoR]

I had my friend's gas can in my trunk the other night because we were going to go make Molotov cocktails. He didn’t put the cap on correctly and gas spilled all in my trunk. I was furious. The next day I tried washing it but didn’t know how. I took out the trunk mat and sprayed it down for a long time then air dried. Then I used fabric freshener. The smell was still there so a friend advised I use baking soda. Nothing is working and the trunk and interior of the car smells like gas (the trunk more so). How can I get rid of the smell?

[Asiann]

Originally Posted by VapoR

I had my friend's gas can in my trunk the other night because we were going to go make Molotov cocktails. He didn’t put the cap on correctly and gas spilled all in my trunk. I was furious. The next day I tried washing it but didn’t know how. I took out the trunk mat and sprayed it down for a long time then air dried. Then I used fabric freshener. The smell was still there so a friend advised I use baking soda. Nothing is working and the trunk and interior of the car smells like gas (the trunk more so). How can I get rid of the smell?

Wow that is terrible! If you have a trunk mat, take it to a laundrymat and use the biggest washer to wash it. As far as your trunk I saw this online.

Absorb with Kitty Litter

About a year ago, we had the same problem. My husband thought his dad put the cap on the gas can and was driving around when it spilled. After many useless remedies, we finally resorted to putting clay kitty litter over the area of the gas spill. After a day, we vacuumed it and covered it with the litter again. I think we did this two or three times with great results. There was no more gas odor. Be careful not to allow any moisture near the cat litter or it could turn into "mud" on your carpet, and be sure to clean with a vacuum with very strong suction to get all the litter out.


Insider Advice

The very same thing happened to us once. We called a car detail man for advice and he said to spray it down with Febreeze and leave the windows open. We did this once and the odor was gone!


The Two-Stepped Approach

We had the same problem. Gas spilled onto the carpet in our van. It smelled terrible. I checked online, and there were a couple of suggestions that we used. First of all, wash it with a solution of clear vinegar and water mixed about 1/2 to 1/2. When it dries, put baking soda on it. Leave it there overnight and then vacuum it off. It worked for us.

[pander5]

The best advise I got some years ago and have tried fairly successfully is to remove all of the spilled gas first. If it spilled onto the rear deck surface clean it out of there as well. Think and look where ALL the gas may have gotten to and try to clean all those area. You're trying to "wick" up any remaining gas liquid (if there's any left) and then go about cleaning as the others have suggested. Basically, you're trying to remove all of the source locations of the odor.

[aphall]

Curious, what on earth were you going to do with Molotov Cocktails?!

[RaptorKTM]

lets not ask... lol

[HKlein]

Originally Posted by VapoR

I had my friend's gas can in my trunk the other night because we were going to go make Molotov cocktails. He didn’t put the cap on correctly and gas spilled all in my trunk. I was furious. The next day I tried washing it but didn’t know how. I took out the trunk mat and sprayed it down for a long time then air dried. Then I used fabric freshener. The smell was still there so a friend advised I use baking soda. Nothing is working and the trunk and interior of the car smells like gas (the trunk more so). How can I get rid of the smell?

I'm not sure what's worse, that your car smells like gasoline or that you and your friend were going to go make Molotov cocktails. I guess bowling was out of the question?

[irowharderthanyou]

Originally Posted by Asiann

Wow that is terrible! If you have a trunk mat, take it to a laundrymat and use the biggest washer to wash it. As far as your trunk I saw this online.

Absorb with Kitty Litter

About a year ago, we had the same problem. My husband thought his dad put the cap on the gas can and was driving around when it spilled. After many useless remedies, we finally resorted to putting clay kitty litter over the area of the gas spill. After a day, we vacuumed it and covered it with the litter again. I think we did this two or three times with great results. There was no more gas odor. Be careful not to allow any moisture near the cat litter or it could turn into "mud" on your carpet, and be sure to clean with a vacuum with very strong suction to get all the litter out.


Insider Advice

The very same thing happened to us once. We called a car detail man for advice and he said to spray it down with Febreeze and leave the windows open. We did this once and the odor was gone!


The Two-Stepped Approach

We had the same problem. Gas spilled onto the carpet in our van. It smelled terrible. I checked online, and there were a couple of suggestions that we used. First of all, wash it with a solution of clear vinegar and water mixed about 1/2 to 1/2. When it dries, put baking soda on it. Leave it there overnight and then vacuum it off. It worked for us.

Get some kitty litter with baking soda in it (arm and hammer brand??) Try putting this stuff in and dont be afraid to WAIT a while for the odor to absorb.

[Asiann]

Originally Posted by irowharderthanyou

Get some kitty litter with baking soda in it (arm and hammer brand??) Try putting this stuff in and dont be afraid to WAIT a while for the odor to absorb.

I would assume Arm and Hammer and whatever the best kitty litter you could find. I think it was more for the absorbing and neutralizing agents. I use the arm and hammer in the freezer and fridge to eliminate other food smells. Ah you could use that since it is specifically for smell. I found the info online about using it so no first hand experience with it except for the fridge. Can't hurt to try.

[edawg]

molotov cocktails=

[infrno4]

vinegar and baking soda like said earlier...just dont mix the two simultaneously! lol

[ward]

the only real way to get rid of the smell is with a match

[aphall]

[Snowman811]

Baking Soda, Baking Soda, Baking Soda.

[VapoR]

Originally Posted by aphall

Curious, what on earth were you going to do with Molotov Cocktails?!

Well this took place on May 27th and our high school graduation was on June 1st so we wanted to do something "crazy." Molotov cocktails are really fun if you like fire. Toss the flaming bottle up and have it land on concrete and boom! The fire department did come just after we left. Good Times...cept for my car.

back to the cleaning, I put baking soda all over the mat and let it sit for a long time then hosed it all off and let it dry. The smell is almost gone but still slightly there. The interior of the car also has a slight smell but gas didn’t spill on the seats/carpet. I tried spraying fabric freshener all over but it's still present. How should I deal with this? I don’t think kitty litter on the carpet will do anything.

[nyyankee]

Originally Posted by VapoR

Well this took place on May 27th and our high school graduation was on June 1st so we wanted to do something "crazy." Molotov cocktails are really fun if you like fire. Toss the flaming bottle up and have it land on concrete and boom! The fire department did come just after we left. Good Times...cept for my car.

back to the cleaning, I put baking soda all over the mat and let it sit for a long time then hosed it all off and let it dry. The smell is almost gone but still slightly there. The interior of the car also has a slight smell but gas didn’t spill on the seats/carpet. I tried spraying fabric freshener all over but it's still present. How should I deal with this? I don’t think kitty litter on the carpet will do anything.

Since you were so careful with the gas in your trunk, i'm assuming that you and your friends were a safe distance from your gas soaked car when throwing flaming bottles into the air Right?

[VapoR]

Was that a serious question? I'm not stupid. It wasnt my fault the gas spilled. My friend filled the can, tried to the put the cap on, and put it in my car. When we arrived at the desination, the gas was spilled. Sh!t happens and now I'm trying to clean it up.

[Asiann]

Originally Posted by VapoR

Well this took place on May 27th and our high school graduation was on June 1st so we wanted to do something "crazy." Molotov cocktails are really fun if you like fire. Toss the flaming bottle up and have it land on concrete and boom! The fire department did come just after we left. Good Times...cept for my car.

back to the cleaning, I put baking soda all over the mat and let it sit for a long time then hosed it all off and let it dry. The smell is almost gone but still slightly there. The interior of the car also has a slight smell but gas didn’t spill on the seats/carpet. I tried spraying fabric freshener all over but it's still present. How should I deal with this? I don’t think kitty litter on the carpet will do anything.

Just from reading the online info. The baking soda is to be performed several times until the smell is out. Leave it there for a week or so and then vacume not wash it out. Take it out of your car anyway and let everything breath. Stick it in you garage or something. The mat only traps in all the smell from below.

[VapoR]

ok thanks a lot for the help.

[shimshimhada]

omgyou'reaterrorist!