Fish Juice in Carpet

[Shaft]

Alright, so my worst nightmare has happened!

Went for a drive with the family, stopped to look around at a fish market. Dad couldn't help resist picking 7lbs of fresh shrimp from the back of a boat for $10.

Double bagged it with ice. Set it in the car. I asked dad to keep an eye on the bag that as soon as there was any water to let me know. I had the monster matts, as well as the floor matts sitting on top of the carpet. Well daddio, didn't see the drips and it eventually ended up onto the carpet floor, deep!

All I can say is STINK.

I am about 6.5hrs in elbow grease trying to get rid of it, but it still lingers.

I have used an enzymatic cleaner & deodorizer, soaked the entire passenger side with a garden hose multiple times and soaked it up with my shop vac, 10 bucket loads until I seen no more soap in the water mixture in the shop vac. Let it air dry in the sun for 1.5 days now. Still the smell is there.

My neck and shoulders are killing me and I'm now at a loss at what to do next.

advice?

 

[c17chief]

I wouldn't resist 7lbs of fresh off the boat shrimp for $10 either. That is less then wholesale! $10/lb would be a completely different story tho if that by chance is what you meant.

 

[GASDAG]

Take dad out back with a shot gun. Vent frustration.

Also, call a dealer and ask how much for interior carpeting, is it in sections, or one big piece for front back, left right etc.. Then call around to junk yards and ask for wrecked mk6's and their carpet condition and prices.

Next time bring a cooler to put your wet foods in and keep it on your rubber cargo matted hatch back area, secured with netting.

 

[Shaft]

c17chief it was 7lbs for $10. So ya, pretty unresistable.

GASDAG, its not in sections. Carpets can be cleaned. No family member is worth the death penalty over something so stupid.

Let's be a little more of an adult.

 

[Honeydew]

You can try soaking it with white vinegar for a while, then dry it with towels, no rinse, let the vinegar air dry completely.

 

[GASDAG]

No family member is worth the death penalty over something so stupid.

Let's be a little more of an adult.

Aww shucks boss, I was just joking. That's just what came to mind if my pops pulled something like that in my TDI. I just can't imagine old... rank.... fish.. in the summer. I hope you're airing it out, all windows down etc, outside.
I just wouldn't be able to deal with it. If I got a faint hint of it months down the line. I'd be planning to take your interior out this weekend. Front seats, center console might be the hardest etc, and get the carpet out in one piece, and what, take to dry clean? Rent a rug doctor from the super market, and also do your house carpet (if so equipped) at the same time?

 

[Graham Line]

Might try a citrus-based cleaner.

 

[Elfnmagik]

Same thing happened to me once when we went shrimping. Forgot and left it in the car overnight. Sorry to say, I never got the smell out.

 

[jaymzaugust]

summers eve and a scrub brush?

 

[tcp_ip_dude]

summers eve and a scrub brush?

^^^^ That's funny right there.

 

[Softrockrenegade]

My wife let pickle juice spill in my other car after I warned her to hold on to them. Took 6 months for the smell to fade. I can't imagine how bad your car reeks right now... Maybe this will work.

http://www.ehow.com/how_5614977_fish-smell-odor-out-carpet.html#page=0

 

[Shaft]

Well I'm trying what I can so I don't end up removing the carpet as a whole and getting the pressure washer to it with chemicals.
My first attempt was a Bissel pro heat auto upholstery cleaner. The cleaning solution is just not good enough.
Then I used about 600mils of http://prismcare.ca/?page_id=20
WOW! Got out about 50% of the stench. I soaked the carpet, full passenger side with is. Then took the garden hose and soaked the carpet completely until water pooled in the back passenger seat, then shop vac as much out as I could.
I repeated soaking down with water until all traces of soap were gone, Vac dried as much as possible then let it air dry outside. So not bad for 600mils of this stuff.
So today I bought 8 litres of the stuff!
I plan on dumping 4 litres directly onto the carpet a couple of hours before my commute home, make sure it gets in there nicely and let the enzymes break it down.
Then garden hose and repeat until all the soap is gone.
Air dry for a day and see what gives after that. Each jug was $18.

I'm really hoping this does the trick.

If it does, I'll spray some in the air vents and from the outside air duct to deodorize the ventilation system.

Here's to hoping

 

[poweredbytdi]

I would suggest you use an ozone generating air filter/purifier. There are several models out there and you or a friend might already have one.

I ran over an animal caracas in a honda civic and this is the only thing that would remove the smell for me.

 

[c17chief]

Oh and I forgot to mention.....if you can find this stuff pictured below, it will probably do the trick. We used to have a supply of this stuff at work, and I must admit, it's an EXCELLENT deodorizer. Instead of simply covering up or being short lasting like 99% of everything I have ever come across, this stuff actually seems to actual neutralize the oders. In fact a bottle ended up at my home years ago, and for example I remember one time throwing some chicken packaging in the trash and forgetting to take it out the same day. Next day by the time I got home from work it was smelling, but I was feeling lazy or something so I gave the still half empty trash can a few good squirts of this stuff and a few mins later, no more rotting chicken smell. Still didn't take the trash out till the following day.

 

[IndyVW]

My previous car had an odor issue that was successfully resolved. Found a smokin deal on a slightly used MINI Cooper S at the local MINI dealer. Went to drive it and found out why it was so cheap....it had been smoked heavily in and I'm sure it turned off prospective buyers for months. I decided to chance it and battle the smell.

The dealer started off the fight by running an ozone machine inside of it continuously for a couple of days. After that, I cleaned the carpets with a bissell green machine a few times, left towels soaked in vinegar on the floor overnight several times, parked the car in the garage with the windows down, and sprayed Debrecen on the carpet and headliner repeatedly for several weeks. I beat the smell completely.

I realize this is a different type of smell and source, but that was my experience. Good luck!

 

[Kruger]

I here newspaper absorbs stink. Wad a bunch up and thro it everywhere in the car.

 

[Jettix2]

I had a truck that ended up catching the brunt of a leaking bottle of Power Service Diesel Kleen under the back seat. Filed a Comprehensive claim with my insurance company, paid the small deductible, and they replaced the carpet no problem.

 

[TDIAustin]

Suggestions: My wife says these things: White vinegar might work; Club Soda brings stuff to the surface so then you can towel it up; lastly, any pet stain/urine eliminator would be good to try as this stuff is designed to take out stains and odor causing enzymes. She thinks this might be best. We have the Woolite brand but there are many. Hope something works for you.

 

[dadster]

Just spill a little PS Diesel Kleen in the affected area. You won't ever smell the shrimp again!

 

[Shaft]

Thank you all for your suggestion.

So last night was a battle for 3 hours. After I let the Prism care stuff soak in the carpets for 5 hours yesterday, it was a battle to get it all out of the carpet. But its done. Completely washed out. I sprayed some of the solution straight to the rest of the unaffected carpet to deodorize, headliner, door carpet, hatch area, drivers side carpeting, vents, outside air induction. I think I got just everywhere.. Now its 30C outside, car is baking in the sun. Sunroof wide open, windows down. Im going to let it sit and bake for 2 days before I give it an ok or bust.

 

[AVEngineer]

I used a product from Nature's Miracle that was in a red bottle to get the deer blood smell out of a fabric seat. This was after a deep cleaning like what was already done. It took two applications but it worked.

The key is to let it soak in and don't worry about being too liberal with it. You should be able to find it at a local pet store.

 

[tditom]

I haven't read this thread yet, but just wanted to say that every time I see the title I fell a bit ill...

 

[gulfcoastguy]

I used a product from Nature's Miracle that was in a red bottle to get the deer blood smell out of a fabric seat. This was after a deep cleaning like what was already done. It took two applications but it worked.

The key is to let it soak in and don't worry about being too liberal with it. You should be able to find it at a local pet store.

I just bought this today since the old epileptic dog peed(in her sleep) on the leather loveseat.

 

[GASDAG]

I haven't read this thread yet, but just wanted to say that every time I see the title I fell a bit ill...

. I keep seeing it and hoping it says Fruit Juice... But no. It's fish. Good luck to the OP... How's it smell today?

 

[bmwM5power]

Just spill a little PS Diesel Kleen in the affected area. You won't ever smell the shrimp again!

agree or optilube, you wont smell fish anymore

 

[Shaft]

Sorry I haven't written back. I've been on holidays and car is back home. But the smell is completely gone! WOOOHOOO. After it dried for 2 days in the sun, its completely gone. so that stuff really works and I have lots left.

cheers all and thanks for your advice. Great products out there.