stephenmsweigart

How do you guys get rid of that old damp musty smell?? I have a 1970 that just smells old....I don't really want to hang an air freshener are there any tricks to rid the odor??

vettebuyer6369

In 2010 I bought an old Bricklin SV1 that was stored away for years. The car was in great condition, but the owner had replaced the carpets. It had a strong musty, almost moldy smell to the interior that I tried everything to remove. I imagine the carpet switch was an effort to do this.

I was eventually directed to try an ozone generator by a professional detailer. He said theres a lot of commercial uses for them, like in hotels or where theres been floods and mold. Frankly, I thought it was hocus-pocus but I bought a small unit on ebay for $75, plugged it in for a couple nights in a row and the result was miraculous.

My Corvette restorer buddy had a couple customers ask him about musty interior smells and given my success, he tried my unit out on a lark. Worked again.

Theres many versions of these units... big commercial ones that are $2-300; some places rent them. Theres also little cheapie car sized ozone generator/ ionizers that I dont think work as well. But the small unit I bought has been amazing.

71 Green 454

Oh yes, they work!

The Mercedes dealer used one on my new 2001 SLK230 due to a fuel smell when they replaced the fuel sending unit and got gas on the insulation liner.

It worked so well that it got rid of the new leather interior smell.

vettebuyer6369

SB64

They do work but when I had my detail shop besides the extractor machine which I still have for smoker cars we used a product called big D . Spray it into the vents and turn on the heat or AC. Quickly, take a few of the dryer bounce type sheets and lay them under the seats and close up the windows and let them set for a few days the more the better, depending on how strong the odor.
RVZIO.

doorgunner

On my '68 basketcase I removed the kick panels/vent doors/heater box/etc. THEN I removed 1 gallon of leaves, pine needles/moss/acorns/pecans/etc. from EACH air passage. Then I wiped all the passageways with a Clorox/water solution and let a portable fan blow under the dash for a couple days,

THEN.....now that the dash/kick panel passages smelled new....I could easily smell the mold under the carpet

The13Bats

ozone generator,
my wife bought one, I cant say I dig the smell it puts out close to it, but in a room or car they seem to kill anything...

Lakeside49

I replaced my carpet and jute backing (and disinfected the floor pan as Doorgunner recommended); and,I recovered the seats with new cushions. This eliminated at least 85% if not 90% of the old car smell. Mine are glass, but your fabric t-top liners should be shot with non-staining disinfectant (Lysol aerosol).
I know that when I posted this before a Coyle of our C3 brethren -hood said that they liked the old car smell. Jay Leno said he liked it, too. But, I only bought my car to make me feel like 22 yrs. old again - not as an investment (though, it definitely is), or a garage toy. And, they didn't smell old in my vivid memory of them. I like to drive it with my wife and a heavy old car smell isn't for me on this particular car. And, my clothes started smelling like it. Personal problem now solved which is a pride-point for me.

Priya

My eagle smelled gross when I got it. During the course of restoration I cleaned the interior and replaced the carpet and that totally eliminated the terrible smell. It even had a "new car smell" for a couple of years after that.

TheFixer

I used a car bomb. I think I got it from Auto zone. It worked OK. I most of the musty snell out.

Proton_ita

I'll try for sure, thanks!

REELAV8R

For the Ozone generator to work you have to first get rid of the source of the smell. If it's due to damp leaves or wet moldy carpet it will not solve your problem.
That being said I also own a ozone generator and it works excellent.
Do some reading on how to use it though. The O3 is corrosive to electronic devices and wiring, actually an oxidizer, so you can't just leave it on for 24 hours or anything like that.

terry82

I haved used charcoal biscuits.the same thing for your grill .put the biscuits in a open container on the floor boards shut the door ,check back in a day or two.

vettebuyer6369

All true.

tpfarm

Old used car salesman trick, cut up an apple and put it somewhere in the car , it will absorb the odor.

7T1vette

If you have mold in the soft parts in the interior (carpet, underlayment padding, seat covers, seat foam, etc) I don't think you can solve that with any 'smell-good' technique. You have to get rid of the mold. Generally, that means replacing the soft components that are moldy. Hard parts (firm plastic, metal) can be cleaned with diluted bleach solution. But not the soft stuff.

ENCSDOUG

My wife keeps a box of baking soda in the fridge. Wonder if it will work in the car?

mikem350

Need to spread it out, like on a cookie tray (for more surface area).

Or, like for carpet cleaners, sprinkle on the carpet, wait, then vacuum.

80-Vette

I heard charcoal briquettes absorbs odors. I have not ever tried it but it would be an inexpensive experiment.

7T1vette

"Deodorant" can only do so much. Once the air clears, it will just get musty smelling again, if the car is moldy.