Dead Mouse smell
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 277
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From: Portsmouth NH
Dead Mouse smell
Has anyone ever had a mouse die in their Vette? I have '94 vert and the other day I went in it to take a ride and the oder of a dead mouse permeanted the interior. I looked everywhere and I can't find that sucker. Anyone have any ideas how I can get rid of that smell? Or do I just wait till he decays until there is no oder. I am wondering if I put some strong air freshners in the car if that would help. All suggestions appreciated.
Advanced
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 69
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From: Houston TX
Unfortunately, airfresheners don't really help... you can still smell the carcass beneath the vanilla or pine scent. 
Getting rid of the carcass and then parking it outdoors/opened up for a couple days is the only good way ... waiting for it to decompose away could take a couple months! ... especially in cold/cool weather.
Getting rid of the carcass and then parking it outdoors/opened up for a couple days is the only good way ... waiting for it to decompose away could take a couple months! ... especially in cold/cool weather.
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 17,551
Likes: 26
From: El Paso Texas
Won't work. Dead mice aren't much fun to play with.
In all likelihood, the dead critter is somewhere in the HVAC ducting. And removing the carcass will be the only way to rid the car of the odor.
My mom had a Geo Tracker back in the 90's. A mouse got into the A/C blower fan and expired. Before he drew his final breath, he had managed to chew through the plastic "squirrel cage" fan housing. She turned the A/C on one day, it made several thuds followed by a gruesome odor.
I got a used motor at the boneyard and proceeded to tear it down. An hour later, the motor was loose. When I pulled it out, I found the bloated remains, and the smell hit me like a freight train and I damn near chucked.
I washed out the housing with Clorox Clean Up and put it back together. NOT a pleasant job. I came close to losing my lunch about twice, and I'm not usually squeamish.
I feel for you. Happy hunting.
In all likelihood, the dead critter is somewhere in the HVAC ducting. And removing the carcass will be the only way to rid the car of the odor.
My mom had a Geo Tracker back in the 90's. A mouse got into the A/C blower fan and expired. Before he drew his final breath, he had managed to chew through the plastic "squirrel cage" fan housing. She turned the A/C on one day, it made several thuds followed by a gruesome odor.
I got a used motor at the boneyard and proceeded to tear it down. An hour later, the motor was loose. When I pulled it out, I found the bloated remains, and the smell hit me like a freight train and I damn near chucked.
I washed out the housing with Clorox Clean Up and put it back together. NOT a pleasant job. I came close to losing my lunch about twice, and I'm not usually squeamish.
I feel for you. Happy hunting.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 6,314
Likes: 508
From: South-central Missouri
BTDT...twice!
I dunno 'bout the cat, but my pooch helped me out the last time it happened to me.
It was hard to tell where it was coming from, so to sorta neutralize the smell on the surfaces of the interior, I wiped down the seats and the hard surfaces with the usual cleaning products one uses on leather, etc, and let the car air out for several hours. Then I invited my pooch to come over and have a sniff around.
It didn't take but a minute and she assumed "the look" and began searching in earnest. She found the sucker tucked in a small hole in the carpet where the seat rail attached under the passenger's side. I was very happy her nose did NOT point to the HVAC!
You have a pooch? I got lucky, and mebby you can too!
P.
It was hard to tell where it was coming from, so to sorta neutralize the smell on the surfaces of the interior, I wiped down the seats and the hard surfaces with the usual cleaning products one uses on leather, etc, and let the car air out for several hours. Then I invited my pooch to come over and have a sniff around.
It didn't take but a minute and she assumed "the look" and began searching in earnest. She found the sucker tucked in a small hole in the carpet where the seat rail attached under the passenger's side. I was very happy her nose did NOT point to the HVAC!
You have a pooch? I got lucky, and mebby you can too!
P.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 277
Likes: 0
From: Portsmouth NH
Just a couple of comments on the replies I have received so far to my mouse smell problem and I thank all of you who took the time to give me advice.The smell is not coming from the HVAC. It is very strong towards the back of the car. I have looked in the little compartments in the back and found nothing. I have felt the rug all over in the back and found nothing. I have searhed in between the convertible top and the inside lining and found nothing. The smell is really strong just behind the drivers seat in the back compartment but I will be damed if I can find that sucker.
I don't have cat and I don't have a dog so I guess I am out of luck with those remidies.
Thanks for the suggestion on the bowl of vinergar. Not sure how that will work but I will try anything at this point. The only light at the end of the tunnel is where I live I will be putting the car in storage for the winter so I won't be driving it soon. I guess I can only hope that when I take it out of the storage in late April maybe the smell will be gone. Do you think it will???
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From: Somewhere in Mo
St. Jude Donor '09-'10, '14
Won't work. Dead mice aren't much fun to play with.
In all likelihood, the dead critter is somewhere in the HVAC ducting. And removing the carcass will be the only way to rid the car of the odor.
My mom had a Geo Tracker back in the 90's. A mouse got into the A/C blower fan and expired. Before he drew his final breath, he had managed to chew through the plastic "squirrel cage" fan housing. She turned the A/C on one day, it made several thuds followed by a gruesome odor.
I got a used motor at the boneyard and proceeded to tear it down. An hour later, the motor was loose. When I pulled it out, I found the bloated remains, and the smell hit me like a freight train and I damn near chucked.
I washed out the housing with Clorox Clean Up and put it back together. NOT a pleasant job. I came close to losing my lunch about twice, and I'm not usually squeamish.
I feel for you. Happy hunting.
In all likelihood, the dead critter is somewhere in the HVAC ducting. And removing the carcass will be the only way to rid the car of the odor.
My mom had a Geo Tracker back in the 90's. A mouse got into the A/C blower fan and expired. Before he drew his final breath, he had managed to chew through the plastic "squirrel cage" fan housing. She turned the A/C on one day, it made several thuds followed by a gruesome odor.
I got a used motor at the boneyard and proceeded to tear it down. An hour later, the motor was loose. When I pulled it out, I found the bloated remains, and the smell hit me like a freight train and I damn near chucked.
I washed out the housing with Clorox Clean Up and put it back together. NOT a pleasant job. I came close to losing my lunch about twice, and I'm not usually squeamish.
I feel for you. Happy hunting.
Pro
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 589
Likes: 1
From: PA
You're going to have to taking things apart such as door panels, console, dash and what not to find him (or her).
Once you do find him and that smell leaves you'll have a pizz smell. He didn't just come inside your car and die. He's been in there living for quite some time I bet. I'll also bet you'll find nests in the doors, under the console, behind the dash and in the heater/AC ducts. Maybe you won't find this, maybe he did just come in looking for a place to die???
I should have taken pictures of the nests we found in my sons 77, yikes! We took everything out of his interior. We had to replace the carpets anyhow and restore gauges and what not. His car sat for a year without anything inside, just the wires hanging. It took 6 months or more for the stink to leave (after cleaning and constanly spraying Fa Breeze in there). His 77 sat for 9 years prior to him buying it, so the mice had a pretty large hotel inside.
Once you do find him and that smell leaves you'll have a pizz smell. He didn't just come inside your car and die. He's been in there living for quite some time I bet. I'll also bet you'll find nests in the doors, under the console, behind the dash and in the heater/AC ducts. Maybe you won't find this, maybe he did just come in looking for a place to die???
I should have taken pictures of the nests we found in my sons 77, yikes! We took everything out of his interior. We had to replace the carpets anyhow and restore gauges and what not. His car sat for a year without anything inside, just the wires hanging. It took 6 months or more for the stink to leave (after cleaning and constanly spraying Fa Breeze in there). His 77 sat for 9 years prior to him buying it, so the mice had a pretty large hotel inside.
Last edited by 65747785; Oct 29, 2009 at 12:34 PM.
Advanced
Joined: May 2003
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I have been placing one of those scented laundry fabric softeners in the engine compartment every fall through spring. The ones that I use are made by "Bounce". I also place one in the engine area of my riding mower -- so far so good. Make sure you use the scented type not the plain ones. I have heard that the little critters just don't like that smell. Good luck. '94torchred
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Eat lots of refried beans and fight it
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2000
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From: El Paso Texas
Beg to differ. I've smelled many decomposing creatures in my life....and mice smell quite vile when they are succumbing to the process of natural decomposition.....particularly if it concentrates in a confined area.
Yes, the **** smell is left behind too....but the off-gassing of a dead body is unmistakable.
Yes, the **** smell is left behind too....but the off-gassing of a dead body is unmistakable.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2004
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Beg to differ. I've smelled many decomposing creatures in my life....and mice smell quite vile when they are succumbing to the process of natural decomposition.....particularly if it concentrates in a confined area.
Yes, the **** smell is left behind too....but the off-gassing of a dead body is unmistakable.
Yes, the **** smell is left behind too....but the off-gassing of a dead body is unmistakable.
Consider how many home in the US would smell given the MILLIONS of mice that die every year in the walls and in every corner of peoples homes. Truth is they don't smell.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 277
Likes: 0
From: Portsmouth NH
Actually, they don't. I've had this discussion with a number of pest exterminators and the overall view is that the bodies are too small to cause the smell that they are associated with (again, it's the ****).
Consider how many home in the US would smell given the MILLIONS of mice that die every year in the walls and in every corner of peoples homes. Truth is they don't smell.
Consider how many home in the US would smell given the MILLIONS of mice that die every year in the walls and in every corner of peoples homes. Truth is they don't smell.
I don.t agree. I have found dead mice and they have a smell all of their own and once you smell you will always know what that smell is. I can send you the body when and if I find it to prove my point if you want,
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 214
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From: brighton mi
I hate mice
I had this same thing in my 93 vert when I bought it. But I think I had a family of mice living in it. I had to completely disassemble the interior, carpet, padding and dash all the way to the fire wall.
what the mice did was to get under the carpet in the very back wall of the vert storage. Once there, they would chew up the carpet padding and take it to the dash area and made a nest.
Another place they made a nest was inside the center oncole under the gear shifter.
Anyway, pull out the carpet in the rear compartment and see what you find. You would be amazed how much room there is behind the carpet for these pests to roam around.
Good luck.
what the mice did was to get under the carpet in the very back wall of the vert storage. Once there, they would chew up the carpet padding and take it to the dash area and made a nest.
Another place they made a nest was inside the center oncole under the gear shifter.
Anyway, pull out the carpet in the rear compartment and see what you find. You would be amazed how much room there is behind the carpet for these pests to roam around.
Good luck.
Team Owner
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 23,218
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From: San Antonio Texas
That's funny.....Dead mouse, not so funny...
I got rid of cat **** smell by misting peroxide with a windex type squirter. I think it would neutralize mouse pee too if you could just locate where the dern thing is/or was. The dryer sheets thing really works too for keeping varmints away. Used that trick while camping and got NO skeeter or chigger bites!