Mouse Stink-HELP
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 117
Likes: 0
From: Michigan
Mouse Stink-HELP
When I uncovered my 2001 car this spring I discovered a mouse nest in the left front cowl area deep under the cowl and another in the area around the trunk hinge on the right side.
I was able to dig out the nest in the cowl and the other one was no big deal to get out. But now my little beauty stinks..a lot. Smells like it is coming through the heater ducts.
My first question is where in the heck does the air come into the heater/ac system?
I was thinking maybe I could use a flexible hose with a lot of air and snake it through the duct work and hopefully blow out anything left behind. I'm guessing there is a pile of poop or some nest material left in there someplace.
Second question, any ideas other than taking the entire dash out and washing all the ducts? I really don't want to do that.
I was able to dig out the nest in the cowl and the other one was no big deal to get out. But now my little beauty stinks..a lot. Smells like it is coming through the heater ducts.
My first question is where in the heck does the air come into the heater/ac system?
I was thinking maybe I could use a flexible hose with a lot of air and snake it through the duct work and hopefully blow out anything left behind. I'm guessing there is a pile of poop or some nest material left in there someplace.
Second question, any ideas other than taking the entire dash out and washing all the ducts? I really don't want to do that.
Race Director
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 15,765
Likes: 3,282
From: Phoenix area, AZ
Administrator
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 368,360
Likes: 24,785
From: In a parallel universe. Currently own 2014 Stingray Coupe.
C7 of the Year - Modified Finalist 2021
MO Events Coordinator
St. Jude Co-Organizer
St. Jude Donor '03 thru '26
NCM Sinkhole Donor
CI 5, 8 & 11 Veteran
I think I would take it first to a pro detailer and see what they think. If there is a dead critter in there, you'll need to take things apart until you find the source of the odor. Best of luck getting it back to flowery fresh.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 1,172
Likes: 71
From: MA
For the future mothballs are your friend when storing cars. I take an old T-shirt and cut it up into cloth pouches. I include about 5 ***** in each pouch. I put multiple pouches around the engine and inside the car. I also put 1 moth ball in each exhaust tailpipe. The car stinks of mothballs when I uncover it in the spring but I don't have them nesting in my car!
Safety Car
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 4,260
Likes: 429
From: Houston TX
I would go through the car completely to make sure no remains are left. After you are certain, take out the seats and whatever else you can get out and steam clean everything. You may also want to use some type of hvac cleaner through the vents.
I have never tried this product, but I trust products that detailers domain carries.
https://www.detailersdomain.com/1Z-e...ETU_p_813.html
I have never tried this product, but I trust products that detailers domain carries.
https://www.detailersdomain.com/1Z-e...ETU_p_813.html
Race Director
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 11,334
Likes: 136
From: Out of Site...Out of Mind. Corvette: anything else is just transportation.
St. Jude Donor '09 thru '20
You need to go to your area Animal Shelter and adopt a couple of Kittah's. That'll take care of your mouse problem.
Team Owner
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 36,836
Likes: 244
From: Dear Karma, I have a list of people you missed.
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16
Drop the trim panel on the right side under the glove box and remove the HVAC blower motor. Remove dead mouse and nest material from either the blower wheel, or the cavity inside the HVAC housing where it lives, or both.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 3,021
Likes: 133
From: Conejo Valley CA
Yep.... this is sound advice. Until I was able to garage my car, I had to do this and found that C5's make great habitats. When I pulled my blower motor, there was no carcass but lots of seeds and nesting debris.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Team Owner
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 36,836
Likes: 244
From: Dear Karma, I have a list of people you missed.
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 117
Likes: 0
From: Michigan
Thank you gentlemen, and here I was wondering what I was going to do tomorrow. I think I will start with the blower motor.
The smell is bad but I am sure glad the little critters didn't chew any wires (at least that I have found yet).
Thanks again.
The smell is bad but I am sure glad the little critters didn't chew any wires (at least that I have found yet).
Thanks again.