Bad day of moving--somehow laundry detergent managed to leak onto the trunk floor. I've been trying to wet the area and dab it out, but this isn't working well. The area affected is also turning blue . Any tips on how to get this crap out?

FS

 

Add lots of water, stir and suck out with a shop vac? I'm not trying to be funny. This is the only way I can think of.

 

That **** is like goo. That's the worst is when you spill cleaner of any kind in the car. I had a similar incident when I was going to class one day and i was trying to figure out why outside smelled so pine-fresh. After about 5 miles I realized that after a spirited turn a bottle of surface cleaner emptied onto the mat and floor behind my seat.

Anyhow, use a towel soaked in water to displace the saturated upholstry followed by a dry towel to sop it up. Wash, rinse, repeat, you're gonna be there a while.

 

Nothing else I moved leaked. Why couldn't the designers of this stupid bottle double check it? I hate a poorly designed package...

FS

 

I actually have a similar problem... i was at dunkin doughnuts, but i was buying two strawberry coolata's and their too big for the cup holder so i put it down on the floor mat in front of the passenger seat... well this old grandmother waits right until i pass her to come out so i slammed on my breaks and it spills all over the mat? anyone know how to get this out, i tried cleaning it with water and sun drying it, but i can still smell strawberry....

 

is it on the floor mat/rug or is it on the floor itself?

This is wear you would benefit from using detergent. Oh how ironic. What I would do is fill a bath tub about a fourth or halfway with cold or warm water and your typical dose of tide or whatever. Let it soak for sometime, work in the water/soap solution into the material with your fingertips, using any type of brush will help wear out the fabric...although...it is what we put our feet upon on a daily basis. Or instead of mixing the detergent in the water just apply it directly to the soiled areas...OR...just toss the ****** in the washing machine, collect some rugs or mats that you have in the house and call it be done with it.

 

Fill it with water, put a load of laundry in and drive fast with a lot of turns and quick starts and stops. May as well get some use out of it!!!
Seriously, though the suggestion above to add water and use a shop vac is probably the way to go. Will have to do it a bunch of times to get it all out and be prepared for lots of suds in the shop vac.

 

the floor mat is easily cleaned! spray the hell out of it with the garden hose, if there is still smell/residue spray on an all-purpose cleaner like fantastik and rub it in with your fingers, spray the hell out of it again til all the cleaner is gone. Repeat as necessary. Dry somewhere with good ventilation but not in direct sun (unless you want to run the risk of it fading).

The trunk issue, get a steam cleaner with the hose attachment (you may have to buy one) and go over it with just clear water, let it dry, then go over it again. You may be at this for weeks before you actually get it all out. I wouldn't recommend leaving it wet in there at all, so be very vigorous with the getting the water out. You may want to even look at removing the carpet and doing the above with the hose.

Good luck to both of you!

 

Soak and change out your daily laundry for one whole month.

 

So, anyone know how to take out the carpet of the trunk floor?

FS

 

I don't know if this helps, but the top liner of the trunk is held on with those little plastic screws. Had to take it off when I did my 3rd brake light mod ... it was super easy. You may want to look around in there with a flashlight and see if it's the same on the bottom too.

 

I second the steam-clean option. That stuff is super-sudsy, and really, only a copious amount of warm/hot water will get the stuff out. Don't let it sit there wet!

One thing that I hear works wonders is something like a super adsorbing sports jersey - the kind that pulls water off your skin - it'll pull the moisture out of the detergent. You're left with something that is still laundry fresh, but at least it'll be dry.

 

Auto wash has those vaccums. Bring a bucket and keep wetting it and vaccuming.

 

I'd rather have spilled detergent in my trunk than have done what I did. I had a quart of oil stored in my trunk and the cap popped off. It soaked everything. It's one month later and i can still smell oil when I open it.

 

Ouch! I store my oil in the pass-thru pocket in a ziploc bag (just in case).

 

Whenever we spill detergents (and these are some really nasty ones like SDS) in the lab, we just use an ethanol spray bottle to clean it up. If you can lay your hands on a few liters of cheap grain alcohol, that will keep the suds down while cleaning it out. Then follow up with water.

 

If you go with the "remove the mat and clean it" method, be careful taking out the little plastic push clips. If you brake them the dealer will charge you three bucks a piece for them. Been there, got the f'n t-shirt.

 

I'm assuming you're talking about the little plastic screws in the trunk? At first I thought you were referring to the little hook on the driver's side floor mat.

wow, those stupid little things are $3 apiece? What a ripoff!!! Wonder if you can get generic ones at Napa or sumpin.

 

Dunno. It was during my "water in the tail light" phase when i was trying to fish some of the water out of my $30,000 rolling fish bowl. Ah... the memories. I was in a hurry and I just wanted to fix what I broke.

Oh yeah, and the next day, more water. took it in to have it fixed under warranty the next day.

 

I had a nasty little mishap......A buddy called me in the middle of the night tellin me he ran out of gas. Oddly enough, I was thrilled to have an excuse to go out for a drive. SUPERFRIEND TO THE RESCUSE....TO THE 8-MOBILE!!! While at the petrol-station there were a handful of unsavory looking chaps smoking a doobie. I neglected to apprehend these individuals, including the station-custodian who was partcipating in the blow, in favor to hurrying to the aid of my stuck chum. I fill a small can rest it on the floor, and ZOOM I go. A few spirited turns later, the smell of a noxious substance radiates my nostrils. Agahst, my visual spectral analysis followed the fumes to their origination. THE FLOOR WAS DRENCHED IN JETFUEL!! and along with the floormat.....my bible How do I explain this one to the All Mighty?

I tried even washing my bible. That didn't work so well, and even soaking in warm water and dawn and sun-drying. After 4 weeks of letting it set outside, I finally came to terms with the situation, and tossed out my bible...after 10 years of ownership...

 

As the designated "grocery getter" in the family, this is exactly why I bought a Cargo Tray for the trunk. It's paid off a couple of times when milk has leaked out. Yuck. I simply wiped it out and was done. No milk in the carpet.

 

Wow. And you all laughed at me for getting Teflon put on everywhere.

I had a bunch of stuff to take out of my car when I got home from work and when I was leaning back in to get my key out of the cupholder I dropped my coffee cup on the floor mats of hte driver's side. It also splashed over the rest of the carpeting since the lid popped off. It just sat there "floating" on the carpet. I got some paper towels to suck it up no problem. No stains and no smells.

 

You could spill coffee on any Senator in Washington and get the same result.

 

ooooh politics!! against forum rules ... you're banned!!!

*BAN HIM*

 

I'd think the steamer would be the best bet. Around here you can rent them from the grocery stores. Or you used to, I haven't paid close attention to what they carry for a while now.