I get kind of a musty smell from my TL any time i open the door, its not unbearable or anything but its just the fact that its there that bothers me, my best idea from where its coming from is from the sweat that stays on the seats from playin football or sumtin, but i'm not so sure...i smaller carpet mats on top of the stock ones and it maybe that theres some of the water may have been left in them from when they were washed, but i'm not so sure about it, it also smells like its stronger whenever i leave my car out in the sun

any ideas / help would be appreciated

 

Hey,

I will highly recommend washing/cleaning your interior...get some 303 products, do the dashboard and of course clean and recondition the leather...

Check out the carpet as well, and finally you can always use deodorizers.
Last by not least, take a shower, lol

When I play ball, and I'm sweaty, I either wait till I get dry, or use a large towel to cover the entire seat. (same procedure after the beach)

 

I suggest something like this:
http://estore.websitepros.com/1994309/Detail.bok?no=1

 

i bet one of your friends PROBABLY spilled a little bit of coffee or milk tea on one of your carpets.

I had a similar smell and couldnt quite figure it out. Mentioned it to my gf a week later and she kind of "sort of" forgot to tell me that she had dropped some coffee on the mats one of the days she borrowed the car.

so yea, if you havent done so recently go clean your insides...or get it detailed or w/e

 

I had the musty smell when I turned on my A/C, but not opening the door.

Have you changed your in cabin air filter? it's behind the glove box, search on here for a ''how to''

However, since that wasn't the solution for mine, I used a cleaner solution you insert in the air intake under the hood/wipers.

http://www.autogeek.net/1z-einszett-...freshener.html

seems to have worked..I haven't noticed that smell one bit since I did that. I used the whole bottle just to be sure.

 

I have been getting a slight smell and the cabin filter is not the issue. Just ordered a bottle of it and I am sure it will do the trick. Thanks for the link man

 

ok well i wiped everything in the car with alcohol and let the mats sit out in the sun for a while, i didn't put the aftermarket mats in just left the stock ones there, like i said i wiped everything down w/ alcohol and dried it (worked soo many wonders w/ the windows inside and out) and i vaccumed everything...not as bad / noticeable as before but maybe its because a lil bit of the alcohol left a scent i'm thinkin about shampooing the carpets in a few days

 

alcohol might dry or crack plastics or interior so don't use it a lot.

 

ohh nahh i wiped it off right after i wiped surfaces across with a paper towel dampened with it

 

I'm ordering that stuff too, i get a musty smell and it drives me nuts! the leatherique helped tho.

 

Only thing I question is if it gets gid of organic and non-organic smells. Organic being something like milk let behind and non being like cigarette smoke/fumes and such.

 

hell I hope so, I ordered it already!

 

i'd say while you're doing a full cleaning of ur vehicle, change out your cabin air filters; they tend to be a culprit of a musty smell when they get dirty. It's a pretty easy DIY; just take ur glove box out, get to the panel, and replace the filter

 

I did that though, made it better but not great. and yes, I used the rockauto ATP activated carbon filter.

 

I will have to give this AC cleaner a try, mine has some lingering must. FWIW I change my cabin filter every year which is approx 20,000km of driving.
You guys put this down the center vent?

 

idk....i want to assume that its the cabin air filter, but i drive with my windows down for most of the time, and a rarely run the AC....so i'm not so sure

 

Anyone have any success with this Auto Vaccine?

 

Just used it this weekend, it left a slight chlorinated odor for a few hours. After that the car smelled fresh and had no odors. I also changed the cabin filter at the same time. It does take some time to do it......about 6hrs. You'll also need to run the air for about 30-45 minutes for the fumigation to go through the circulation ducts.

I bought 3 so I'm gonna start doing this every 6 months

 

Will this not damage the plastics in the car?

 

This is from their FAQ page:

Q. When Auto Vaccine is working it smells like chlorine or bleach. Is Chlorine Dioxide another name for these products?

A. No, chlorine dioxide is not chlorine or bleach, it is a chemical compound made up of one part chlorine and two parts oxygen (the formula ClO2.) While chlorine dioxide does have that same "clean" or "crisp" smell that bleach and chlorine have (all are oxidant's which means that they oxidizes the cell wall of a pathogen for kill) ClO2 is far more powerful and safer for you and the environment. ClO2 is more effective against odor causing agents and, equally important, ClO2 does not produce carcinoengic byproducts such as THM’s (e.g. chloroform), as chlorine and bleach do. ClO2 breaks down to salt & water, which is why, in lesser quantities; it can be safely used to purify drinking water.



Q. Can I use this product to clean the smell out of my house?
A. Auto Vaccine uses ClO2 under very heavy load conditions and should not be used in any other application. Auto Vaccine should only be used as directed on the label.

Q. Why is this product more effective than other odor destroying products?
A. First, most products merely cover up odors. Other, somewhat more effective products are surfactants (detergents) that eliminate a few bacteria but have little or no effect on a wide range of bacteria, and certainly not on viruses. Don't be fooled when a product says it kills 99% of all bacteria. We know it is hard to believe, but that is not very effective, as bacteria live in colonies that range in the order of millions. Auto Vaccine is an EPA approved broad-spectrum biocide. That means that it can safely and effectively be used to destroy or eliminate viruses, fungi, mold, mildew, and spores as well as control and inhibit the growth of bacteria which cause odor. Our product eliminates up to 99.9999%. This is what really makes the difference.


Q. Will the leftover chlorine smell go away?
A. Yes, chlorine dioxide breaks down when it goes after the "bad guys", then air and light will rapidly decompose anything that remains. Chlorine dioxide wafts in the air but only for a very short time and only in an enclosed space.

Q. What should I know about safely using, handling, and disposing of Auto Vaccine?
A. When used as directed, Auto Vaccine is very safe. However, because ClO2 is an oxidant, like bleach, spilling the liquid onto cloth or carpet will cause discoloration. Auto Vaccine is designed to be applied when the car is not in use. The doors should be shut and the auto left empty for the specified length of time. Because a strong chlorine-like smell can linger in the Auto Vaccine pouch, it is recommended that the used cup with pouch inside & top snaped back on, are disposed in an outside waste container.

Q. What other uses or applications are there for ClO2?
A. OdorSCIENCE distributes brand names such as "Auto Vaccine", “Scent Strike", "Locker ShockerHunters’ DeScenting Products", OdorSCIENCE Oral Hygiene 2-Part Mouth Rinse, Toothpaste, Body Wash & First Responder Skin Protecterant.

Q. What is the difference between Odor Science’s products and other chlorine dioxide products? A. Very simple. There are no competitors. There are some reputable manufacturers and marketers who do use the 2-part system for oral hygiene, but too many have loosely played with the word chlorine dioxide for air and surface disinfection/sanitizing/deodorizing. They unfortunately are releasing misinformation & only diminishing the understanding of chlorine dioxide’s true effectiveness and benefits. OdorSCIENCE products are 2-part technologies that generate real chlorine dioxide on-site for use in the air and on surfaces to control & inhibit BACTERIA, MOLD, MILDEW, & CHEMICAL.



Stabilized Chlorine Dioxide vs. Chlorine Dioxide. Beware of imposters!



There is little or no chlorine dioxide in the stabilized chlorine dioxide compound. Stabilized chlorine dioxide products are prepared by buffering sodium chlorite with carbonate or phosphate and hydrogen peroxide. This stabilizes the chlorite, not chlorine dioxide. Stabilized chlorite is not the same as chlorine dioxide, and does not have the same oxidizing properties. The oxidizing action of chlorite is much lower, and making it far less useful. Another main difference between the two compounds is that chlorine dioxide is a gas, and sodium chlorite is a salt.



To make active chlorine dioxide, an acid is mixed with chlorite, which slowly releases the gas. The gas is then captured in a liquid solution, gel or released into the air. This reaction normally requires high acidity (low pH). We however have gathered patented methods of speeding the release of chlorine dioxide at mild acidity (closer to neutral pH). Many, many applications are now possible for human health and deodorization.



The manufacturers of stabilized chlorine dioxide products try to capitalize on the beneficial properties of chlorine dioxide. The misleading stabilized chlorine dioxide phrase has become popular by effective marketing. Be Aware!

 

I too just found a musty smell in my 03. I have a nose like a lab so it bothers me something terrible. I thought it was the AC but I traced it back to below the left rear rocker panel. Lord knows whats back there but i've traced water staines on the metal and rust on one of the trim clips. TOmorrow i'm going to scope the access holes with a fiber obtic tool to see if there is any decay, but for now it smells awfull (like something died). It gets worse after every rain and better after it doesn't rain for a few days. I originally found the oder coming from the drivers seat belt pillar and it lead me to the rocker panel.

My point; its not always the AC, although most-likly it is. Sniff around. You may look stupid doing it, but you'll be surprised what you find.

 

Thats what she said