Ammonia Smell

[Gerald C.]

I'm looking at a car that has a very strong "ammonia" smell in the car. It has no rugs, no door panels to hold that smell.

I'm not concerned how the smell got there, but how do I get rid of it if I buy the car???

Some folks tell me that a cat visited the area, but.....

Thanks for your help,

Jerry

[Joel T.]

Re: Ammonia Smell

Gerry,

Could be a cat or something may be freshly dead in there somewhere.

Joel

[Michael D.]

Re: Ammonia Smell

Change the cat box.

[Keith L.]

Re: Ammonia Smell

I would call a pet store and ask how to get rid of the odor weather if it originated from a cat or not. Just tell them it did and what should you use. If it will get the cat pizz smell out it will probably take care of it. Hard to figure what is holding the odor without carpet and such. Maybe it has been absorbed by the fiberglass floor pans.
Good luck and don't let a cat near it as he will try to cover with his sent?

[Chuck W.]

Re: Ammonia Smell

There is a product called "Nature's Miracle" thast is basically an active enzyme that will eliminate most pet odors is applied several times. It can be found at most pet stores. I would spray exerything down and let the enzyme work for at least 24 hours, then scrub the entire interior with a strong detergent then repeat the enzyme treatment and scrub again after 48 hours or more.

If the odor is from an animal it should eliminate it.

[Michael M.]

Re: Ammonia Smell

Are you sure the smell is from a animal. Maybe the previous owner had trouble with animals and put moth-balls in the car. Moth-balls have a strong smell like ammonia.

[Christopher R.]

Re: Ammonia Smell

Fabreze is supposed to treat this condition too. But pet stores probably have better stuff.

[Edward J.]

Re: Ammonia Smell

I'm looking at a car that has a very strong "ammonia" smell in the car. It has no rugs, no door panels to hold that smell.

I'm not concerned how the smell got there, but how do I get rid of it if I buy the car???

Some folks tell me that a cat visited the area, but.....

Thanks for your help,

Jerry

Jerry, look into the foam in the seats maybe something crawled under one of the seats and made a home.

[Jim R.]

Re: Ammonia Smell

That sounds like moth balls to me also.

[Gerald C.]

Re: Ammonia Smell

Thanks everyone for some great solutions. Maybe I can use the smell as a negotiating tool!

Jerry

[Gary B.]

Re: Ammonia Smell

Could it be from Flood damage? That is why the carpet was taken out?

[Michael F.]

Re: Ammonia Smell

Change the cat box.

In my 15+ yrs in the detail business. Cat urine is the one thing I couldn't ever get out.

Ever seen the Seinfeld episode with the body funk tainted BMW? Couldn't sell it. Even the theives wouldn't take it. Similar issue.

[Joe R.]

Re: Ammonia Smell

Could it be from Flood damage? That is why the carpet was taken out?

BINGO!!!! I think we have a winnner!!!!

JR

[Joel T.]

Re: Ammonia Smell

Was the car left outside for an extended period of time?? My kid brother left a car at my place, outside, for a number of months, and members of the rodent clan moved in... They set up housekeeping in the climate control system and left many many little calling cards in there... the ammonia small was terrible and when you turned on the system, "stuff" flew out of the air ducts...

My brother complained about this turn of events to which I reminded him that storage and associated mouse poop did not cost him a dime, and had he spend a few bucks to store the car properly, all this would not have happened!

Bottom line, if the car has been outside for some time, you may want to take the heater out and see what is in there.....

Joel

[Paul J.]

Re: Ammonia Smell

Jerry, products like Nature's Miracle work very well if the problem is from a cat. However, you need to find the offending area and address it. Is it the seats? Is it the firewall insulation? Is it in the heater box? If it's as bad as you say it is, then there will always be some remnant of the odor, even after you've treated or replaced the parts which are contaminated.

You might want to keep this in mind in your negotiations.

Paul