Car smells like fish are more rampant than you believed; the issue doesn’t make a big deal for most seafood lovers or fishermen who often cope with the issue.
Yet, some normal drivers still feel unpleasant working with the smell of fish in cars. And it is not an easy matter for anyone.
Fishy odors could make you vomit or nauseous, so you definitely want to remove them with all haste. This also explains our presence today.
We really want to share our practical tips to address the predicament. What are you waiting for? Let’s follow us now!
Why Does My Car Smells Like Fish?
The issue of rotten fish smell in cars can come from various sources inside your vehicle. In particular, it could be the smell from your pet or your food, a dead (animal) carcass accidentally left in your engine, or leaking antifreeze is also the cause of the problem.
Fishy Smell In Your Car
The odor might stem from leftover food that has gone mildew. In addition, if your car still has junk food wrappers, cups, or bags, it’s not very difficult to understand why fish smell in car.
If somebody has been ordering seafood or fishing lately that dropped something on the car floor mats and left some stains, that might indeed be the reason.
Fishy Smell When Your Heater Engine Is On
Antifreeze might smell fishy, which can leak the bad smell into your vehicle via the heating system. It could be a leak in the radiator’s heater with its fishy odor.
Then the stench would be getting pushed out via the blower.
This leak can stem from a couple of causes. It might range from a bad hose to a loose clamp. The best conclusion is to ask for visual checks from a mechanic.
He will give you some advice clearly about what is wrong with your car.
There will be times when your car smells antifreeze but there is no leak at all. In this case, you’d better turn to the help of a mechanic for a thorough checkup.
The Car Smells Like Dead Fish
The foul odor might be starting from a certain dead animal indifferently left in the blower engine. This creature could have tried to look for warmth and shelter at night in your vehicle, then was unlucky to be eliminated as the motor turned on.
Bad odors can cause bad driving, so try to get rid of the disgusting smell to ensure your safety and health.
How To Get Rid Of Fish Smell From Car
To eliminate the rotten smell of your vehicle, we can try four key methods: air out the automobile, use soapy water, use vinegar and baking soda, and clean the carpets.
Air Out The Car
The first approach you should consider is to let the air inside your vehicle out. Scroll all the windows down and allow the stench to go with the wind.
It’s better to choose a blowy day to undertake this method for the best result.
Additionally, you can attempt to open all these windows and drive down along the freeway. This step will permit the fresh air to travel through the automobile quickly.
If you intend to remove the bad smell as soon as possible, this method will be a quick option to help you go through with the work.
Certainly, if the source of this smell onto the car floor mats, the way is not a great help. For this case, you need some means that can cut the root of this odor.
Rub with Soapy Water
Just like when your car AC smells like pee, using soapy water also takes out some intense fishy smells.
To completely kiss goodbye to the unpleasant note, you have to discover where its key source is as quickly as you can, and then fire away!
All you need for this way is warm water dish soap, a (gentle) brush or old rag, and a towel.
First, let’s mix the water and dish soap together until it begins to bubble up. After that, drop the brush (or the rag) into the soap and water mixture.
Then take it out and rub the stain on your car mats gently but firmly enough. Otherwise, it might accidentally damage the carpet when you rub it too hard or utilize a harder-bristles brush.
Instead, use soft bristles with gentle motions to remove the soap and remove the carpet’s stain.
Once you finish this step, apply a soft towel to take up as much water as possible from the stuff.
If you own a mini vacuum for cars, you can use it in the case to shorten your time for absorbing the wet carpet. Do this step for several times to get the bad odor out more quickly.
Baking Soda and Vinegar Method
There are five key steps to remove the bad smell:
The necessary tools:
- Baking soda
- White vinegar
- Warm water
- An old rag
- An (old) towel
- A (soft-bristled) brush
Mix Water and Vinegar
Mix the vinegar and water according to a ratio of 1 (cup) : 2 (quarts). Apply this mixture of water and vinegar to the dirty area.
Use the rag
Once the stain gets enough saturation from the mixture, use the rag to scrub the mixture onto the car mat.
Scrub the Spot
It would help if you had the vinegar sink into this carpet, and to eliminate the rotten odor, apply more vinegar to the area.
Let your brush be wet in the mixture first, then use this soft-bristled brush to rub the spot more. You should employ rotational motions and approach the dirty spots from various angles.
Ensure not to rub too hard if you don’t want to damage your carpet’s upholstery and its fibers. Instead, apply enough pressure to allow the vinegar to permeate through these fibers.
Get rid of the extra fluid
When you are done rubbing, eliminate the surplus water. Use a used towel to take up excess water till the area is completely dry.
This step will not permit the zone to be humid for long, increasing the risk of getting bacteria.
Shampoo the carpets
Using this method, you need to own a carpet shampooer. If you don’t have one, renting one is a wise option.
Then, choose the right shampoo. When everything is ready, follow the instructions on this tool to remove the stubborn fishy smell.
Final Thoughts
We have just walked through the key tips to get rid of car smells like fish. Also, you got why your vehicle was stuck in the unexpected issue.
Then, let your companions/passengers know which stuff should stay in your car and which stuff should be kept far from your vehicle to maintain fresh air inside.