Last Updated on July 25, 2022 by Thomas James
Did you know that mice can make their way into your car’s ventilation system? They can also cause a smell to build up in your vehicle’s interior. If you aren’t prepared, then the smell can become unbearable. You might be thinking that you need to get a professional to come in and find and kill the mouse, but there’s a fast and easy way to get rid of the smell if you don’t have the time or money to call in a professional. If you are looking to get rid of the mouse smell, this blog will take a look at how to get mouse smell out of your car vents system.
The average amount of time that a mouse spends in a car is two to three weeks, and that’s not including the two to three weeks of nesting. The mouse’s feces and urine can cause a slight smell when entering the car. The smell can also be a result of dead mice. If you are tired of the smell, it’s best to get it out. Follow these steps to get the smell out of your car vent.
How To Get Mouse Smell Out Of Car Vents: Methods
If you don’t get rid of the mouse, the smell will return. It is the source of the odor, and no amount of air freshener or disinfectant will mask it. Working with mice or other rodents can be dangerous to your health because they can spread diseases. Before cleaning anything that was or is infested with mice, you should always be adequately prepared. You will need the following tools to get rid of the mouse smell:
- Rubber gloves
- Flashlight
- Mask
- Sealable plastic bags
- Dustpan
- Cleaning spray
- Small bucket
- Large bucket
- Vacuum
If you have the time and money, you can hire a professional to come in and get rid of the mouse. However, if you don’t have the time or money, there are a few methods that you can use to get rid of the mouse smell.
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Find the mouse
You will need to locate the source of the smell. It can be a mouse, but it can also be a dead mouse or a dead rat. The smell will be most concentrated in the front passenger and rear passenger seats.
You can also smell the smell in the back seat. You can smell the mouse’s urine and feces in the car. Try smelling the various areas in your vehicle to locate the specific location.
Possible mouse hiding places
The most common hiding place for mice is the front passenger seat. It is because the mouse is seeking a warm and dry place to sleep. The mouse will also like to stay in the back seat because it is the closest to the back door. The mouse can also be hiding in the car’s trunk or may also be hiding in the engine compartment. Mice dislike being discovered, so this is an ideal hiding spot because it is rarely checked. Suppose there are no mice in that compartment, vacuum, and dust it to remove any remaining dirt. A mouse will hide in the vents to stay warm. The vents can also be the source of the smell.
Switch to the Vent Grills
If you have a vent grill, you can switch to the vents to eliminate the mouse smell. The vents will be the closest to the mouse’s hiding place. You will need to take the vents off the car so that you will remove the vent cap. Take the vent cap off and remove the vent grill. You will need to spray the vents with the cleaning spray. You can also use a vacuum to remove the mouse smell. To find your car vents, do some research on your car model’s vent locations. It isn’t referring to the dashboard vents. Please be careful.
Pull it forward and rotate it to face the ground after you’ve located and opened it.
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The goal is to get as much dirt, particles, and mouse droppings out as possible. The dowels should not face the vent because they might clog it when we blow it out.
Cover Your Seats Before You Get To Blowing stuff out of the Car
Before you start blowing out the car, you need to cover the seats. It will prevent the seat from being damaged when you blow the mouse smell out of the car. You can use a clean garbage bag or towel to cover the seats. You can also use a plastic bag. It will keep the dirt and particles from flying around and damaging the seats.
Prepare Your Vehicle
It’s now time to get rid of that unpleasant mouse odor from your vehicle. You must, however, make some preparations. For example, the windows should be rolled down, and children should be asked to leave because many unpleasant materials will come out of the vents.
Before you start blowing out the car, make sure it’s clean. You must clean both the interior and exterior of the vehicle. You’ll need to take the seats out and vacuum them. And you’ll also have to clean the car’s dashboard, windshield, and exterior. The seat covers must be removed, and the seats vacuumed. The carpet will need to be cleaned. You’ll need to vacuum and clean the floor mats.
Car Vents Should Be Blown Out
Again, make sure you’re wearing a mask and gloves for this part. Turn up the heat in the car and open the driver’s door. This step can take a minute or more, depending on how much debris and dirt is stuck in the vents. Because our cars collect a lot of dirt when they are used, you should see a variety of things coming out.
Blow out the car’s vents to remove the mouse smell. It will also remove any dirt or particles that might be in the vents. You can use a vacuum to remove the mouse smell. If you use a vacuum, make sure you don’t use a brush attachment. You can use a shop vac, but you must be careful.
Vents Should Be Fumigated
Once the vents are clean, it’s time to fumigate them. Fumigation is a method of killing mice. You can use spray and gas.
You can also use a combination of both.
The spray method is easy to use. You’ll need to find the correct spray for the car. The spray can be purchased at a hardware store. It will also have a foul odor if not fumigated. Choose a fumigating liquid of your choice and begin spraying to neutralize the odor.
Pure bleach is recommended for long-lasting results. The latter is extremely powerful, and it will completely neutralize the vent and remove any mouse odor. Whatever bleach you choose, keep in mind that these ingredients can be harmful if consumed or inhaled. To be safe, use vinegar.
Clean The Seats
After the vents are fumigated, you’ll need to clean the seats. The seats can be cleaned with mild soap and vinegar. You’ll need to wash the seats with the solution. Please make sure the seats are completely dry before you use them. You can use a dry towel to dry the seats.
We recommend taking the seats outside, soaking them in vinegar, and drying them in the sun. It will kill germs and bacteria on your car seats and keep them clean. Repeat this step two or three times more if necessary until the smell has dissipated from the seats. Because vinegar is a natural ingredient, no matter how many times you repeat this step, it will not harm your car seats in any way.
Other Methods to Remove the Mouse Odor
The other way to get rid of mouse odors is to put the car in the sun. It will help to dry the seats and remove the smell. If you do this, make sure you keep the car in the sun for a few hours.
Clean and sanitize with Lysol.
Another way to get rid of the mouse odor is to use Lysol. The Lysol spray is a disinfectant that can be used to sanitize the car. Lysol disinfectant spray kills 99.9% of germs and bacteria. This cleaning product is extremely effective at removing mouse urine odors.
Please be aware that Lysol can only do so much. The smell of dead mice will still emanate from your vents.
Reconfiguring Air Intake System
Taking apart the entire air intake system can help locate dead mice and clean the vents for those with mechanical skills.
The only drawback is that it necessitates a great deal of technical knowledge, which most drivers lack.
Conclusion
We hope you enjoyed our blog on how to get mouse smell out of car vents. Sometimes mice may decide to make themselves at home in your car and settle in for a meal. While this is a common problem, knowing how to get rid of the smell is the key to fighting it. Follow the steps here to rid your car of the mouse smell, and you’ll no longer need to worry about it. Thank you for reading! We would love to hear from you.
