How to get rid of "barn smell"

[ronn]

try "odor gone" doesnt mask-breaks down the odor and rids.....................

[FrankWest]

Originally Posted by 31 Model A

Could 1933 be when that old saying originated, "Damn!!!! Phew!!!!you smell like a French whorehouse!!!!!"

That's if you use cheap perfume.

[FrankWest]

Originally Posted by CWilson

My truck had been in storage for years in a barn. It has been stored in my garage for a year, and it still stinks like a barn. I've wiped it down with cleaners, sprayed Fabreeze, left a opened tub of baking soda in the cab, nothing works. Any suggestions?

Chris

If the smell is really bad...You will have to always keep the windows open at all times especially when driving ...Sooner or later the smell will vanish? Or it may always be there and you will have to cover the smell with another smell.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-pEhqiCD27E

[Rex_A_Lott]

I'm going through the same thing right now with an old coupe. I've tried several things, mothballs, febreeze, leaving it out in the weather with the windows down....nothing helps much.
I believe that Mitch is right, replacement is the best way...but this car is driveable, and its far from being ready for a new interior. I was just trying to make it bearable for a little while.
Thanks for some new suggestions.

[clinton perry]

Chris Try burning a couple of plumbers candles a couple of days. Works good for cat smell in mu pump house. Good luck. Clinton

[30aadoodlebug]

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Originally Posted by M2M

Doesn't a "barn-fresh" smell add thousands of dollars to the value of an old car?

Embrace and enjoy it! That's why windows roll down. Otherwise, I agree with Mitch/Pa. It may be time for a new interior or some type of carpet shampoo.

[FL&WVMIKE]

You might try products, that are sold in pet stores, to get rid of odors. They get pretty strong, at times.
MIKE (mikeburch)

[burner31]

I have no sense of smell, so I'll take it, it's a win, win

OK, I'm lying, I do smell...wait...what?

OK, let me try that again, Yes, I can smell but I don't care, I'll gladly take Ole' stinky off your hands.

[Tiny]

Sprinkle baking soda all over everything. Don't cheap out on the baking soda either apply liberal amounts of the white powder everywhere. Make it look like a drug deal gone bad. Do this and then set a few open jars of vinegar in the truck. Change the vinegar every couple of weeks and vacuum up the baking soda and re apply on the same schedule I would do this with the windows up. I inherited some furniture from my grandmother, this is how I got rid of 60+ years of nicotine smell. If it works for smokers smell I'm sure it will take care of barn smell. In my case it took about 6 months.
Good luck

[BILL WILLIAMSON]

Ted scooped 5 gallons of rat/mouse poop, from a coupe! Got rid of the smell by washing out EVERYTHING with BLEACH!
Bill W.

[Keith True]

No matter what you do,you need to get rid of where the smell is coming from first.If all the traces of mice and chipmunks have been cleaned out,the smell will slowly get better.When you say it is staying the same or worse with time,that tells me that there are still old nests in there.You will find them in the doors,in the cowl panels,hip panels,in the seat cushions,and in closed cars,in the headliner.In open cars they will also nest in the padding over the top irons on each side.I've seen coupes and Tudors with nests in the upper corners between the rear window and side windows.I've seen those nests go from the beltrail wood right up to the very top.If they are in the headliner,it really is almost impossible to do anything except replace it.You will ruin it taking it out to get behind it.

[CWilson]

Thanks for all the good suggestions. It doesn't smell bad... just smells like a barn. Never had mice in it, nothing like that. I will try removing the seats and spraying down the under sides of the seats that might have absorbed the odor. I'm sure it is in the cloth or whatever its made of. At least it's a pick up with no carpet or fabric seats.

Actually, it wasn't in a "barn", but a completely enclosed pole building that had farm equipment and what not. More smells like a mixture of fertilizer/used motor oil/diesel fuel/ stale gasoline... No rodents.
Chris

[FrankWest]

Originally Posted by CWilson

Thanks for all the good suggestions. It doesn't smell bad... just smells like a barn. Never had mice in it, nothing like that. I will try removing the seats and spraying down the under sides of the seats that might have absorbed the odor. I'm sure it is in the cloth or whatever its made of. At least it's a pick up with no carpet or fabric seats.

Actually, it wasn't in a "barn", but a completely enclosed pole building that had farm equipment and what not. More smells like a mixture of fertilizer/used motor oil/diesel fuel/ stale gasoline... No rodents.
Chris

air it out real good...it may take time..You set up fans blowing fresh air into a an open and another fan blowing out the other door. Continue this for weeks..
Never close the doors and roll down thee windows. Open the windshield too..to get fresh air to circulate in and carry the stink out the other side.

[Tinker]

10 yrs later till removing the all the dirt from the frame and suspension that had natural fertilizer, a little bit would still come through on a hot day. Dryer sheets and stay in the shade if ya can. ��

[1crosscut]

One way to think of it is if you can smell it it means that the molecules that are causing the smell are drifting away thus leaving the car. If parking it out in the hot sun makes it smell worse it means you gaining ground.
I know I'm a bit off sometimes.

[Tom Wesenberg]

I remember the smell of walking into the old machine sheds on farms and smelling the mix of oils and grease. If I could get my car to smell like that I'd be glad.

[CYB4]

Hello, try an ozone treatment to get your "barn smell" away. Have a look to the attached link:


http://m.wikihow.com/Do-an-Ozone-Sho...t-on-a-Vehicle

[theHIGHLANDER]

I read that an open container of alcohol sealed up within an enclosed area will take the old book smell away. Something about the vapors as it evaporates will attack the offending odor molecules. Caution advised as always due to the flammable nature, but a few bottles poured into a bucket and close it up for a week? Sounds like a cheap experiment to me, but just use caution.

[mshmodela]

Surely clean the car. I'm guessing it is your seat and or interior.. You may wish to try some pet odor enzyme spray in a small known section that smells. Naturally, you'll need to do the same in a small section in each different type of material that you suspect has oder..

[desotoguy]

Spray the inside with vanilla extract. Will cover most odors.