My dead car battery leaked fluid into the trunk of my car. Now it smells horrible. How do I clean it?

Question

I had left it in the trunk of my car so i can take it to wal-mart and return it. After a few days, i noticed a foul smell coming from the back, when i cecked it out, the batter had turned on its side, and it had leaked some kind of fluid. I disposed of the battery, and tried cleaning the trunk with some laundry detergent, but that did not help. How do I clean the area where the fluid spilled? and what materials should I use?

The spill was't too bad. And I did touch it (accidentally) and nothing happened. As for the carpet, everything looks fine. No signs of damage... its jsut that horrible smell... like vinegar. I will try the Baking soda idea to see if that helps.

Answer 1

Cover the area heavily with baking soda and work it in with a scrub brush let it dry and vacuum it up. Do it all again if you need to and this time add enough water to make the baking soda into a paste and scrub good. let dry and vacuum. Baking soda neturalizes the acid and takes away smells too.

Answer 2

if its carpeted you need to put it out ,throw it away it`s already to late for it as it will just disintegrate from the battery acid.Then put some milk on it that will neutralize the acid.don`t use baking soda it will cause rust. In your trunk on the lowest point usually down in both sides you`ll find a couple rubber or plastic plugs that need to be popped out,if your spare sits inside a round tub area there will be a plug in it also, so you can rinse out your trunk with a garden hose, after you let the milk sit on it for a while or have used a brush to move the milk around which would be best. The smell is the acid eating at the carpet and or metal.

Answer 3

Baking soda and water. About 1 cup to a gallon of warm water. Take out the trunk carpet and neutralize outside. It will probably disappear as soon as the water and baking soda hit it. When the carpet is out neutralize the trunk with the baking soda and water.
Dry everything off and put in a new trunk carpet.

Answer 4

Try Arm & Hammer Bakeing Soda it will neutralize the battery acid . As for the smell you can use same that comes in refrigerator pack to absorb the smell although you might have to replace trunk lineing depending on how bad the spill was .

Answer 5

Get a few spoons of Bicarbonate of Soda (Bread Soda) and mix with about half a pint of water. Pour a little onto the effected area and have plenty of old newspapers and rags ready. The mixture will raise the acid, if indeed any was spilt and you will recognise this fact as it will begin to foam like the head on a pint of Guinness. Leave it for a few seconds and soak up with the newspapers. Continue until there is no foaming left................

Answer 6

Dude, you spilled battery acid and electrolyte.

Nuetralize it first with Baking Soda, and don't touch it!

Too late huh.

Other then that, put something that hides the smell. I'm surprised it didn't eat the trunk.

Answer 7

Use a solution of baking soda and water. Hurry, because the acid will eat through your car trunk.

Answer 8

soap and water will clean it away and baking soda will neutralize it,,but the smell will hang around for a while,,try and air it out if you can,and make sure you get it all,it will eat right through a lot of carpets ,and will set up surface rust on most metals also just get it as clean as you can,and don't get it on you,,good luck,hope this help,s.,,have a good x-mas.

Answer 9

baking soda- lots of it.the carpet in the trunk? .it will start to fall apart, because of the acid that has leaked out all over it.

Answer 10

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