How To Get Gas Smell Out of Carpet in Car? [5 Effective Methods]

Thinking about the best and most affordable way to get the gas smell out of the car carpet! You have landed on the right page. We have done thorough research for all car owners and drivers and drawn the best solutions for this widespread problem.

Be it the floor of the household kitchen, office pantry, or vehicle, the smell of gasoline on carpets is a cause of concern.

The smell is intoxicating, overpowering, causing nausea or dizziness, and the spill may lead to potential fire accidents due to its highly combustible property.

Hence it’s crucial to find the source of leakage of the gas spill and then take remedial action to get the gas smell out of the carpet.

The primary source of gasoline leaks may be a leak in the gas pipe. Again, often while fuelling the car, people are most likely to spill gasoline on the car carpet. The first and immediate action in all such cases is to clean and deodorize the carpet correctly. 

How To Take Gas Smell Out of Carpet in Car?

People believe it’s impossible/ trickier to get the smell out of the carpet thoroughly, but one needs to know the specific methods to clean and deodorize the carpet from the gas smell.

It is important to note that ordinary cleaning may not erase the lingering smell of gas from the carpet. The stain of gasoline may not go with water and soap solution.

Moreover, the soapy solution doesn’t remove all traces of gasoline odor circulating in the air. Also, using regular air fresheners will not eliminate the gas smell. They will mask the odor for a while but will not neutralize it.

There are specific but easy DIY ways to eliminate the gas smell. Using the right ingredients and proper procedures can give you the best results.

One may go for certain commercial products available in the market to do the job, but the most significant part is that most ingredients are available in the house.

Let’s discuss a few effective methods to get the gas smell out of the carpet in detail.

1. Ventilate your vehicle

Before discussing the ways to remove stains and odor of gasoline from the car or anywhere, the first step starts with Ventilation.

Open the windows and door of the vehicle to allow fresh air circulation.

A closed environment will cause the smell of gas to grow and may lead to hazards. The ventilation process must take place in an open area.

2. Soak it up using Absorbers

As soon as you notice the spilled fuel on the carpet, promptly soak it up using absorbent pads. One can bloat it using paper towels (clean cloths/rags for larger spills), odor remover compound, or powdered laundry detergent.

One more commonly used trick is to sprinkle cat litter on the carpet to absorb the fuel. Remember, in that case, you must leave the compound for a couple of days and dispose of it as per city guidelines.

Please note that the longer the fuel is on the carpet, the deeper it will penetrate and harder to remove from the fabric. Hence try absorbing the wettest and most visible spots first.

3. Using deodorizers and air fresheners

If the gas spill is minimal, the absorption will eliminate the most of smell.

For the remaining gas component odor, you can spray a little bit of a good deodorizer like Febreze in the car interior will get the smell out of the car carpet.

4. Use of Coffee Grounds

This is another way to remove the gas smell. If the gas smell is not entirely neutralized using the above options, then some well-based coffee grounds in the area for another day should do the trick. Sprinkle and rub coffee grounds into the area.

Leave it for 24 hours. The next day, wash the carpet with laundry detergent and lets it dry under the sun.

This is the last method you can adopt before you may need the help of a professional cleaning service or go out to get a new carpet. 

Precaution: Coffee grounds may leave a stain on the carpet so use this method only if your car/floor carpet is of dark color.

5. Deep Cleaning

Even After absorbing the visible liquid and using air fresheners, if the smell persists for long, the next step will be deep cleaning the carpet. This is because the fabrics can hold a good amount of gas particles for a long time.

1. Deep Clean the Carpet Using Odor eliminator to take away gas smell

• Get a good Carpet Odor Eliminator
• Pour the conventional non-flammable dry-cleaning solvent on the affected patch of the carpet and sponge/ scrub with a soft-bristled brush to remove the remaining liquid or stain.
• Alternatively, you can steam clean your carpet with the cleaning solvent in your steam cleaner. Allow the area to dry and then vacuum it.

Note: Before using such type of stain and odor eliminator product, test it on a small area of the car carpet. Sprinkle and rub it with a clean cloth. If the color bleeds, then avoid using it further.

2. Home Remedies to deep clean carpet to take out the gas smell

Required Items:

• baking soda
• white vinegar
• hot water
• two bowls
• rags
• vacuum cleaner

Process:

• First, make two effective odor eliminator mixtures. One with hot water and vinegar in a 2:1 ratio and the other with water with baking powder with a paste-like consistency.
• Second, Sprinkle the first mixture (vinegar + water) over the spilled area. Leave it for some time. Then use a vacuum or rag to soak the solution and clean the affected patch.
• The next step is to cover the affected area with the baking soda mixture. Leave it for around three-four hours. Use a broom brush or bristled scrub to clean. Grab a water hose or bucket with water & essential oils /disinfectant and finish washing the baking soda paste away from the carpet. 
• Lastly, dry the area completely with a cloth. The vacuum it.

Precaution: Don’t vacuum a wet spill area; it may cause a malfunction in the motor because of the vaporized gas molecule).

Tip: You can use dry baking soda over the spilled area, brush it a little and then leave it overnight. Vacuum it in the morning.

Final Words:

The gas smell is distinct and trickier to get rid of. However, using the above-mentioned do-it-yourself tips and tricks can effectively solve the problem of foul odor on the car carpet or house floor.

These methods will ensure that your car and your home smell fresh again. Before you adopt any of these easy methods to get rid of the gas smell of the carpet, it is crucial to locate the source of the gas spill/leak and fix it immediately.

If you often face such strong emissions, it is best to call on the mechanics to find the actual cause and avoid suffocation and accidents.