Yesterday, my LeSabre was suddenly smelling bad inside. Definitely noticeable to me and my passengers. I still haven't had the new top installed so its been topless for a few months but always garaged. I suspected mice but I didn't see any mousecrap, chewed up stuff, etc. Looked under the seats. Wasn't coming from the HVAC vents. Nothing in the trunk or convertible top well. I had the back seat out the other day attemping to install the new top, but nothing in there either. In my old Ford Explorers I had issues with mice getting in the HVAC system so I've had some nasty experience with them, but the smell in the Buick wasn't really like pee, more like something just plain dead. I did some sniffing around last night and figured there was something on the driver's seat so I wiped it down with some disinfectant but it didn't help much. I looked underneath and in the area that's exposed when you tilt the seat forward, but nothing. I looked again this morning...couple tiny MAGGOTS on the floormat in the backseat behind the driver's seat :eek2: .I decided to take the seat out...seat definitely smelled bad and the car smelled fine with it removed. Without much choice, I removed the headrest, trim, and the rings holding the vinyl... ...and I find a mouse nest in the void in the seatback :blast:. Took a piece of pipe (I'm a plumber) to scrape it out, and out comes the decomposing remains of at least one dead mouse, the head of a baby mouse, and big azz maggots...what an awful sight to not only see, but to see inside the seat of my convertible, and to think i was sitting in that seat the night before. Was doing this outside and flies are gathering around me and the seat. I've currently got the vinyl in the washing machine, set on delicate, heavy soil, bla bla with bleach. I figure it's already ruined and anything I do to try to save it is probably in vain but I'm trying since my vinyl isn't in bad shape aside from the smell and bacteria. The foam is intact and I'm going to put it in the washing machine too also with bleach. Vinyl is white BTW so hey, whiter is whiter. It seems the bottom cushion was not affected but I'm still going to Lysol the heck out of it and the rest of the car. I've got a really good stomach but this was one of the worse sights I've seen. Any suggestions guys? Any experiences to share? I don't mean to disappoint, but um, no pix for this thread
When I picked up my '72 vert from the owner he told me that he placed some natural anti-mice pouches in the car as he was always careful with his cars since his garage was almost on top of some woods. I never had a problem with mice so got rid of the pouches but here is the info for you: Fresh Cab scent pouches 1-800-583-2921 www.cranecreekgardens.com
Set up some snap traps and lay them on the floor. Then you will know if they are still in there. Want to borrow my snake?
I agree - snap traps with peanut butter! check them daily:eek2: fabric softener sheets will help with the smell too!
I love starting up cars that have mice in the mufflers. A few quick snaps of the throttle and you have two 8 foot strips of mice and what not behind the tail pipes! I always wondered what the lastthing they see is. A big cloud of gray smoke rocketing towards them? Could always be worse, my mother in law had a bunch of kittens sleeping in her fan shroud. When she started up the car she swore she heard apples bouncing around in the fan shroud. What a mess cleaning up the kitten bits
Jason that is terrible!!!! I use the sticky traps. My GN was in my neighbors garage and mice got in and when we were done...13 alltogether we caught!!! With the sticky traps they die a slow painful death!! If they don't chew their legs trying to get out!!!
I feel your pain Jason and share in it too. I recently found a nest in the trunk of one of mine . The smell of mouse urine is bad enough. Finally caught the little bugger while we were away to the BCA nats. It had been dead a couple of days before I got to check the trap. Good luck on the clean up. Loren
A friend of mine came to work a few weeks ago complaining of a "dead smell" in his Toyota Camry and for two weeks he complained that the smell got worse. The problem was that once he turned on the fan motor he heard clunking and what appeared to be a grinding noise and the odor would intensify. He took the fan assembly off for a quick look and found an entire nest of chopped-up rotting dead mice living there. It appears they were getting in through some sort of a vent tube and made a mess of things. The bad part is the fact that he had the fan blowing on him for his ride to work. Yuk! Mike Iggycat NJ
thanks for feeling my pain everyone, though as I mentioned I had mice problems in my old Explorer, and what happened to the Camry is what happened to the Ex...actually some of the blades on the "squirrel cage" (ironic name) broke and I had to replace it...new one was metal instead of plastic for even more violence! Poor kittens in the fan shroud...I personally like kittens and they EAT MICE I'll put some more traps and poison in the garage though what I really need to do it get the new top on so they don't have an open invitation to drop into my Buick
When you store a car stuff steel wool in the tailpipes. Keeps the buggers out. Juts do not forget it is there when you start it up!
Do mice not like steel wool? I know they love aluminum foil. One winter I made the mistake of storing a bunch of recycleables in the garage, including lots of wadded-up balls of aluminum foil. Come springtime there were bits of aluminum all over the place, but all the plastic and cardboard was untouched. I guess mice enjoy nibbling on aluminum? o No: I sometimes think that one of the best ways to avoid mice problems inside the car is to make sure they have plenty of attractive nesting and eating options outside of the car. A tidy garage makes your upholstery look like the best home in the neighborhood.
Reconsider the poison, That's what got you the dead/rotting mouse in the first place. The problem with poison is that they can go back to the nesting spot and die there. Loren
Bleach will ruin all the threads. I recommend something called Natures Miracle sold at pet supplies. Do not buy the cheaper off brand - its not as good. This liquid has emzynes that eat any organic matter. It may take several soakings and some time, but it works. - Bill
update: I threw the vinyl in the washing machine with like the pre soak on, extra rinse, bla bla (but delicate) with bleach and detergent...it didn't screw up the threads but it doesn't smell much better. I picked up some of the nature's miracle that 12lives suggested (the "advanced" cat formula) and have that and the vinyl in a bucket soaking. it's only about half submerged so I'm having my dad pick up another gallon, won't hurt. I'll do this for a couple days and see how it turns out. I'll do the foam too. I'll probably have a local pro put it back together since I've cut all the rings and the vinyl on the bottom cushion has some thread separation anyway. Fortuneitely the bottom cushion wasn't affected by this mess
That Natures Miracle works great on urine. Not so sure on mice bits. But it takes two weeks or so for it to work. Its not an immediate thing. I dont think soaking it in the solution is going to make it work any better. You'll know in a week or two if you were successful.
natures miracle may work well. however I'd also try to leave it in the sun for a solid day or two. UV light does wonders for killing bacteria. nate. I've also heard salt in water can also remove blood from upholstery maybe something else to try.
that's true about UV light. I'll keep that in mind. IF this all fails, the local interior shop that we've had some good experience with before quoted me around $250 to redo it with new vinyl which to me isn't bad at all but I'd end up wanting to redo the entire interior. It doesn't look bad but hey it's over 30 years old
When I had was restoring the Skylark of course it was in the garage the whole time. ( 5 years) After installing new carpet and getting the seats back in, I noticed a bad smell one day. And it was a mouse that had died in the ventilation ducts. If I'm a mouse, I consider a warm , cozy Buick the equivalent of the Ritz Carlton hotel... It beats living in the woods next door where hawks, cats and snakes roam.... Now I have a cat, and no more mice. :beers2: RW
