Have you ever noticed an unpleasant odor when you get in your car? Well, if you have, you are not alone.
You may not know why the smell is present or why it resembles vinegar. Fortunately, the smell won’t pose a threat to your health and can be easy to treat.
The vinegar smell in your car is probably because of something acidic. There are several reasons this could happen, and thankfully there’s an easy way to get rid of vinegar smell in car. Read on to find out how.
Why Your Car Smells Like Vinegar
The unpleasant smell in your car may be indicative of many issues. Either there are faulty components or the car is not clean. You should inspect the cause first so you can dispose of the smell properly. Here’s a list of the most common causes of sour smell in cars:
1. Mold and Mildew
The most common reason for that musty, dingy smell inside vehicles is because of mold and mildew. Mold will grow due to moist or humid conditions.
If you have ever spilled anything inside your car, be it water, soda, juice, or any other liquid and you did not air it, then this is likely the cause. And it can also happen if your car goes through temperature or seasonal changes – usually from winter to spring.
You will also notice a musty smell in your car vents. If there’s a vinegary smell when the air conditioner is running, turn off the AC.
If the smell of vinegar goes away after the air conditioner is turned off, the source of the smell is likely because of the mold that has formed in the vents in the cabin filter. The mold growth can be caused by dust that accumulates in the air vents during the year.
However, If the scent lingers after you turn off the air conditioner, there might be something wrong with your AC system and you may need to clean your cabin filters.
How to fix it?
- For Moisture
The best solution is to clean the carpets and car seats thoroughly with an appropriate cleaning product and let everything dry completely. Make sure to do proper drainage as it’s essential to keep the vehicle free from foul odors.
- For Car Ac Smells
You will need a car air condition cleaner to do this.
Note: If the bad odors still linger after you clean the ac unit, you may need to buy and replace your old cabin air filters with the new ones or take your car to a mechanic to have it fixed if you aren’t confident in doing it yourself.
2. Food Left in Your Car
Food remnants in your vehicle can cause a strong smell in the car. You get hungry while on the go and may unconsciously leave food in the car for a long time that it rots and begin decomposing and then release a lot of acidic compounds, creating a vinegar-like smell.
The best way to fix this is to look through your floorboard car, underneath the seats, cargo nets, and other storage spaces in your car to find the food so you can get rid of the bad smells. Best to wear your gloves when cleaning to avoid direct contact with spoils food.
3. Fluid Leaks (Battery Acid Leaks and Gas Leak)
Vinegar smells usually indicate there’s something acidic in the car. The first place you need to check is your car’s battery because it’s one of the most acidic things in your car. Battery acid is relatively volatile and contains sulfuric acid, resulting in Hydrogen Sulfide emissions, which also smell like vinegar or rotten eggs.
If parts of your car show wear and tear, or are poorly connected, especially the catalytic converter, it can leak sulfur gas. You’ll need to get a replacement if there’s anything leaking from your car’s battery.
Another cause that makes your car smell like vinegar is a gas leak. Although it rarely happens, from time to time, vehicles may develop holes somewhere in their fuel lines. And when it happens, the strong smell of gas permeates the air-conditioning, resulting in a smell of skunk-like stench.
The smell of gas is not only repulsive but also hazardous for the driver and passengers. So it’s better to get a mechanic to take a look at your car if you discover a battery acid leak.
4. Decaying Organic Material in Car
The accumulation of leaves and other dead animals like a rat or lizard in your car is the other probable cause of the car smell. Once they start decaying, you will notice the smell when you turn the air conditioner on.
You can easily remove the leaves by hand, but it can be hard to rid a dead animal especially if they are stuck in your cabin air filter or somewhere where you cannot remove them, it will require a professional.
5. Vinegar Spill
At times, vinegar can be the leading cause of the odor. White vinegar is a common household item used for cleaning and as a natural repellant for cockroaches in the car. When using this product, you may accidentally spill it, and make your car smell bad.
To fix this issue, you need to find a box of baking soda then pour half of the box inside your car, preferably under or around where the vinegar was spilled onto the floor mats or seat cushions. Let it sit for a while then vacuum it up and repeat.
Or scrub the area that has been poured with baking soda with a sponge or plastic brush to work in the baking soda and rinse with clean water.
Alternatively, you can use volcanic rocks or coffee grounds.
How to Remove Vinegar Smell in Car
The first thing you need to do to get rid of vinegar smell in car is started by inspecting the car to identify the source of the problem.
Once you do that, follow the guidelines on how to fix the problem on each cause that I’ve mentioned above. Finally, you can use a car air freshener to neutralize the odor.
Get the Car Detailed
If you’ve gone through cleaning out everything and you still experience a foul odor, it’s time to see a professional. Taking your car to a detailer might be one of the easiest ways.
Not only will save you time, but getting a professional to detail your car can save your effort as they’ve got a lot of experience removing foul odors from vehicles. So, they will know what to do if there’s a vinegar smell in yours.
But if you are a DIY, it’s best to follow some professional tips on the best method to clean.
Final Word
In this article, you can see some of the potential causes of a vinegary odor in your vehicle and also the solutions you can apply to resolve the odor almost immediately.
I really hope at least one of these tips solved your problem and your car smells fresh once again!
Also, I’d love to hear from you if you have your own go-to cleaning tips for getting rid of vinegar smell in car. Simply share them in the comments section below so others would know too!
1 Comment