can any 1 help me!!!.here goes,i have just bought a 54 plate is 200 granite sky with matching wheels absolutly buzzing with it the only problem is the car was valleted a few weeeks ago and there is a strawberry smell inside,i have been told that the valleters use like a silicone based cleaner that they spray over it that leaves this smell,nice fresh smell for anyone who does not suffer from ashma which my wife does and the smell goes straight onto her chest and finds it hard to breath,i have washed the inside acouple ov times with warm soapy water to no avail also had a few neutradol air fresheners to try and fight the strawberry smell but that hasnt worked either so if cant get rid ov this smell its gota go (gutted)i had a 51 plate before this and that was no problem at all so if any one has any ideas they will be very appreciated nice 1.

theyve probably sprayed the carpets,seats,door panels and dash so the smell lasts longer - you may have to truckwash the whole thing from the headlining down and re valet with suitable products that wont annoy your wifes condition

[quote name='lexynik' date='10 July 2010 - 10:26 PM' timestamp='1278800810' post='725915']
theyve probably sprayed the carpets,seats,door panels and dash so the smell lasts longer - you may have to truckwash the whole thing from the headlining down and re valet with suitable products that wont annoy your wifes condition
[/quote]
thanx 4 the advice mate,wats a truck wash and how much do they cost?cheers lee

steam clean will probably help no end. as for washing with warm water, silicone is water resistant.

[quote name='stevie_' date='11 July 2010 - 08:59 AM' timestamp='1278838757' post='725944']
steam clean will probably help no end. as for washing with warm water, silicone is water resistant.
[/quote]
thanks stevie mate that was just wat one ov the lads said they might ov used ie silicone but not sure as the last owner had it done,its a really nice fresh smell aswell but if i cant get rid ov it its up 4 sale (gutted)

truckwash was a chemical we used to use in car valeting days- add a tiny bit in the water or carpet steamer,take the seats out etc and give the whole interior a full valet - have a look on detailing world for a modern solution thats ph neutral or find a good valet company that will do a full steam and valet on it for you - also have you had your aircon cleaned recently cos you might be using it and can be lots of germs in there that can cause problems in some people

[quote name='lexynik' date='11 July 2010 - 10:46 AM' timestamp='1278845190' post='725956']
truckwash was a chemical we used to use in car valeting days- add a tiny bit in the water or carpet steamer,take the seats out etc and give the whole interior a full valet - have a look on detailing world for a modern solution thats ph neutral or find a good valet company that will do a full steam and valet on it for you - also have you had your aircon cleaned recently cos you might be using it and can be lots of germs in there that can cause problems in some people
[/quote]
thanx 4 the advice mate,guna try everything i can before i let this 1 go,i know an air con eng al ask him to av a look,nice 1

[quote name='doogsboy' date='11 July 2010 - 03:19 PM' timestamp='1278861546' post='725991']
[quote name='lexynik' date='11 July 2010 - 10:46 AM' timestamp='1278845190' post='725956']
truckwash was a chemical we used to use in car valeting days- add a tiny bit in the water or carpet steamer,take the seats out etc and give the whole interior a full valet - have a look on detailing world for a modern solution thats ph neutral or find a good valet company that will do a full steam and valet on it for you - also have you had your aircon cleaned recently cos you might be using it and can be lots of germs in there that can cause problems in some people
[/quote]
thanx 4 the advice mate,guna try everything i can before i let this 1 go,i know an air con eng al ask him to av a look,nice 1
[/quote]

Hows the valet smell coming along, did you manage to get rid of it?
Sure hope so, be a shame to lose your IS.

Ian

[quote name='Ian Sartoria' date='23 July 2010 - 07:40 PM' timestamp='1279914009' post='727409']
[quote name='doogsboy' date='11 July 2010 - 03:19 PM' timestamp='1278861546' post='725991']
[quote name='lexynik' date='11 July 2010 - 10:46 AM' timestamp='1278845190' post='725956']
truckwash was a chemical we used to use in car valeting days- add a tiny bit in the water or carpet steamer,take the seats out etc and give the whole interior a full valet - have a look on detailing world for a modern solution thats ph neutral or find a good valet company that will do a full steam and valet on it for you - also have you had your aircon cleaned recently cos you might be using it and can be lots of germs in there that can cause problems in some people
[/quote]
thanx 4 the advice mate,guna try everything i can before i let this 1 go,i know an air con eng al ask him to av a look,nice 1
[/quote]

Hows the valet smell coming along, did you manage to get rid of it?
Sure hope so, be a shame to lose your IS.

Ian
[/quote]
hi ian,havnt got rid of the smell yet mate i sprayed all the roof lining with febreeze and all the carpets but to no avail,hed a ac eng claen the system out but theres a smell coming from that now the ac eng said it will go after a few days,it probably would if i was using it but i use it mostly on w/ends as i am in the van through the week,i feel sorry i got rid of the 51 plate now.i have got 1 more trick up my sleve for the w/end i am going to drain all the fluids out of it and replace with clean 1s,eh mate you have made a crackin job of ur car just been lookin,al let ya know how the odours are gettin on after the week end.

so you've done everything apart from what you were reccomended to do?

[quote name='stevie_' date='02 August 2010 - 07:20 PM' timestamp='1280776840' post='728270']
so you've done everything apart from what you were reccomended to do?
[/quote]
ive foned a few valleters but carn find 1 that will take seats out and steam it(recemendation)so i will have to do it myself and as its goin to be a half a day job,if ive had the time i havnt had the weather vice versa,an by the way MATE

Part of the problem is figuring out where the smell is coming from. No point in cleaning the seats if the odour is from something sprayed into the carpets (or vice versa). Bad smells often come from under-used aircon systems, which can breed bacteria, mould and other nasties.

One suggestion - rather then adding to the chemical cocktail by spraying febreze or other such stuff around - is to put one or several open containers (Tupperware or similar) containing lumps of [u]real[/u] charcoal (not BBQ fuel which is reconstituted powder) into the car. Leave them there long-term, under the seats, on the parcel shelf, or in similar places where they won't be knocked over. The charcoal gradually absorbs odours and - hopefully - will neutralise the atmosphere inside the car.

Charcoal has this ability to absorb impurities and odours. That's why various processes and machines have "charcoal filters".

The smell is likely to have been fed through the entire airflow system, and sunk in to materials. I had the same problem when I first bought mine from a showroom, they valeted it hardcore and the smell was just pure nose thrushing.

I used an Airconditioner cleaner aerosol. I had to reapply twice (once a month) for the minty stench to go.

Halfords has one that works just as well but prob need to repeat 3 or 4 times, and borders expensive.