Don’t you just love when gasoline spills all over your vehicle’s interior? We can assume you’re quite fond of the smell, too. While the first sentence might sound overly ironic, the second one’s closer to the truth. Yup, no one likes to spill gasoline over their car’s upholstery.
Anyway, we’re not here to assume this or that. As a matter of fact, we’re here to show you how to get gasoline out of vehicle interior. It ain’t an easy process, but it ain’t a hard one, too. You’ll just need a couple of neat tips. That’s exactly what you’ll find in the text below!
First, you’ll have to locate the spill. Next up, you’ll want to soak the spill with an old rag. Let your car interior air dry. Mix shampoo and warm water to make a solid cleaning solution and clean the spot. Once that’s done, use some baking soda on the spot to remove the odor.
Now, of course, you can’t clean your car’s insides with that preview only. Reading the whole thing might sound like a better idea!
Table of Contents
Gasoline spills and smells (FAQ)
The topic of gasoline spills and smells is much broader than you’d imagine. We’ll try to cover a portion of it. That is, before tackling the main question everyone’s excited about. Let’s see what we’ve prepared for this section!
Is it bad if gas spills on your car?
Most likely, it happened while you were pumping gas. Don’t worry. It’s not the end of the world if you’ve spilled some gasoline on your car. However, you’ll want to clean your vehicle thoroughly with water. That’s because gasoline’s corrosive and there’s a chance it will eat your paint. If you don’t react immediately and clean, that is.
Here’s a quick warning, though. Make sure that the water doesn’t find a way into your tank. Because? Because there’s a chance it will do some harm to your car’s engine.
Can gas fumes ignite?
The answer’s positive: gasoline fumes can and will ignite. If there’s a heating source nearby, that is. It might be both a serious fire or a tiny spark from a cigarette butt. Also, while the liquid itself isn’t, gasoline fumes are highly flammable.
Gasoline is known to release toxic fumes if kept improperly and at a certain temperature. Unless you’re living in Antarctica, storing gasoline in an improper manner is a hazard. Wondering what’s the proper storage of gasoline? Here are some tips:
- Don’t keep your gas stored in unapproved containers. Gasoline will melt through certain kinds of plastic.
- Kids shouldn’t be able to reach your storage area. Make sure that the storage area is locked; gasoline storage ain’t child’s play.
- Gasoline should be kept in a building that’s not the one you sleep in. An outside shed might be your best bet.
- Dispose of gasoline in the manner proposed by your local government. Going your own way isn’t recommended.
For further tips on the safe storage of gasoline, you’ll want to click right here. Now, let’s see what’s there to be done if your vehicle smells like gasoline.
Why does my car smell like gas when I start it in the morning?
Here’s the thing: if your car only smells of gasoline when you’re starting it, then… That’s right, you’re probably dealing with a gas leak somewhere inside or around your car. The source of the smell might be your engine or the fuel lines. Also, it might be the so-called exhaust system. That’s where all the gasoline emissions evaporate.
Anyway, you’ll want to take your car to a mechanic ASAP. All gasoline-related issues should be handled immediately. It’s very important you do this since gasoline fumes can easily poison you. Not to mention the already-mentioned fact that it’s highly flammable.
How long does it take for gas to evaporate when spilled?
It depends on the type of surface where the spill occurred. In other words: whether or not that surface is permeable. Also, we need to count the amount that’s spilled, too.
So, in case you’ve spilled a little bit of gas on concrete, don’t worry. Just clean up the spill, and everything will be alright in a matter of minutes. Unfortunately, that’s not the case with gasoline spilled on the soil. Depending on the amount, it might take months, even – years, for it completely “leave” the surface.
Okay, so now that we’ve got that covered, let’s see how to get gasoline out of vehicle interior!
How to get gasoline out of vehicle interior?
Finally, we’ve come to the most important section of this text. For better clarity, we’ll divide this step-by-step guide into three sections:
- locating the spill.
- cleaning the spill.
- dealing with the smell.
So, shall we start? Here’s how you’ll get gasoline out of the vehicle interior.
Locating the gasoline spill
First of all, you’ll wanna locate the spill. Now, of course, sometimes it’s pretty clear where it occurred. Sometimes it, unfortunately, isn’t. Anyway, you’ll want to use your nose to sniff around and see where the smell’s coming from.
Once you’ve located the spill, use an old rag or a piece of cloth to soak it up. Old, soon-to-thrown-away rags are your best bet. That’s because you don’t wanna keep the material you’ve cleaned gasoline with.
Soaked up the gasoline spill? Next up, you’ll want to let it evaporate. Open up the windows of your car and let it sit in the sun for about 4-5 hrs. And that’s that when it comes to locating and soaking up the spill.
It’s time to clean
Once you’ve done everything from above, you’ll want to make a cleaning solution. You can do it using a mix of regular carpet shampoo and water. Fix yourself up with about 720 ml (3 cups) of tap water and 1/2 a cup (about 120 ml) of the other ingredient. Stir the mixture with patience until it becomes one.
Folks also suggest you can try out the famous vinegar plus baking soda plus water combo. Mixed in equal parts, that is. Alternatively, you could even try dissolving some dishwashing soap in water. What’s most important is that you’ve got a cleaning solution ready for action.
Next, use a nylon brush or an old rag to apply the solution to the spill. Apply as much as you think is needed and scrub it in. Once you notice the gas stain has lifted, soak the solution with an old rag. Just don’t use the same one you’ve used before. That should remove the spill, but not the smell.
Taking care of the smell
Last but not least, you’ll have to deal with the smell that’s left behind. There are four options for this and we’ll gladly show you all of them. Also, if some gasoline ended up in your hair, here’s how you’ll handle that.
Option #1: Coffee grounds
Your first option should be to rub some coffee grounds into where-once-the-spill-stood. This might work. Either you’ll have luck with this solution, or you’ll have to try a different one. You’ll want to let the coffee sit for a week and then vacuum it.
Anyway, if that doesn’t work, we’ve got three more to go.
Option #2: Baking soda
Some folks have better luck with this solution. Apply baking soda to the location of the spill. Keep it for about a week, and vacuum afterward. Repeat this a couple of times until the smell’s gone. If that doesn’t happen, move on to the next one we’ve got. Also, you could try using baby powder instead of baking soda.
Option #3: Kitty litter
Another thing you can try out is kitty litter. As you might know, kitty litter is a great absorbent of both moisture and smell. You’ll want to pour some on the spill and vacuum it the day after. Just like with baking soda, repeat the process if necessary.
Option #4: Odor-remover
If all hope fails, try out an odor-eliminating spray. These products might be just the thing you need. They’re also designed to be used with fabrics, so… Yup, they might make a difference inside your vehicle. Spray it on your vehicle’s upholstery and allow it to air dry.
Here’s a pro tip: use an odor-removal spray that has antibacterial characteristics. Okay, so that’s that on how to get gasoline out of vehicle interior! Let’s see if there’s anything else worth mentioning on the subject.
Bonus tips
Yup, we’ve got some extra tips to show you! Here they are:
- Remove your vehicle’s cabin filter. Utilize an air freshener and spray the filter. It might help remove the odor.
- Additionally, you can also spray the air intake on your car’s A/C. You’ll use the same product as above.
Okay, now it’s time to say goodbye.
The bottom line
Alrighty, folks! These were the tips on how to get gasoline out of vehicle interior! Utilize them in your car cleaning adventure. We’re sure you’ll have no problem with removing spilled gasoline from your car. For more useful tips on gasoline usage, click right here.
