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11 May 03 - 04:08 PM (#950581) Subject: BS: Serious Stink Problem, Seriously... From: Bobert First of all, this thread has nuthin to do with our esteemed Porfessor of Stink, the renouned Professor Spawzter. I have a problem and looking for anyone who might have some ideas, or better yet, experience in dealing with stink. Okay, here's the deal: Last year I purchased a 1953 Spartanette trailer and have begun cleaning it up before modernizing and remodeling the interior. The trailer has not been inhabited for 30 years, ahhh, with the exception of mice, snakes (of which one still reamins) and birds. Add to that, the human that last lived in was a slob. So, here's the problem. Even though I have cleaned almost all of the interior it still has an odor that must be from 30 years of critters living in it and their poor bathroom habits. Now, I am determined to bring this trailer back because it it so cool and being 30 feet long is perfect for taking on the road, but I really don't have a clue about de-stinking things. I think this is beyond a simple cleaning question but I'm sure some Catter has had some experience or thought that might help. Here is what I have don: 1. Vacuumed everywhere I can get a vaccum including in and under cabinets. 2. Scrubbed the wood paneling with Murphy's Oil soap. 3. Scrubbed the floor (vynal floors) with scrub brush with Comet cleanser). 4. Burned insence. 5. Run a fan blowing out one of it's two doors. Now, I won't say this hasn't done asnything because it's 90% better than when I started but its that last 10% the has be bugged. Help! Bobert |
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11 May 03 - 04:19 PM (#950584) Subject: RE: BS: Serious Stink Problem, Seriously... From: GUEST,Sorcha Rip up the carpet and replace it. Fill lemon halves with table salt and set around. Replace every couple days. Put out bowls of activated charcoal. Get some Nature's Miracle liquid enzyme, use copiously on everything. Maybe set out a bowl of vinegar. (Don't know for sure about that one, but vinegar absorbs paint odors) |
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11 May 03 - 04:26 PM (#950589) Subject: RE: BS: Serious Stink Problem, Seriously... From: Amos And be prepared to tear out the interior, bearing in mind that the odor may be of very small creatures who have found a wonderland of tiny inaccessible-to-humans corners to go die in. A |
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11 May 03 - 04:27 PM (#950590) Subject: RE: BS: Serious Stink Problem, Seriously... From: okthen Is there a possibility that something has crawled behind some panneling and died? If so you'll have to remove the panneling and remove it, unless it's all solid. Good luck, I don't envy you that job. |
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11 May 03 - 04:46 PM (#950603) Subject: RE: BS: Serious Stink Problem, Seriously... From: katlaughing Tear up the vinyl, too and replace it AFTER making sure the boards are free of odor. That NATURE's MIRACLE Sorcha mentioned will help with that. Use a steam cleaner on the floor and wall and cabinets. If you do, use a special additive for pet smells. We use one in our steamer for carpets and bare floors, put out by Bissell and it always takes the odors out. Also, if you have any excess moisture buildup, get one of those little buckets they sell to keep moisture out of closets (I think they have silica gel in them) and place a couple around to soak it all up. Have you removed all curtains, etc? Tore out the stove and looked at its insulation, etc? Do the drains smell clean? If not, pour a box of baking soda down ech one, then pour in a bunch of vinegar. It will clean them out AND smell good, too. Another excellent cleaner is that Orange Glow stuff AND Oxyclean, I kid you not and I learned that from Mr. Clean himself, Spaw! Also, look up underneath. Some of that insulation may be too filthy to keep and may have been nested in, etc. as well as been a death bed for some critter or two. Sorry, it sounds as though you've just begun, huh? **BG** Have fun! |
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11 May 03 - 04:49 PM (#950606) Subject: RE: BS: Serious Stink Problem, Seriously... From: Rapparee After a while the odor due to dead things goes away, as I know from experience. Replacing the carpeting is a good idea. You might want to replace any upholstery, if there is any, as well. This includes mattresses. Baking soda also does great things, both sprinkled around by itself or in solution. Really do a good job on flushing holding tanks, including any for potable water. The last should probably be thoroughly flushed, then have a solution of chlorine bleach (Clorox) sit in it for for a couple of days, and then again thoroughly flushed with clean water. Check the oven and the stove, too, if you haven't already. |
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11 May 03 - 05:12 PM (#950625) Subject: RE: BS: Serious Stink Problem, Seriously... From: leprechaun Does Rapaire have skeletons in the closet? |
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11 May 03 - 05:13 PM (#950630) Subject: RE: BS: Serious Stink Problem, Seriously... From: Rapparee Not anymore; I moved. 8-) |
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11 May 03 - 05:14 PM (#950632) Subject: RE: BS: Serious Stink Problem, Seriously... From: Rapparee And I can't have any here, 'cause the guy who lives downstairs is a Federal Marshal. |
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11 May 03 - 05:18 PM (#950637) Subject: RE: BS: Serious Stink Problem, Seriously... From: Amos Glad to hear ya made it into safe hands, there, Rapaire!! We wuz worrited ya got lost in Eastern Utawh! A |
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11 May 03 - 05:18 PM (#950638) Subject: RE: BS: Serious Stink Problem, Seriously... From: GUEST,Sorch LOL, Rap! |
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11 May 03 - 05:25 PM (#950642) Subject: RE: BS: Serious Stink Problem, Seriously... From: katlaughing Ask Scully and Mulder, them Federal Marshalls got they own skelitins! |
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11 May 03 - 05:30 PM (#950648) Subject: RE: BS: Serious Stink Problem, Seriously... From: catspaw49 Nature's Miracle is a must......I second or third that one!!! It's an enzyme cleaner so actually stinks worse at first. But everyone else is right. Get rid of the carpet! After cleaning with the NM and letting it do it's thing, then use the Oxyclean....GREAT STUFF! If you're keeping the paneling, after a wahdown with the above, then hit it with the Murphy's and a follow up of Miracle Gold to help moisturize the wood. A lot of things simply cover the odor, this will get it out. Kat's right on the vinyl as well. Kill the fuckin' snake first.......... Spaw |
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11 May 03 - 05:38 PM (#950652) Subject: RE: BS: Serious Stink Problem, Seriously... From: Rapparee Seriously, do flush the septic and potable water systems well. Nothin' like diarrhea, dysentery, typhoid, or worse to bugger up a trip. |
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11 May 03 - 05:43 PM (#950655) Subject: RE: BS: Serious Stink Problem, Seriously... From: Deckman Here's a thought. Get in touch with a commercial carpet cleaner. Buy some of the enzime they use for eating odors. It a clear liquid they spray on carpets to take care of animal urine odors. It's really amazing stuff. Works in a couple of days. CHEERS, Bob |
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11 May 03 - 05:47 PM (#950657) Subject: RE: BS: Serious Stink Problem, Seriously... From: katlaughing No, Spaw, catch and release the snake!!! **bg** |
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11 May 03 - 05:48 PM (#950659) Subject: RE: BS: Serious Stink Problem, Seriously... From: Rick Fielding You know I just KNEW that Sorcha would have somethin' up her sleeve that sounded RIGHT! Me, I'd wander around in sad little circles mumbling "why me lord"? Sometimes I feel so urban it makes me sick! I wanna be a 'country boy'! Sorcha, you wouldn't believe the number of times I've written down little tips you've shared.....and then used them. Cheers. You too kat...you guys is FRONTIER WOMEN! Rick |
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11 May 03 - 06:37 PM (#950673) Subject: RE: BS: Serious Stink Problem, Seriously... From: Amos Fronty-er than whom, exackly, Mister Rick? I have been asked to send a report to the Alderman's Board of the Temple, ya know. The frontier the better, I say. A |
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11 May 03 - 07:27 PM (#950682) Subject: RE: BS: Serious Stink Problem, Seriously... From: Helen Hi Bobert, My suggestion is totally not practical, but has to be said: you need to re-work that lovely tune and rename it from Goodbye to the Thirty Foot Trailer to *Hello* to the Thirty Foot Trailer. It's in the DT - just do a search for "trailer". It'll give you something to do while you are waiting for those enzymes & stuff to do their work. Helen |
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11 May 03 - 07:54 PM (#950692) Subject: RE: BS: Serious Stink Problem, Seriously... From: catspaw49 Hey Bob Deckman ..... Nature's Miracle is the most popular brand used by carpet cleaners!!! The enzyme cleaners are the only way to go, but thye are best after they do their work and then recleaned to remove the remnants of the reaction. Spaw |
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11 May 03 - 07:55 PM (#950693) Subject: RE: BS: Serious Stink Problem, Seriously... From: Grab If you've had mice and you want to solve the problem properly, every last inch of wood panelling, cupboard and floorboard needs lifting. Little sods get everywhere. Otherwise you'll have a quarter-inch of compost behind everything. Graham. |
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11 May 03 - 09:57 PM (#950738) Subject: RE: BS: Serious Stink Problem, Seriously... From: GUEST,Sorcha LOL, Rick, Spaw. I aint' very 'fronty' but I do wish Pene/Max would show up so I don't have to be a Guest innymore........sick of this! And, NO chat! |
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11 May 03 - 10:22 PM (#950751) Subject: RE: BS: Serious Stink Problem, Seriously... From: Bobert Well danged! I posted this a few hours ago, went to a party, returned and to my amazement: lots of good sutff! This "Nature's Miracle" has definately gone to the top of my charts. But taking up the existing flooring has gotten my attention. Yeah, I'm gonna do both. I'm gonna win this battle.... And I'm gonna hit the road and visit as many Catters as I can and let them decide how well I followed this excellent advice.. Bobert |
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11 May 03 - 10:30 PM (#950752) Subject: RE: BS: Serious Stink Problem, Seriously... From: Tweed Spaw~ I'm surprised you didn't recommend the OZONA AIR REHABILITATOR SYSTEM complete wif HEPA™ filters for this job. Boberdz~ Kill the snake, wrap it in Kraft singles and deep fry it! Yerz, Tweedzrzzz |
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11 May 03 - 10:59 PM (#950763) Subject: RE: BS: Serious Stink Problem, Seriously... From: Les B The snake was probably attracted by the mice - you might want to let it handle the problem for a while before removing it. Maybe you could make a pet out of it. On the other hand, snake burgers might be good ! |
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12 May 03 - 12:17 AM (#950792) Subject: RE: BS: Serious Stink Problem, Seriously... From: Stilly River Sage I haven't used Nature's Miracle, but if you can't find it, I have one from a commercial janitorial supply called Bio-Zyme. It kills the smell of cat pee after a couple of applications. But I'd get rid of the rug anyway if the trailer is that old. No doubt the gaskets in the sewage holding tank need replacing. It's not that hard to do, but it's a job no one looks forward to, and you need to be prepared to take a really good shower immediately afterward. You might consider changing gaskets before jumping through all of the other renovation hoops, to rule out a real obvious source of foul air first. SRS |
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12 May 03 - 12:33 AM (#950797) Subject: RE: BS: Serious Stink Problem, Seriously... From: Ebbie One other thing, Bobert- do you have ductwork? It's always possible that there's stuff in them. I heard of a woman whose tenants put raw fish in the heating ducts when they moved out. |
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12 May 03 - 05:55 AM (#950875) Subject: RE: BS: Serious Stink Problem, Seriously... From: kendall I keep a box of baking soda in my fridge. It controlls orors such as onion, garlic and moat things that have outlived their useful life. Being a typical batch, I only clean it once in a while. In fact, I just gave it a good cleaning last week, and, it has been a while, I found a milk carton with Jimmy Hoffa on it. |
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12 May 03 - 09:35 AM (#950955) Subject: RE: BS: Serious Stink Problem, Seriously... From: EBarnacle1 If it has no food, the snake will leave on its own. If the snake is still there, it is eating something. |
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12 May 03 - 09:40 AM (#950958) Subject: RE: BS: Serious Stink Problem, Seriously... From: Peg Washing down things with a white vinegar solution often works really well... certain materials absorb odors better than others because of their porosity; and this also affects their ability to be cleaned...wood is the worst because it absorbs moisture and can rot. be sure to get every inch; like the corners in the front of the cupboard behind the door etc. Good luck! |
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12 May 03 - 11:25 AM (#951041) Subject: RE: BS: Serious Stink Problem, Seriously... From: katlaughing **BG** with Kendall!! |
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12 May 03 - 12:17 PM (#951072) Subject: RE: BS: Serious Stink Problem, Seriously... From: GUEST,Ivor hugh jampton Have you tried setting fire to it? |
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12 May 03 - 02:38 PM (#951183) Subject: RE: BS: Serious Stink Problem, Seriously... From: GUEST,Dick Cheney One small tactical nuke should do the job. Always works for me. |
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12 May 03 - 03:40 PM (#951224) Subject: RE: BS: Serious Stink Problem, Seriously... From: Gareth A trailer ??? Bobert, are you going native ??? Gareth |
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12 May 03 - 04:06 PM (#951244) Subject: RE: BS: Serious Stink Problem, Seriously... From: pyewacket Dear Bopert: I can recommend a deodorizer to you that was initially developed for the used car trade. It is called "Smells Begone" and is made by the "Punati Chemical Corporation in Birminham, Michigan.The phone number is(800-645-2882). It is available in spray bottles and also in 14 oz solid plastic bottles with a perforated lid. The list of odors that it will eliminate is endless. The 14 oz spray bottle says "stockyard strenght." It is nonstaining, nontoxic and nonallergenic. It is even safe to spray on pets. They are now making a 1 gallon pail that can be placed in basements for serious mildew problems. I cannot use most deodorizers because of my allergies to perfumes, colognes and many cleaning materials. To me they are worse than the offending odor. Pinesol, Janitor in a Drum, Fabreeze....Giiiahhh! I have had excellent results with "Smells Be Gone" and it is well worth a try. Available at Most "Gilroy Hardwares" or call the company to locate your nearest dealer. Good Luck! |
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12 May 03 - 04:13 PM (#951246) Subject: RE: BS: Serious Stink Problem, Seriously... From: pyewacket Bopert: Just thought of a site you might like to peruse. Also, I didn't mention that Smells be Gone" is odorless! http://www.ptg.org/pipermail/pianotech/1995-March/000924.html Sorry that I can't do "Blue Clickies! " |
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12 May 03 - 06:31 PM (#951314) Subject: RE: BS: Serious Stink Problem, Seriously... From: M.Ted Check with this guy, Bobert: The Restoration of My 1951-Spartanette He seems to share your affinity for the vehicle--he also says it took him between 600 and 700 hours to do the work, over about 5 months--By his accounts, his was in bad shape when he got it, as well--also, be prepared to lay out a bit of cash--he says it cost $400 for a replacement motor for the Frigidaire(a built-in, so you can't just go get a new one from Best Buys)--Take heart though, as it will be very cool when you are done! |
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12 May 03 - 07:12 PM (#951346) Subject: RE: BS: Serious Stink Problem, Seriously... From: Tweed Hare iz a page devoted to the Boberdz own Spartanette. I should change the title one ob these days to "Bobertz' Spartanette Needz a Good Ar Freshener" but I habv been invboled in so much BS lately I have not had time fore serious matters. ***Boberdz' Spartanette Az He First Found It*** Yerz, Tweed |
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12 May 03 - 08:07 PM (#951376) Subject: RE: BS: Serious Stink Problem, Seriously... From: Bee-dubya-ell Yo, Bobert! If you is fixin' this thang up fer yore trek t' Como, MS along wid th' King of Misissippi 'n th' Tweedzer, don't try n' do a real good jobba cleanin' it. Be shore t' leave one area nice 'n skanky smellin' so Tweed kin feel at home. Why doncha jus' git Tweed t' bring 'long a coupla them buzzards that's roostin' on hiz patio. Ya got anythin' dead in there, them buzzards'll find it. Jus' lookin' at the purdy pitchers ov yore prize 'n it shore reminds me ov th' one thet I lived in durin' my junior year in college. Jus' paint it red 'n put a big ole bong in th' livin' room. Bruce |
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12 May 03 - 08:40 PM (#951404) Subject: RE: BS: Serious Stink Problem, Seriously... From: Bobert Well danged, where to start? Thanks to: *Sorcha fir the idea of usin' lemon halves with salt and for the 1st recommendation for Nature's Miricle and... *Kat for the baking soda and vinegar in the drains, the Orange Glow and Oxyclean and... *Professor Spawzer fir the "Miracle *Gold* recommendation and fir not offerin' to send Paw and the Reg boys over to help and... *Rapaire fir suggesting flushing of water and swage systems (actually, I will be replacing much of the mechanical systems) and... *Helen, fir takin' my feeble mind off the task at hand with suggesting I rework the song "Goddbye, to the 30 foot trailer I Left Behind" and.. *Tweezer, his mayorial seff, fir the excitin' recipe fir cookin' up a snake and... *SRS fir the suggestions related to mechanical systems (see comments under "Reraire, but thanks) and... *Ebbie fir suggestin' that that somethin' might be dead in the ductwork (shoouldn't be hard to check since there's onlt 5 feet of it) and... *GUEST, Ivor fir making me relized how gald I is that I ain't GUEST, Ivor (Burn it. Shame on you. Jus funnin".) and... *pyewacket fir the wonderfull link to "Smell BeGone" and the 800 number which I will definately follow up on and... M-Ted fir the wonderful Spartan website, which I have bookmarked and will check out more thouroughly later and, lastly... Mayor Tweed agiain, fir postin' a "before" pic of my beauty... Ahhhhh, as fir the snake? I'm keeping it. Even if have to buy mice at the pet store for it, it stays. Bobert |
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12 May 03 - 08:56 PM (#951415) Subject: RE: BS: Serious Stink Problem, Seriously... From: Bobert Bee-dubya, Well, now I think you is on to somethin'. Man, I wish you'd come up with that idea before I went and cleaned the enitire innards. Hmmmmm, maybe I could jus' empty the catbox where Tweezer is gonna unroll his sleepin' bag. Yeah, then he'd feel right at home, wouldn't he? No, better yet, I ain't emptied the shop vac and in it there are no less than a half a million mice droppin's. Maybe I'll just scoop ou a couple handfulls of them fir him? Man, I'd hate to offend Tweezer, since he's been so good to me. Once, over at Tweedsburg, he snuck me a box cutter the day after one of my many duct tapings. Werll, he could have got there an hour earlier since... Oh nevermind... Bobert |
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13 May 03 - 12:54 AM (#951529) Subject: RE: BS: Serious Stink Problem, Seriously... From: Stilly River Sage Bobert, Out west there are some nasty diseases spread via the dust associated with mouse droppings (Hanta virus) and in the east and elsewhere birds and bats spread histoplasmosis. Please sincerely consider wearing a dust mask when you're in that trailer mucking out droppings and dust until you have it down to at least broom clean. Get yourself a can of Lysol and spray enough to keep the dust from going airborne if you get into an area with a lot of mouse droppings. I cleared out the contents of a storage locker in the Manzano Mountains east of Albuquerque last summer, and was rather parnoid that I could catch something like Hantavirus. Normally I dislike using things like Lysol, but it was real blessing to use a product that actually does what they say it will, and let it kill those germs before I possibly infected myself from sweeping up dusty droppings. SRS |
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13 May 03 - 07:18 PM (#952112) Subject: RE: BS: Serious Stink Problem, Seriously... From: GUEST Kitchen match in the center will lend the thing a 'masking' odor. Light the match before you exit. |
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13 May 03 - 07:35 PM (#952122) Subject: RE: BS: Serious Stink Problem, Seriously... From: Bobert Ahhhh, SRS, this mouse droppinz virus sound purdy scarey. Wish you'd told me about it before I went in there and vacuumated the entire trailer from top to bottom and front to back. Filled an entire shop vac with droppins and stirred up lots of droppin's dust. Ahhhh, what are the symptoms? Maybe I got it. The only symptom Iz got since breathing the droppins dust is that I feel real good, play my guirtar better and make love to the P-Vine 4 times a day. Man, I gotta see the doc. I got it! I know I got it! Danged ol mouse poop virus is gonna get me! Oh... Oh.... Mouse poop virus is gonna take me out... Awww, I jus funnin. Heck, the P-Vine make me take so many herbs and anti-oxidents that when germs see me they run screaming thtru the streets like in the old hoor movies... But thanks fir the warnin'. Cough. Bobert |
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13 May 03 - 09:01 PM (#952162) Subject: RE: BS: Serious Stink Problem, Seriously... From: Stilly River Sage One of the easiest symptoms to recognize is death. |
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13 May 03 - 09:41 PM (#952173) Subject: RE: BS: Serious Stink Problem, Seriously... From: Bobert SRS, Ain't there yet! (Hmmmmm, Bobert, can you *prove* that?) Ahhhh, gonna have to get back to you on this one.... Bobert |
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13 May 03 - 11:46 PM (#952229) Subject: RE: BS: Serious Stink Problem, Seriously... From: GUEST,.gargoyle I seriously believe that you have a trailer, inwhich a human corpse decomposed.
Metal will not absorb the smell. However, EVERYTHING else will!
Strip the trailer - ENTIRELY of its TOTAL contents - leaving only the bare metal wall. Scrub the aluminum wall first with ammonia (don't worry about the aluminum warnings regarding ammonia - you WANT it to oxidize and release the fumes and perhaps any remaining spririt of the diceased.) Then scrub again with chlorin bleach. Now, rebuild the trailer and fill the vacant spaces with sawdust, borax, and baking soda.
Sincerely,
It worked well for my neighbors and their Mercedes which had a double suicide in the garage on a hot summer week. |
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14 May 03 - 12:01 AM (#952240) Subject: RE: BS: Serious Stink Problem, Seriously... From: GUEST,.gargoyle Reminds me of the joke from the 1930's ...a couple was seated in the parlor...they both noticed a disagreable smell and disagreed as to its source....their first serious discussion. CAT - Crept in crapped and crept out again....
NO!DOG - Dodged in duked and dodged out again.
Sincerely,
Story of my mother |
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14 May 03 - 01:17 AM (#952258) Subject: RE: BS: Serious Stink Problem, Seriously... From: katlaughing Bobert, this is come late, but my Rog, who did the same with a tiny little 13 footer, says wait until you have a good dry, hot day (if you ever get any of those in West 'ginny) and hose it out with a garden hose, then leave it open to dry out. I'd go him one better and say use one of those power nozzle thingies for car washing AND, if you can rig it up to a source, use hot water to boot! Really, he swears this really helped with the *Pumpkin Shell*. kat |
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14 May 03 - 11:27 AM (#952524) Subject: RE: BS: Serious Stink Problem, Seriously... From: Stilly River Sage People are refurbishing travel trailers to use them in lieu of gazebos in their yards, and use them for office annexes. A dozen years ago I had a nice little trailer (relative to what's out there today) that I wish I'd kept. My now-ex spouse lobbied hard to sell it, but that's another story and another stink. SRS |
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14 May 03 - 11:45 AM (#952530) Subject: RE: BS: Serious Stink Problem, Seriously... From: Uncle_DaveO Gargoyle: Are you sure it wasn't that a pup popped in, pooped, and popped right out again? Dave Oesterreich |
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14 May 03 - 04:20 PM (#952684) Subject: RE: BS: Serious Stink Problem, Seriously... From: Carly Another version of enzyme cleaner we've used with good results is Simple Solution, available in pet stores in small bottles or by the gallon.It also did not set off my perfume allergies. Have you checked for hemp matting? In the 60's, my family had an old car that developed an incredible stink. It turned out that underneath the flooring was hemp matting as a pad, which had somehow gotten wet.Like old carpeting, the best idea is to rip it out. Good Luck! |