How To Remove Sour Milk Smell From Car (6 Practical Steps)

Are you wondering how to remove sour milk smell from your car so that the rancid smell of milk will become a thing of the past?

Kids are beautiful gifts from God. They spice our lives and give us memories, but sometimes they give us a lot of assignments to remove the sour milk smell from our car.

When this milk spills accidentally, we clean them up thinking that all is well, but after some time, the whole car becomes filled with the smell of soured milk.

The question on our lips would then be how to remove sour milk smell from car. Don’t worry. We have practical steps available for you.

How To Remove Sour Milk Smell From Car

Wondering how to make the sour milk smell in your car a thing of the past? Do not worry; simple and practical steps on how to go about this will be made available for you.

When you follow them, the sour milk smell will be a thing of the past, and you can start driving your car happily.

If you want to get rid of the sour milk smell in your car, the first thing you have got to do is to identify the source of the problem.

By this, I mean to identify the source of the smell, find out where it is coming from and attack it rather than trying to mask the smell.

Some people will prefer using air fresheners to give the aura of their cars another lift, but I tell you that the effect of this method is temporal.

It will last but a moment, and before you know what is happening, your car’s aura has returned to the status quo, and your car is graced with the soured milk odor.

The steps below will give you a lasting solution and permanently remove the smell of the soured milk from your car.

Step 1: Quickly Remove Excess Milk

When you clean up any puddles as soon as they occur, the less chance the milk has to soak into the fibers.

It would help if you used old bath towels or tea towels for this. Kitchen towels are not recommended unless you want your seats to be left with a papery residue.

Dab the wet areas to soak up as much liquid as possible, rather than wiping or scrubbing the milk.

Step 2: Wash Removable Covers

In other to remove the sour milk smell from your car, one of the first things that you should do is to remove any accessory that was stained by the spilled milk that can be removed.

These accessories include seat covers, seat belt pads, floor mats, and carpeting in the boot.

When you wash these accessories, there are higher chances that the washing removes the milk remnants capable of producing a foul smell. If they have started producing a foul smell, the washing takes care of the smell, leaving your car smelling nice.

For effective washing, you can wash smaller accessories in your washing machines. Ensure that you wash with a detergent that has high quality and good fragrance.

You can wash them at the hottest temperature level they can withstand, as shown on their care label. It will get their fabrics sanitized and their fragrance nice again and at the same time leave them clean.

For accessories that are large or those that cannot be washed using a washing machine, or those that can’t withstand hot temperatures, it is best to soak them in warm water and liquid detergent for a while, then rinse them with cold water.

Step 3: Use Baking Soda

For the car parts you cannot wash, it is advisable to use absorbent products like baking powder.

You go about it by sprinkling baking soda over your car’s damp patches, allowing it to stand overnight, and by morning, the baking soda would have drawn the soured milk smell.

As for the baking soda, you can take care of it by vacuuming, and your car would have returned to a defunct smell.

4. Use Enzyme Cleaners

Another thing that you can use to get rid of the sour milk smell in your car is the use of enzyme cleaners.

By enzyme cleaners, we mean spray cleaners that contain enzymes in them. All you have to do is spray the location where there was milk spill with the enzyme cleaner like valetPRO and wet the place very well.

You can also brush the enzyme cleaner into your car’s fabric so it enters deeply with a soft bristle brush.

The enzymes in the cleaner aim to attack the bacteria feeding on the milk, kill them by breaking them, and when they are dead, they can’t feed on the milk again.

Their death would neutralize the offensive odors they produce while feeding on the milk residue.

Step 5: Using Natural Air Fresheners

White vinegar

You can use vinegar to remove the smell of soured milk from your car as it helps break down enzymes from soured milk and take care of the odor.

This method is safe. If you don’t want your car to have a strong vinegar odor, mix it with water, but if you are comfortable with it like that, use it without mixing.

Use a spray bottle and mix four parts of water with one part of vinegar. Spray it on the soiled area until the area is drenched, allow it to stand for 5 hours, then blot dry.

Coffee grounds

Coffee grounds also can absorb bad odor and then give the environment, in this case, your car, a coffee fragrance, that is, if you are at home with a coffee smell.

All you have to do is have a plastic filled with coffee grounds kept underneath your seat and allow it to stay for two weeks; by the end of two weeks, it would have removed the soured milk smell.

Homemade air fresheners

You can also create homemade air fresheners to freshen up your car after cleaning it.

Vanilla Scented Air Freshener – Place a few drops of vanilla on cotton balls and place them around the car or in the vents. The more cotton balls you scatter, the more effective, but do not overdo it.
Mint/Citrus Scented Air Freshener – Combine white vinegar and water in a spray bottle and add your favorite extract. Avoid spraying too much to avoid concentrated odor.

Step 6: Air Out The Vehicle

Do not forget to air out your car after applying any of the above methods by leaving the windows open. Sunshine is effective in drying out stains and breaking down odors.

How To Remove Sour Milk Smell From Car – FAQs

Does Sour Milk Go Away by Itself?

No, it doesn’t. Especially in a closed space with little open-air ventilation, sour milk does not simply go away. The smell will still linger after you close the door, even if you air out your car or drive around with the windows open.

How Long Does Sour Milk Smell Last?

Depending on your method and how fast you clean the spilled drink, the sour milk smell can disappear overnight or at least a week later.

How Do I Get Sour Milk Smell Out of Leather Seats?

Baking soda is effective in removing the sour milk smell from leather seats. It works to filter the air and remove foul odors.

Sprinkle baking soda directly on the spilled milk area after it has dried completely. Then allow it to sit for three to four days, and vacuum it out of the upholstery.

Wind Up

I am sure you gained comprehensive insight on removing the sour milk smell from your car.

Remember that if you want to get rid of the sour milk smell in your car, the first thing you have got to do is to identify the source of the problem.

By this, I mean to identify the source of the smell, find out where it is coming from, and tackle the smell rather than trying to mask it.

Follow the listed steps above, and they will help you remove the soured milk smell from your car.

Do not forget to air out your car after applying any of the above methods by leaving the windows open. Sunshine is effective in drying out stains and breaking down odors.