Having a bad day or just an upset tummy? We all know how it feels when faced with the unfortunate event of having to clean up vomit inside your car. Failing to clean the mess up properly can leave behind a bad odour and stains that can be very difficult to bear. With the recent increase in coronaviruses cases, we highly recommend that you keep your property sanitised and virus free to ensure the your safety.
Fun Fact: Did you know that you can get sick from breathing in Vomit?
Aspiration pneumonia is a lung infection that develops after you aspirate (inhale) food, liquid, or vomit into your lungs. You can also aspirate food or liquid from your stomach that backs up into your esophagus.
Here are a few methods to help you remove and clean up vomit from your car when the unfortunate event occurs.
Method #1: Remove, Vacuum and Eradicate
(Step 1): Remove the fresh vomit as early as possible
Leaving the vomit even for a few minutes can make it difficult to clean.
Always make sure to clean the vomit when it is fresh. Never delay the cleaning process as dried up vomit is not only tough to remove; it can start damaging the interior of your car.
(Step 2): Use an absorbent microfiber towel or kitchen towels to absorb the excess moisture
Removing the excess moisture should be your priority before it becomes absorbed into your seats and carpets.
Use an absorbent cloth or kitchen towels to soak up the liquid contents. Dab lightly on the surface with the towels to absorb as much of the liquid as possible. Do not exert too much force such that it forces it into the fabric surfaces below. In addition, do not rub the surface of the fabric as it can cause the liquid residue to spread and increase the surface area that you will need to clean.
If you have a wet vacuum, you can use it to suck up the vomit debris and liquid residue. This method will help ensure that a good portion of the “nasties” are removed before they start rotting and breeding bacteria. The main source of the bad odours starts when bacteria starts to breed within your enclosed cabin space.
(Step 3): Sprinkle baking soda to remove odour
After successfully removing the vomit, sprinkle a thick layer of baking soda to remove the foul odour completely. Sprinkle the baking soda over the affected area and leave for half an hour before using a vacuum to clean up the baking powder completely. If the odour lingers, we will recommend using a steam cleaning machine with an extraction function to carry out a complete and thorough clean. In the event that you do not have access to such equipment, you may contact us for a non-obligatory quote for our services.
Method #2: Refresh your car’s smell
A stinky car is perhaps the worst thing you can experience while traveling in our hot and humid weather.
The worse part about having someone vomit in your car isn’t the cleaning up. It is the smell that starts to creep into your nose as you travel in your car. The bad odour can start to cling on to your roof lining, the air conditioner vents, even your hair and clothes. Therefore, we will strongly advise you to follow the above steps closely to ensure that you remove as much of the residue as possible while cleaning up. The next thing you can do is to park your car in an open space and leave all the doors opened. Leave the doors of the car opened for at least half an hour, use an anti-bacterial fabric freshener that you can find in most supermarkets on the affected area and let the sun aid you in this task. Do remember that the sour, foul smelling odour in your car is usually given out as bacteria is multiplying in your cabin. Get rid of it before it becomes a health hazard to you and your family.
Method #3: The Last Resort - Seek Professional Help
Steam cleaning with vacuum extraction is one of the best ways of getting rid of vomit or other liquid wastes in the car.
When all else daily, speak to a professional car detailer who provides services such as steam cleaning extraction or hot water extraction to completely remove stains as well as odour from your vehicle. For a comprehensive clean up and removal, you will usually have to leave your car with them for a good 4 to 5 hours, however, you will find that this trade off in time will produce much better results than if you tried to do it yourself.
Due to the high heat produced from steam itself, it eradicates most bacteria and viruses (even coronaviruses) when it comes into contact for a certain period of time. With the effectiveness of a high powered extractor, the residue and debris stuck deep within the fibers of the carpet are removed without damage to the surface. This effective yet versatile process can be used for spillages and even cases where your pet accidentally urinated or defecated in your car. Come speak to us if you are facing such issues. Our team of technicians will be more than happy to assist with helping you restore the joy of owning your car again.