7 Steps on How to Clean Vomit From Your Car’s Interior

Cleaning Vomit From Car

Cleaning vomit from your car's interior can be a challenging and unpleasant task, but it's essential to act quickly to prevent the stain and odor from setting in. I’ve included the full process of removing the actual vomit and the odor as well as included product links throughout the article so that you can pick up all the necessary tools and supplies in one shopping cart to get the job done as soon as possible.

Here are the steps to permanently remove vomit and vomit odor from your car’s interior:

Step 1: Protection

Wear gloves and a face mask to protect yourself from germs and unpleasant odors.

Step 2: Physical Removal

Use a plastic bag or paper towels to remove any solid chunks of vomit from the car's interior. Be careful not to smear it around or rub it in.

Step 3: Vacuum

Vacuum up any small remains with this Dewalt 20V MAX cordless wet-dry vacuum: https://amzn.to/3Zp96rU

• make sure to pick up a battery too: https://amzn.to/3zbjZTB

Step 4: Carpet Spot Cleaner Chemical

Use Folex Instant Carpet Spot Remover over the area and let it sit for 1-2 minutes. This will help further neutralize the odor inside the fabric so that heat doesn’t eventually reactivate the odor. It also will break down the waste for easier removal later. Here’s the link to the Folex Carpet Cleaner: https://amzn.to/3zai1CS

Step 5: Vacuum Again and Sprinkle Baking Soda and then More Vacuuming…

You’ll then want to use your vacuum to remove the Folex and then sprinkle some baking soda to the area. (Baking Soda Link: https://amzn.to/3KgvHTh)

Let the baking soda sit for a couple hours. This will absorb the odor by neutralizing the acidic properties of the vomit.

After this, vacuum the area again.

Step 6: Enzyme Cleaner

Spray Nature’s Miracle Odor and Stain Remover on the area and wait for it to sink into the fabric which will remove the odor by replacing the odor with the product’s own pleasant scent as well as decreasing the chance of the odor returning. It also has enzymes that will soak into the upholstery fabric to kill any odor causing germs

• link: https://amzn.to/3TNr9XB

Step 7: Steam and Extraction Machine

Use a steamer (doesn’t need to be one of the industrial ones we use for commercial work) with a microfiber towel and a Bissell Spot Clean Pro with hot water added into the solution tank:

• McCulloch Handheld Steam Cleaner: https://amzn.to/3TTWMii

• Bissell Spot Clean Pro: https://amzn.to/3noI4n8

• Cheap (but good enough) throw away microfiber towels: https://amzn.to/3TPHMSh

What you’ll want to do is use the steamer with a microfiber towel wrapped around the end where steam comes out and steam the affected areas of the upholstery. Then immediately after heating up the area, the remaining odor and vomit will have been lifted up from the heat. Now is the time to use your Bissell Spot Clean Pro with hot water to extract any remaining waste.

Finally, blot the area with your microfiber towels and then dry the area with a small personal fan like this one: https://amzn.to/3TTV00n

Cleaning Doors and Plastics

When cleaning doors and plastics you can use the following steps:

1. physical removal with paper towels

2. vacuum up small remains

3. use diluted 10:1 Super Clean Degreaser to clean up the area

4. use a steam cleaner to disinfect the area and clean small crevices

5. dry with a microfiber towel

Remember to always test any cleaning solution on an inconspicuous area of your car's interior first to make sure it won't cause discoloration or damage.’

Last Resort Option to Removing Odor

Due to legality depending on what state you are in, we can only half way recommend this next tool. It is an Ozone generator which will further neutralize any odors: https://amzn.to/42ZIEbt

Do not run this tool for longer than an hour in your car and do not breath it in as ozone is a toxic gas.

Conclusion:

Getting vomit in your car is always an unwelcomed situation to be in. In this article we provided a step-by-step guide for cleaning vomit and odor from a car's interior. The process involves wearing gloves and a face mask, removing solid chunks of vomit with a plastic bag or paper towels, vacuuming the remaining debris, applying carpet spot cleaner, vacuuming again, sprinkling baking soda, applying enzyme cleaner, using a steamer and extraction machine to remove the remaining waste, and finally drying the area with a small fan. We also included tips for cleaning doors and plastics and a last resort option of using an ozone generator to neutralize any remaining odor.

If you are in the San Diego area and would like us to take care of this whole process for you, go to book.claritycarwashing.com and choose the interior detail service and make sure to choose the add-on for biological waste removal. Thank you! Stay Shining San Diego!

Car Care