Car interior stinks because of dead animals in engine compartment

Mr. Nguyen Thang (Hanoi) parked his car outdoors for a long time, in an area with lots of grass and trash. One day while driving, he smelled the smell of a dead animal entering the cabin. When he opened the hood, Thang saw a cat's body stuck in the engine compartment, in the process of decomposing. The stench was carried by the air conditioner into the interior, sticking to the surface of the material, so it took a long time to release.

Thang immediately took the car to the garage to have it treated for 700,000 VND by removing the chassis to clean the cat carcass, garbage, and then washing it with chemicals. However, he said "it still cannot completely remove the smell", because the animal was in the process of decomposition. Not only was the animal dead, but there were many other types of smelly garbage in the engine compartment such as fish heads, possibly food brought by the cat.

Notes when using the car in cold weather

Nguyen Thang's case is not unique in the winter in the North. When the weather turns cold, animals such as dogs, cats, mice, etc. always look for warm shelters. One of the places that animals often go to is the engine compartment, wheel wells or under the car, because this place can protect them from environmental factors, and when operating, the engine compartment radiates heat, attracting animals to avoid the cold. Therefore, the engine compartment becomes an "ideal home" for dogs, cats, mice to live, and even raise their children.

Therefore, car owners should pay more attention to parking and using the car in the cold season. Before getting in the car, you can tap the hood to make a sound to scare away animals, and check all the wheel wells. It is best to park in clean areas, private garages, and places with a lot of people passing by.

To prevent, you can use rat repellent sprays, or mix your own animal repellent solution with natural essential oils such as peppermint oil, lemon oil, lemongrass oil, eucalyptus oil with 200-300 ml of water, then spray into the engine compartment, wheel wells, trunk, and undercarriage. Always clean the engine compartment regularly to remove trash, and you can install specialized anti-rat nets to prevent rats from entering the air conditioning system, ducts, and air vents.

In case of discovering animal carcasses in the engine compartment, the car owner should remove the odor-causing agent as soon as possible. After that, the entire air filter in the car should be replaced, and the cooling system and air conditioning system should be thoroughly cleaned at a car care facility, and an additional ozone deodorization service can be performed. At home, the driver can park the car outdoors in the sun, and open all the doors on the car to quickly remove the odor. Natural odor absorbers (in a cloth bag) such as baking soda, activated carbon or cat litter can be used inside the car.