Need stain removal advice please!

[kakn7294]

After a recent grocery shopping trip, I discovered that the pleasant smell now permeating my Jeep comes from a spot where a bottle of Downey had fallen over and spilled onto the dark charcoal gray carpet in the cargo area. The stain is about 4 inches by 6 inches, a bright light blue, and still wet after 2+ weeks. I want to try to remove it but I'm afraid that I'll make it worse. Any suggestions? Anyone successful with removing such a stain?

[teambricker04]

Ugh! That is the WORST! You don't want to add too much water because it could make it crazy. Have you tried anything on it? Personally, I would take my carpet shampooer to it. It seems to get some of the grossest stuff out.

If you don't have that... I would...
try putting some baking soda or corn starch on it, rub it in then let it sit for about 15minutes, and use something to try to scrape the goop up with trying to get as much up as possible. Then I would try a stain remover like spot shot or resolve.

Good luck!

[Ed]

Is the carpeting in that area easily removable, even if it means removing a few screws or clips? If so, hang it up somewhere and hit it with a strong blast from a hose (or better yet, a power washer) from the underside to flush it out, then let it dry thoroughly. Fabric softener is somewhat 'oily' and takes a long while to dry completely on its own.

If the carpet is not removable, try a carpet cleaning machine like the Bissel Little Green Machine. Some car washes also have coin-operated carpet cleaning devices.

And if that all fails... you'll still have the best smelling Jeep in town.

[deedeenmickey]

I spilled liquid laudry detergent in my car once. I blotted it until it was as dry as I could get it and then used a lot of water vacuumed with shop vac and repeat. It was time consuming but it worked pretty well.

[sisterdisco]

I would take it to an auto-detailing shop.
The guy in Auto-Zone, said that to get stains out, they use brake fluid (some kind of auto engine fluid) and then use a compression air hose to blow it out.....I wouldn't try that myself though.

[AHOTE]

Been there, done that. Fabric softener never dries. Best way to remove it is with water and a wet/dry shop vac. Fabric softener is only soluable in water, the AutoZone guy is way off for suggesting brake fluid or other solvents. Spray the spot with water and use the vac hose with an attachment that gives you the most suction. Repeat this as many times as necessary to remove the softener. The odor can be absorbed with baking soda if it bothers you. The heat build up in a closed car will intensify the odor. Put baking soda in an old sock tied at the top and lay it over the spot after it is dry. That should do the trick.
Just a little off topic... 1cup of a cheap fabric softener added to 1 gallon of hot water works very well in removing old wallpaper and it's a lot cheaper than commercial wallpaper removers.

[teambricker04]

Been there, done that. Fabric softener never dries. Best way to remove it is with water and a wet/dry shop vac. Fabric softener is only soluable in water, the AutoZone guy is way off for suggesting brake fluid or other solvents. Spray the spot with water and use the vac hose with an attachment that gives you the most suction. Repeat this as many times as necessary to remove the softener. The odor can be absorbed with baking soda if it bothers you. The heat build up in a closed car will intensify the odor. Put baking soda in an old sock tied at the top and lay it over the spot after it is dry. That should do the trick.
Just a little off topic... 1cup of a cheap fabric softener added to 1 gallon of hot water works very well in removing old wallpaper and it's a lot cheaper than commercial wallpaper removers.

A wet/dry shop vac! Even better than a carpet cleaner, probably. I am going to put baking soda in a sock and leave it in my car... two little kids means a general stinkiness

Thanks for the wallpaper tip... I am going to put that in my memory bank!

kskn7294... have you tried any of these???

[kakn7294]

Not yet. I hope to get to it on Sunday. I think I might use our wet/dry shop vac. I'll let you all know how it goes! Thanks for the tips!