On way home from shopping 4 pint plastic milk container split at a seam and flooded boot. Lots flooded to back of back seats and into well below. Spare wheel well is dry. Have cleaned up boot floor and carpet underneath back seat. However after overnight stand puddle of milk found on floor. Not sure on best course of action to avoid remaining milk, if any, smelling. Any suggestions please?

There must be some drain holes? Find them and flush them with water?
Then put an air freshener in there
Or get some one to valet the car?
There are plenty of places will do a hand wash and valet for £20?
 

Has this happen to me once. Even if you can get the carpets dry the bacteria from the milk will still smell. I just kept soaking the carpet disinfectant, let it dry and then soak it again. Keep repeating the process until the smell goes away.
Remember that you need to get the disinfectant THROUGH the carpet to where the milk got to, and it can take a couple of weeks, depending on drying times.

This happened to a car I had, just a week before handing it over as p/x for a new car. Stunk to high heaven, and ended up taking everything out, and using a professional cleaner/detailer to deal with it. They have access to far better cleaning products, than Joe Public, and can dry out the carpets and seats in no time. No come back from the buying dealer, so imagine it was sorted, and go a reasonable price. Was in 2015, so price would vary, but then it was done for £100.

This may help :  How to Clean Spilled Milk on Carpet & Fabric | Molly Maid

 

 

You need an enzyme spray to deal with the bacteria and to prevent the smell ,a good car shop will sell it ,used it in my octy when we spilt milk too ,works a treat .

a £20 valet will never do it.  My dads car needed new underlay etc.  Asda paid because tops were coming off, Asda charged Wisemans Dairy.

Wisemans would have had a Mobile Valet person do it properly. 

As it turned out an Enzyme Cleaner was needed. 

 

Plenty advice on DIY etc.   Be sure to really get rid of wetness, milk and cleaner. 

(Getting Soaps / Detergents out of anything is most important.  They are Water Wetters and anything cleaned like Fabrics / Carpets then attract dirt, so beware in the home.)

 

PS

My Dad was a Laundry Manager and had a Dry Cleaning business as well and still never managed to do the job properly. 

Edited 25 January, 20251 yr by Ootohere

I was ferrying beer to a party and one of my passengers knocked a plastic flagon and spilled it in the rear footwell,

I was stopped by the police who were looking for info about an RTC they thought it was hilarious.

I mopped up, wrung out and once dry, sprayed with a pet product that a policeman recommended then left to air

The smell lingered for a couple of days then faded away. 

Whatever you do don't cry! 😄

 

I'll get me coat.....................................

Very good ^^^^^^  

 

Same question was asked a while ago on a LR forum I frequent, the overwhelming conclusion was “sell the car”.  Looks like things have moved on since then. 

Edited 26 January, 20251 yr by DSL

If you have access to a wet/dry vacuum cleaner, I suggest that you apply water to the carpet and underlay followed by vacuuming until 'dry' - then repeat and repeat.