How to Remove Musty Smells From Car Upholstery

Car upholstery is exposed to dust, moisture and, in some cases, food and other types of grime. When this begins to decay on the upholstery fibers, a musty smell may develop. Even moisture alone, from spills or from rain coming in through a rolled-down window, causes a musty odor if the upholstery doesn't dry quickly. A musty smell on upholstery often does not get better with time. There are things you can do to alleviate this smell, however.

• 1

  Brush the upholstery with an upholstery brush to loosen soil from the material. Vacuum the upholstery. Go over the entire surface with the vacuum cleaner, including all cracks and crevices where crumbs may hide.

• 2

  Pour a capful of laundry detergent into a bucket of warm water. Use a sponge to lightly dampened and wipe down all the upholstery.

• 3

  Rinse out the sponge with water and go over the upholstery again to remove excess detergent. Open all the car doors to let the upholstery air out and dry.

• 4

  Sprinkle a light dusting of baking soda on the upholstery. Brush it lightly into the upholstery material with your upholstery brush. Apply more baking soda to the upholstery. Leave it on the upholstery overnight, as Carpet Wizzard suggests for removing musty odors from carpet.

• 5

  Vacuum the upholstery the following day to remove excess baking soda.