Musty interior smell

[plumcrazzy]

'70 Challenger--black interior. Original rear seat (cover and foam) still nice looking. Original front buckets with original foam and Legendary covers. I don't use the car as much as I used to but it has always had a musty odor (sometimes worse than others--mostly when the humidity is high). I suspect the seat foam has developed this odor and it is permeating the rest of the interior. I have tried aerosol deodorizers, the tablets that are supposed to mask smells (look like the discs in a urinal---grape/cherry/etc.) an ionizer left in a closed car for an hour, and other methods to eliminate the odor---to no avail. Looking for a solution to this problem. Is the only correct way to do this to replace the foam? If so, where is the best place to acquire the foam for the best fit. If anyone has a method for cleaning these seat foams or any other ideas it would be appreciated. Thanks in advance. Looking forward to your ideas and suggestions.

[Blasterb]

I just used a turtle wax  bomb in my daughters PT Cruiser that I'm selling. She was a smoker and liked leaving her fast food trash in the car, sometimes for weeks. Smelled awful! started the car, turned on the ventilation in recirc mode and set off the bomb. left it run for 15 minutes. The results were incredible, couldn't tell anybody had ever smoked in it and the rotten food smell disappeared. You might try that first, Think it cost me less than $10

[plumcrazzy]

Is there a name for this Turtle Wax bomb? Interested to know.

[crash340]

My car was the same, most of the problem was in the headliner foam, rotted and very moldy

[JayBee]

I was curious so did some Googling. Finding where it's coming from is key, obviously. I'd hate to see you spend time and money on seat foam when it's coming from elsewhere like crash340's. Maybe get your nose real close to various areas and note where the smell is the strongest.

https://www.google.ca/search?q=car+musty+smell&oq=car+musty+smell&aqs=chrome..69i57j0l5.19069j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

[69bcuda]

Vinyl top? If so is the roof under it sound?

If you have mold, odors may never come out until stripped out.

You might get several folks at different times to help sniff out the affected area(s). People have varying senses.

An elder once recommended to me, on a hot sunny day, halving a grapefruit into two bowls. Leave one in the trunk and one in the interior your closed up car. I never tried it as I had sold the car.

[4 speed fish]

I would take the seats out of the car.If the car still smells after a few days I would remove the carpet, door panels and the headliner trim to let some air get to the roof area.Check the heater box pad.Check the sail panels.Good Luck.

[PLUM72]

Vinyl top car?  If so I've found water comes in where the lower molding is on the vinyl top.  Water comes in gets into the back seat and carpet.  Starts to smell...

[AARuFAST]

Is the car
Garage kept?
Outside under car cover?
Remove rear seat.. check under carpet.
If it doesn't have A/C check air vent tubes for trash.
If outside under car cover check vent at cow. Remove grill covers at cow and look for leaves.

[plumcrazzy]

Car has always been garage kept since its' restoration and has a car cover on at all times when not in use or being worked on . Car originally equipped with a Black vinyl top--top was stripped when I found the car. Roof was media blasted to bare metal, painted with a silver heat reflective paint and a new vinyl top reinstalled. Head liner was brand new during restoration. I really believe that the smell is coming from the rear seat. Saw some Google suggestions and am trying those. 1. Set an open pan of grilling type charcoal in the closed car---charcoal is supposed to absorb odors. 2. Sprinkle baking soda around on the carpet--let it sit for a while then vacuum up the soda---soda is supposed to absorb odors as well. Process of elimination.

Could someone help an old memory? If I decide to take out the seats (backseat) which comes out first---bottom/top? Does the package tray have to come out? Any tips on removing/replacing the back seat would be appreciated. I just can't remember---been to long I guess. Any suggestions on cleaning the foam if I do find that is the issue? Where would you source new seat foam if you needed to replace yours? Thanks folks.

[4 speed fish]

Bottom first then the 2 screws holding the back section.Package tray does not need to come out.

[73440]

Is there a name for this Turtle Wax bomb? Interested to know.

Turtle Wax is showing a lot of commercials about it on Velocity, but they go too fast to see the name , it's molecular !

[ARBY440]

TURTLE WAX ODOR-X WHOLE CAR BLAST

Kit
SKU: 50653

EXCLUSIVE ODOR-X TECHNOLOGY REMOVES ODORS AT THE MOLECULAR LEVEL. THE WHOLE CAR BLAST SAFELY REACHES EVERY INCH OF THE CAR WITHOUT LEAVING A RESIDUE.

[Blasterb]

Yep, Odor X. Like I said, worked great!