I have a most unusual and really interesting job using my nose to sniff out stinky odor in automobiles and then removing the odor. Traditionally most people care for their automobiles by washing, waxing and vacuuming. But what happens if the interior space of a vehicle becomes smelly and intolerable to ride in? What can consumers do? They can come see me. I am a certified automobile detailer and specialize in services to remove odors and resolving problems when the interior of a vehicle becomes so foul creating a toxic environment due to neglect, mishaps or accidents. I absolutely love my job because every day presents unique challenges and new opportunities to diagnose and evaluate the cause of a problem but more importantly I have the job satisfaction of restoring peace of mind to vehicle owner and receiving hugs and letters of thanks for saving their vehicles.
For example, a gallon of milk spills on the floor in the car and sits in the sun. Before long that protein matter has seeped deep into the carpet, padding and jute of the vehicle. There it chemically bonds with molecules to create a malodor which will continue to off-gas and make the vehicle uninhabitable. Did you know that protein spills, if left untreated, can turn into toxic microbial colonies which can actually make your vehicle interior medically unsafe?
We all love our pets and our children but sometimes they have accidents (vomit/urine). Once again, if not properly cleaned and treated, these accidents can lead to serious toxic problems which just won’t go away. Too many times consumers think that surface cleaning and spraying perfume fragrances in a vehicle’s interior will solve he problem. But this is only a temporary fix. You have to go deep down to bring your vehicle back to showroom condition – both in looks and, most especially, in the overall quality of the indoor environment. The root of the malodor problem needs to be tackled by specialists who understand all aspects of toxic off-gassing. Because you can’t get to the deep down source of the germs and microbial activity, you may think that you can never get that sell out of your vehicle’s interior.
What do you do if the interior of your vehicle has had a gasoline or kerosene spill (as from a gas can)? Have you ever smelled a vehicle in which a pet wrestled with a skunk and the victim became the vehicle’s interior components? These vehicles probably won’t be driven too much and may never sell. What if you want to buy a used car that current driver has smoked in and you have respiratory problems? There are ways to solve these severe problems.
You may think that these are mostly the horror stories about unusual situations that can damage your vehicle’s interior. But what about plain water? Water intrusion (rain water or flood water) is a frequent issue here in the Metro Richmond Area. Improperly installed windshields can leak. Sunroofs can leak. People leave their windows down and a sudden storm blows through. Well, this is only water and you think it is just a matter of wiping-up the moisture. That clear water which came in through that windshield seal will change from clean water to gray water to black, toxic waste water in only 72 hours. That water can seep down into carpeting, padding and sound baffling where it is dark with little airflow. This becomes the breeding ground for toxic mold. It does not take long for a complete vehicle to become infested. Remember the time element – if you don’t get water leak problems properly remediated in time that small leak can become a disaster for your vehicle.
In addition to odor remediation, I do stain removal (frequently part of an odor remediation job), vermin/bug infestation remediation and full service interior and exterior detail including scratch removal and paint touchup, engine cleaning and much more. As you can see, my job is never boring. While odor remediation is only one aspect of my job, it is the most unusual and challenging thing I do. Every vehicle is different. Every odor problem is different. I love seeing the smiles on my client’s faces when they get their car back and know the problem is solved.
Gina Budhai
Managing Partner
Car Pool Detail, LLC