How to get gas smell out of a car after a spill (and when it means a leak)

Step by step: how to get gas smell out of a car after a spill

Safety first. Gasoline is very flammable and its vapor can ignite. Do not smoke, run a heater, or use anything that sparks near the spill, and do the cleanup outdoors with the engine off and doors open. Never use a household vacuum on wet gasoline. Do not mix cleaning chemicals. If you smell strong fuel while driving, see fuel dripping, or feel dizzy or get a headache, pull over safely, get out and have the car checked before driving it again.

1. 1

   Air the car out and remove the source

   Park outside, turn off the engine and open every door and the trunk. Take out the gas can, mower or anything else that leaked, and the floor mat or cargo liner under it. Leave the car open while you work.

2. 2

   Blot up as much gas as you can

   Wearing gloves, press paper towels or old rags firmly into the wet spot, swapping in fresh ones until no more fuel comes up. Blot rather than rub, which pushes gas deeper into the carpet pad. Spread used towels outside to let the gas evaporate before you throw them away.

3. 3

   Cover the spot with baking soda

   Pour a thick layer of baking soda, or unscented clay cat litter, over the damp area and work it in lightly with a gloved hand. Leave it for at least 4 hours, or overnight with the windows cracked, so it can absorb fuel and odor.

4. 4

   Vacuum the powder out

   Once the spot is dry, vacuum up the baking soda or litter thoroughly. If the carpet still feels damp or oily, repeat the baking soda step before you wash it.

5. 5

   Wash the spot with dish soap

   Mix a teaspoon of grease-cutting dish soap into 2 cups of warm water. Sponge or spray it on, scrub gently with a cloth, then blot with a dry towel. Rinse with plain water and blot again. A portable carpet cleaner or wet/dry vacuum pulls the soapy water out faster.

6. 6

   Wash the floor mat separately

   Scrub rubber mats outside with dish soap and water and let them dry in the sun. Carpeted mats get the same baking soda and soap treatment as the floor; replace a mat that still smells after two rounds.

7. 7

   Dry it completely

   Leave the doors or windows open in the sun, or run a fan into the car, until the carpet is dry all the way down. Damp padding can hold both gas smell and mildew.

8. 8

   Check the smell the next day

   Close the car up overnight and sniff it in the morning. A faint smell that keeps fading is normal after a spill. A smell that is the same or stronger, especially near the engine, under the car or by the fuel door, needs a mechanic.

Is it a spill or a fuel leak?

If you did not spill anything, treat a gas smell as a possible leak and get it checked. Cleaning will not fix a leaking fuel line, injector or tank, and the vapor is a fire risk.

Kia’s owner’s manual, like most, says to check that the fuel cap is installed securely to prevent spillage, not to top off after the nozzle clicks off, and warns that automotive fuels are flammable and that static electricity can ignite fuel vapors.

Is it dangerous to breathe gas fumes in a car?

A brief whiff at the pump is common, but you should not drive around breathing gasoline vapor. The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry says gasoline is very flammable, that at high levels its vapor irritates the lungs, and that high exposure can harm the nervous system. It also notes that spilled gasoline mostly evaporates, which is why airing out and absorbing the spill clears much of the smell.

The EPA lists stored fuels and automotive products among the household sources of volatile organic compounds, and advises increasing ventilation and buying only as much gasoline (for a lawn mower, say) as you will use right away. In a car, that means not keeping a gas can in the cabin or trunk longer than the trip home.

Gas on your clothes, shoes or hands

The smell in the car is sometimes coming from you. Leave fuel-soaked shoes outside, wash your hands with dish soap, and air out gasoline-soaked clothes outdoors before washing them; never put them straight into a dryer.

Our guide to getting gasoline smell out of clothes covers the full laundry method. For an overall interior refresh after the spill is gone, see how to clean a car interior.

Mistakes to avoid

• Driving with the windows up while the car still smells strongly of fuel.
• Rubbing the spill, which spreads gasoline into the carpet pad.
• Using a household vacuum on wet gasoline, which is a fire risk.
• Throwing wet, gas-soaked rags straight into a closed trash can instead of letting them dry outside first.
• Covering the smell with air freshener and ignoring a possible fuel leak.
• Using bleach or strong solvents on the carpet, which add fumes and can discolor it.