Removing Petrol From A Diesel.... Interior
Removing Petrol From A Diesel.... Interior
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Discussion

V8RX7

Original Poster:

28,982 posts

294 months

Wednesday 4th September 2013
quotequote all
In a slight twist on the usual theme

One of my female friends mental boyfriend decided to pour a gallon of petrol over the interior of her car.

Presumably he lost his nerve before tossing in a match.

Whilst it's a diesel Golf so that might be for the best, she'd like to drive it so what's the best way to clean it up


NOT involving fire wink

Defcon5

6,477 posts

222 months

Wednesday 4th September 2013
quotequote all
Remove all the interior you can, let it evaporate then steam clean it?

T16OLE

2,965 posts

222 months

Wednesday 4th September 2013
quotequote all
A friend of mine used to relive his employer at the time of a little extra diesel. He didn't secure the lid of a 20l jerry can, the total contents of diesel split out inside his Golf GTI. Not good. Still don't pinch diesel

dave7692

683 posts

160 months

Wednesday 4th September 2013
quotequote all
Defcon5 said:
Remove all the interior you can, let it evaporate then steam clean it?
I'd say this and truck load of Fabreeze?

KTF

10,717 posts

181 months

Wednesday 4th September 2013
quotequote all
Get a professional in and send him the bill?

dave7692

683 posts

160 months

Wednesday 4th September 2013
quotequote all
KTF said:
Get a professional in and send him the bill?
Somehow I think you might struggle to get the money out of him...

marting

668 posts

205 months

Wednesday 4th September 2013
quotequote all
Somebody's been watching too much breaking bad

uuf361

3,184 posts

253 months

Wednesday 4th September 2013
quotequote all
Take interior out as said, and then try and clean.

Oh, and call the Police - next time it might be her he pours the petrol over!

strath44

1,370 posts

179 months

Wednesday 4th September 2013
quotequote all
the problem with the way interiors are made is the high amount of latex / sponge and foam / fabric. It soaks anything up in a big hurry.
This would really need a speacialist to try and neutralise and shampoo. Personally I would look to source new seats and shampoo the carpets thats the best bet.
I wouldn't try and be cheap and half heartedly clean it, diesel is highly carcinogenic and the effect of continually breathing in the fumes whilst in the car won't be good.

SteveSteveson

3,209 posts

194 months

Wednesday 4th September 2013
quotequote all
1) Call the police.
2) Don't use the car until it is clean. Contact can cause dermatitis and other nasty things. Breathing it in long term is not something I would want to do.
3) Leave the windows open at least a little and don't park in a garage to stop fume buildup until it is clean. Even a small amount of fumes can cause a fire.
4) Call a professional. Don't just mask it.

Personally I would call the police and the insurance company. Get them to sort it as vandalism.

V8RX7

Original Poster:

28,982 posts

294 months

Wednesday 4th September 2013
quotequote all
Police were how she got it back... I have a feeling he intended to set himself and /or her alight.

Really is a complete nutter.

However back on track... so a good aqua vac with detergent won't do it ?

To confirm it is PETROL that was inside so I was hoping a good airing and most would evaporate leaving just an oily residue.


SteveSteveson

3,209 posts

194 months

Wednesday 4th September 2013
quotequote all
Possibly, but once it is in the foam and fabric of the car it will take ages to all come out, and I wouldn't want to drive it around in that time. Between the risk of fume buildup (however small) and the smell...

KieronGSi

1,114 posts

235 months

Wednesday 4th September 2013
quotequote all
V8RX7 said:
Police were how she got it back... I have a feeling he intended to set himself and /or her alight.

Really is a complete nutter.

However back on track... so a good aqua vac with detergent won't do it ?

To confirm it is PETROL that was inside so I was hoping a good airing and most would evaporate leaving just an oily residue.
A good 72hr airing and then give it a good scrub and you should be good, certainly worked on all my uniform covered in aircraft fuel.

Willy Holloughby

253 posts

174 months

Wednesday 4th September 2013
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Pour a gallon of petrol over mental boyfriend, hold up a lighter and demand he cleans the car.

woody2846

1,369 posts

181 months

Wednesday 4th September 2013
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surveyor

18,705 posts

215 months

Wednesday 4th September 2013
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I opened up the top of the tank of a Petrol Volvo to change the faulty sender once. Turned out there was more fuel than I expected. A small amount escaped.

Car stank for weeks. Not nice.


KTF

10,717 posts

181 months

Wednesday 4th September 2013
quotequote all
V8RX7 said:
Police were how she got it back... I have a feeling he intended to set himself and /or her alight.
Did she press charges against him?

Assuming he wont pay up for the damage then as others have said, going down the insurance route may be the only way to get it out for good as the many layers of foam in the seats, sound proofing, etc. will have soaked it up and away from the surface much like a nappy.

A wet/dry vacuum isnt going to get to the stuff in the lower layers.

Jaaack

452 posts

167 months

Wednesday 4th September 2013
quotequote all
Surely there'll be a hell of a lot of vapour in it, definitely wouldn't leave it with the windows and doors closed. You hear about fuel station fires caused by static/small sparks quite often so I'd be pretty concerned tbh.

Also he sounds MENTAL.

omgus

7,305 posts

206 months

Wednesday 4th September 2013
quotequote all
New interior from ebay or an insurance claim would be the best bet.

If that's not an option then as said, remove, dry, wash, dry, wash again and then it shouldn't be too bad.

From an experiment done when i was younger i can tell you that a seat cushion doused in petrol and then set on fire is very satisfying to watch. smile

V8RX7

Original Poster:

28,982 posts

294 months

Wednesday 4th September 2013
quotequote all
Well I let it air for an hour before risking driving it.

After airing all day it seems much better and I've left the windows down and removed the floor mats etc

Turns out the nutter has form and was out on license so when they find him he'll be going straight back inside.