Posted by Traveler on July 10, 01 at 09:54:43:
In Reply to: Stink-removal product recommendation posted by Phil on July 10, 01 at 07:52:30:
From the archives:
Carpet Cleaning & mildew check
As I wrote before, I had some unusual brownish stains on my gray carpet that I thought might be mildew. These marks also appeared on the velour trim and the “fuzzy carpet” trim in the cargo area.
I brought the jack cover inside and experimented with some cleaners. The spots I suspected might be mildew were annihilated with 3% hydrogen peroxide. After researching mildew on the web, there was some uncertainty as to the lasting effectiveness of it to stop the mildew. After a little more research, I found two other solutions that had potential: citrus seed extract and colloidal silver.
Further research turned up the fact that colloidal silver will kill mildew and various other organisms, but is generally weak and expensive. It is best used to drop in eyes and use on other human parts. The citrus seed extract (CSE) has been shown to be up to twice as effective in killing mildew as Clorox, and when diluted sufficiently it can be taken internally. So I decided to try the CSE since it sounded harmless enough. I did an experiment whereby undiluted CSE was dropped into hydrogen peroxide to see if they would work against each other. There was no reaction, so I proceeded.
The cleaning was accomplished by applying the peroxide on a paper towel to areas with discoloration. It worked rather well. I then followed up with a diluted solution of CSE, 30 drops to 16 oz. water. I put this in a spray bottle and misted the area, then blotted it dry with a paper towel. This worked well to remove dust and dirt from the carpet. There was no evidence of discoloration or bleeding from any of the cleaners I used.
The sub looks darn good as I am now letting it thoroughly dry. If anyone wants to try this for carpet and trim cleaning, the CSE is available at health food stores. A 2 oz. bottle is about $ 10. It has a myriad of uses and a small quantity goes a long way.
(It looks like some of the brown has come back after 2 years. Time to apply some more)