Pleather Odor Removal?

[KEMeyer]

You paid thousands of dollars for that smell. It's called new car smell. It will dissipate over time.

Prior to the Mav, my experience with new car smell has been very positive (3 new Toyota Avalon's: 2006, 2013 and 2021). Also, every new car I've been in had a very nice aroma. I do not consider the Mav odor to be a new car smell.

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[MikeS1942]

True. That's exactly what I will do, starting today in my driveway. We're having an unseasonably warm day here in eastern Iowa (80 degrees) with 25 mph wind, so that will give it a good airing out.

Really----you needed someone to suggest that?

 

[KEMeyer]

Really----you needed someone to suggest that?

Did that snarky comment make you feel better?

 

[MikeS1942]

Did that snarky comment make you feel better?

Not at all. It just made sense to me.

 

[oysterville]

My search for info on deodorizing the ActiveX (pleather) seat material was unsuccessful, so I apologize if this has already been answered. To me it smells like the material was stored in a cattle barn (before you ask, yes cow poop and not other animal's poop... it has a unique "fragrance").

I'm hoping to find a way to deodorize it. Any confirmed solutions will be much appreciated. I am one of the lucky MTC members with an excellent dealer, so I may see what they think about an ozone treatment.

Bullshit

 

[KEMeyer]

Bullshit

Yes, that!

 

[mcluvin]

I got this for cheap at Lowe's on clearance, so I did not pay $20. If it can deodorize a fish box, I imagine it can deodorize anything.

Fish Box Deodorizer

 

[Mark1]

I think it's in your sinuses. They have now found micro plastic particles in the human brain. It may be that.

 

[Ryom]

I'm hoping to find a way to deodorize it.

For our ambulances we use unscented febreeze on fabrics (amazon or a home improvement store) and activated carbon air filters in the HVAC. Hard surfaces get Simple Green or 10:1 bleach mix.

 

[Bob zimmerman]

Hemp and flax thread undergoes a process called retting where the raw fibers are soaked in water for a period of time to allow the organic material to decompose leaving only the long strand fibers of the stalk remaining which is spun into string.

Good quality hemp and flax string smell just like a barn, it’s unmistakable, this the smell.

With that, water soaked materials that are not dried out promptly can have this smell and I can’t help but wonder if a container of material for your seats was shipped from a manufacturer wet and not permitted to dry. Also a possibility since others’ have smelled it too. Many of the fabrics in our vehicles originate from Asian countries and arrive via container ship.

I have also encountered this with a sweater my sister gave me for Christmas. It had a stink that I could not wash out. And after several months I finally had to throw it away.

With all of that, how are you certain it’s the seats and not something else in the vehicle. I think you need some opinions of others to try and narrow down the smelly material.

Ozone generators are used to remove odors from hotels and homes. You can rent one for a day from your nearest rental center. Ozone is not safe to breath at high levels so don’t sit in the vehicle while its running. And it won’t take more than a few minutes to do its thing. You might wish to run it. Wait a while then run it again Later in the day. It might be a good idea to do a little reading on the subject prior to doing this.

My senses occasionally get mixed up. Once in a while, coffee smells like cat pee to me. I don’t know the psychological reason our brains mix up smells but that also needs to be considered. Do other people smell the barn poop smell too?

Good luck.
Bob

 

[KEMeyer]

Hemp and flax thread undergoes a process called retting where the raw fibers are soaked in water for a period of time to allow the organic material to decompose leaving only the long strand fibers of the stalk remaining which is spun into string.

Good quality hemp and flax string smell just like a barn, it’s unmistakable, this the smell.

With that, water soaked materials that are not dried out promptly can have this smell and I can’t help but wonder if a container of material for your seats was shipped from a manufacturer wet and not permitted to dry. Also a possibility since others’ have smelled it too. Many of the fabrics in our vehicles originate from Asian countries and arrive via container ship.

I have also encountered this with a sweater my sister gave me for Christmas. It had a stink that I could not wash out. And after several months I finally had to throw it away.

With all of that, how are you certain it’s the seats and not something else in the vehicle. I think you need some opinions of others to try and narrow down the smelly material.

Ozone generators are used to remove odors from hotels and homes. You can rent one for a day from your nearest rental center. Ozone is not safe to breath at high levels so don’t sit in the vehicle while its running. And it won’t take more than a few minutes to do its thing. You might wish to run it. Wait a while then run it again Later in the day. It might be a good idea to do a little reading on the subject prior to doing this.

My senses occasionally get mixed up. Once in a while, coffee smells like cat pee to me. I don’t know the psychological reason our brains mix up smells but that also needs to be considered. Do other people smell the barn poop smell too?

Good luck.
Bob

Thanks, Bob. Good info. Based on other comments, I am not at all sure it's the ActiveX. I'll start with lots of airing out and save ozone for last resort.

 

[Phimosis]

I got it Feb 2024. It spends most of its life in my garage, and I don't drive with windows open, so I could try letting air out when weather permits. I've seen others mention the same odor, so it may be one of those things that some of us are more sensitive to than others.

I test drove xlt’s and lariats. The xlt’s smell the same. It is all of the new plastics off-gassing, not just the pleather. And those chemicals are bad for your health. You don’t need to be breathing them in. I bought my lariat in July. After 2 weeks I couldn’t stand it, so I started leaving the windows open when in my garage. 2 months later, the smell was gone.

 

[Mark1]

You smelled it. Did you taste? Did you touch it? Remember Cheech and Chong movie. They had a burrito in the car and Chong said this doesn't seem right. Cheech said smell it. Chong, Smells like shit! Cheech, says look at it. Chong, looks like shit. Cheech, Taste it! Chong, Taste like shit. Cheech says, Good thing we didn't eat it. You had to be there....

 

[scottjl]

I got this for cheap at Lowe's on clearance, so I did not pay $20. If it can deodorize a fish box, I imagine it can deodorize anything.

Fish Box Deodorizer

if only i had known about this for when someone microwaved fish at work..

 

[KEMeyer]

You smelled it. Did you taste? Did you touch it? Remember Cheech and Chong movie. They had a burrito in the car and Chong said this doesn't seem right. Cheech said smell it. Chong, Smells like shit! Cheech, says look at it. Chong, looks like shit. Cheech, Taste it! Chong, Taste like shit. Cheech says, Good thing we didn't eat it. You had to be there....

Hahaha... I have that album! " Hm good thing we don't step in it"

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