Clean Automatic Transmission Fluid (Oil) from Car Carpet

Question

I've bought a car that was stuck for two years into a garage and was used for storing a car part that left the rear carpet filled with ATF Oil. I did cleaning of the carpet with Kitchen Antigrease (Mister Músculo), and Dish Washing Soap. Both did clean of dirt and some of the greasy behaviour but the smell keeps strong, and not mentioning on hot days smell.

I've done a deep Google search and got no chemical hint to this. Can you guys help me out? I'm getting some dizzy driving with the smell.

Thanks!

Answer 1

Replace the carpet... it would cost less than all the cleaning needed to remove all the ATF. However, the smell may have soaked into the paint and upholstery. Remove the carpet at least temporarily to check if the smell persists without it.

Answer 2

Car oils are pretty difficult to clean, but that's only because you need the right chemicals to do it. You'll need a cleaner with Polyether Amine (PEA for short) to dissolve the carbon in car oil. You could try an injector cleaner, as these contain PEA, or any car cleaner product with PEA as an active ingredient. Stay away from cleaners that only contain PIBA however, as these are not worth the cost (in my experience). The cleaner will need to be diluted with water to be effective though.

To get rid of the cleaner smell, you can try vinegar and lemon after you apply the cleaner.