Gas Spilled in Car? How to Get the Gas Smell Out Safely

Is a gas spill in your car dangerous?

Yes, mostly because of the fumes. Gasoline turns to vapor fast, and a tiny spark can set that vapor on fire.

The vapor is heavier than air, so it collects in low spots like the trunk well and the floor. Breathing it can make you sick or dizzy. If that happens, get out into fresh air.

Follow these rules until you can no longer smell raw gas:

• Open every door and the trunk. Keep the car outside, not in a closed garage.
• No smoking, lighters, matches or candles near the car.
• No space heaters, hair dryers, heat guns, steam cleaners or ozone machines.
• Never use a home vacuum, shop vac, wet vac or carpet cleaner. The motor can spark and ignite the vapor.
• Do not plug fans, chargers or tools into the car.
• Keep kids and pets out of the car.

Spill smell or fuel leak: how can you tell?

Before you clean, make sure the smell came from a spill, not a leak. They need very different fixes.

If your car matches the leak column below, stop driving and have a mechanic check it. Detailing cannot fix a leak.

Also check your shoes. Gas on a shoe or work glove can make a car smell for days.

Gas spilled in your car? What should you do first?

Move fast, but stay safe. Gas that sits in carpet soaks into the padding underneath, where the smell hides.

• Put on chemical-resistant gloves, like nitrile gloves from a hardware store. Gas is harsh on skin.
• Stand upwind while you work.
• Close the gas can and set it upright on the ground, away from the car.
• Pull out mats, bags and boxes. Set the wet ones outside to air.
• Pour a thick layer of plain clay cat litter or baking soda over the wet spot.
• Press it down with a gloved hand or cardboard. Do not scrub.
• Let it sit a few hours, then scoop it up with a dustpan.
• Put the used litter and rags in a metal can with a tight lid. Keep it outdoors, away from the house, heat and sun. Never store it in the car or garage.
• Take it to your household hazardous waste drop-off, not the trash. San Francisco, San Mateo County and Marin each run one.

How long should you air out the car before cleaning?

Plan on a few hours for a small splash and a few days for a soaked carpet.

Use your nose as the test. Close the car for an hour, then open it. A faint, stale odor means you can start cleaning. Sharp raw gas means keep airing it out.

Warm, dry air helps fumes leave faster.

Spilled diesel instead? Diesel is oilier and dries much more slowly than gas. Airing out alone rarely clears it, so lean on the soap step and give the charcoal more time.

Where can you air out a car in the Bay Area?

Airing out is often the hardest step in the city. Shared apartment garages trap fumes where neighbors park and walk.

A driveway or a legal street spot works better. Crack the windows a few inches, and open the trunk only while you can watch it.

Fog and the marine layer slow drying near the coast, so pick a sunny afternoon over a gray morning. In rain season, check the forecast. Rain in a wet car adds a mold problem.

How do you get gas smell out of car carpet?

Once the raw fumes are gone, wash out the oily film that holds the smell. Dish soap breaks up oil. Plain water just spreads it around.

Here is a safe home method for a small spot:

• Mix a few drops of plain dish soap into a bucket of warm water. Add no bleach, ammonia or other cleaner.
• Dip a microfiber towel, wring it out, and blot the spot from the edge in.
• Blot with a dry towel to lift the dirty water. Repeat until the towel stops smelling like gas.
• Blot with plain water to rinse out the soap, since leftover soap draws in dirt.
• Press dry towels into the carpet, then leave the doors open until it is fully dry.
• Never put gassy towels, gloves or clothes in your home washer or dryer. Air them outside, or add them to the hazardous waste can.
• Do not pour the bucket water into a storm drain. Ask your hazardous waste program where it goes.
• Clean the floor mats and trunk mat outside the same way, and dry them in the sun.
• Once the carpet is dry and the raw smell is gone, vacuum up leftover litter as normal.
• Set 2 or 3 bags of activated charcoal (a porous charcoal that traps odors) in the car. Close it up for a few days.

How do you get gasoline smell out of a car trunk?

Gas cans usually ride in the trunk, so that is where spills tend to happen. Lift everything out to find the hidden spots.

• Remove the trunk mat and the floor panel over the spare tire.
• Check the spare tire well. Gas can run down and pool there, out of sight.
• Soak up any liquid there with cat litter, then scoop it out with a dustpan.
• Once the fumes clear, wipe metal and plastic with your soapy towel, then a damp one.
• Replace gas-soaked foam organizers and cardboard boxes.
• Next time, carry gas cans upright in a lidded plastic bin, strapped down. The bin catches a spill before the carpet does.

Do vinegar, coffee grounds or air fresheners get rid of gas smell?

Not really. Some popular fixes only hide the smell, and a few make things less safe.

• Air fresheners and sprays. They hide the smell for an hour, then you smell gas and perfume.
• Coffee grounds. They mostly cover gas with a coffee smell. Activated charcoal works better.
• White vinegar. Vinegar and water can help a little after the soap step, but it leaves its own smell. Never mix it with bleach.
• Bleach or ammonia. They do not remove gas, and mixing cleaners can make toxic fumes.
• Steam or heat while raw gas remains. Heat makes gas give off more vapor.
• Ozone too soon. Use ozone only after the fumes are gone, with nobody in the car, then air the car out well.

When should you call a pro for gas smell?

Home cleaning handles most small spills. For the rest, text us photos first. We start on a fuel spill only after the raw fumes are fully gone. We will tell you honestly if it is a job for us.

When it is, our technicians use extraction plus odor treatment. Extraction sprays clean water deep into carpet and sucks it back out.

Call a pro if you notice any of these:

• The smell is still strong after a week of airing and cleaning.
• Gas soaked into the carpet padding or under a seat.
• Gas spilled on cloth seats or a headliner (the fabric ceiling).
• Gas got on a child car seat. Check the seat maker's rules first.
• You have no safe place to air the car out for days.

Frequently Asked Questions