How to Treat Vomiting in Cars

When there is vomit in the car, you need to deal with it immediately. If not cleaned properly, the area can leave stains and odors that are difficult to remove. The vomit is acidic, so it can damage the interior of the car if not cleaned up quickly. This can reduce the value of the vehicle when you resell or exchange it for a new one. Don’t worry, you can use household products to clean up the vomit.

Table of Contents

New vomit treatment

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Clean up solids. You can use a spatula to remove the vomit, or use a thick cloth or paper towel to clean it up.

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Absorb water. Use an absorbent cloth or paper towel that is firm enough to absorb but not so stiff that the liquid will be pushed further down the surface.

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Sprinkle a thick layer of baking soda over the surface being treated. The baking soda will absorb the smell of vomit. Wait about 30 minutes, then use a vacuum cleaner to remove the baking soda.

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Prepare cleaning solution. Make sure the solution is effective on the material to be cleaned such as leather, upholstery, plastic or carpet. While you can purchase commercial cleaning products suitable for each type of material, you can also mix these cleaners yourself:

For upholstered mattresses: Mix a paste of 3 parts baking soda and 1 part warm water.
For vinyl, fabric, plastic or carpeting: Mix 8 parts warm water with 1 part white vinegar. Add half a teaspoon (2.5 ml) of dishwashing liquid and stir.

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Scrub stains. Apply the cleaning solution to the vomit, and use a lint-free cloth to clean the stain. If the stain has soaked into the carpet in your car, you may need to use a stiff brush. ^{[1] X Research Source}

Treat dry vomit

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Brush or scrape dry crumbs. Depending on the surface to be cleaned, you can use a hard or soft brush. An old toothbrush also works when needed.

Scrape off dry debris from the upholstery and remove with a small brush or vacuum cleaner.

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Moisten the dirty area with a cleaning solution. You can use any product that is safe for the surface to be cleaned. Commercial products for cleaning carpets, leather or upholstery are effective; Even stain removers can be used on surfaces like fabrics or carpets. You can also make your own solution.

If you’re cleaning upholstered mattresses, mix the paste with 3 parts baking soda and 1 part warm (not hot) water.
If the surface to be cleaned has a material like vinyl, cloth, plastic or carpet, you can mix 8 parts warm (not hot) water to 1 part white vinegar. Add half a teaspoon (2.5 ml) of dishwashing liquid and stir well.

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Let the solution stay on the stain. For deep stains, you should wait until the cleaning solution dries, then re-wet it with the solution again and wait a few more minutes before scrubbing.

This will ensure the solution soaks into the stain, and then you can clean up any stains from the dried vomit.

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Use a brush to rub the solution on the stain. In order for the solution to penetrate the stain, you need to use the stiffest brush within the safe limits for the material to be treated. ^{[3] X Research Sources}

Some surfaces like vinyl and leather will get scratched if scrubbed with a stiff brush, so you’ll need to use a sponge or soft brush to clean these. For carpets or upholstery, use the stiffest brush allowed without damaging the surface.

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Use water to blot until the solution is completely removed. You should not wet the surface of the chair, but use enough water to clean the solution.

Dip the rag in clean water, blot the solution, and wring out the excess water. Repeat until the cleaning solution is completely absorbed and the stain disappears.

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Rent a steam vacuum cleaner to tackle stubborn stains. If the above methods fail, you may need to resort to professional steam cleaning. You can rent a carpet cleaner to clean carpets and upholstery in your car.

Do not use a steam vacuum cleaner for stains on leather, plastic or vinyl.

Deodorize the car

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Open all car doors. Any unpleasant odors will be greatly reduced if the air is forced out. Before, during and after cleaning up the vomit, be sure to open all the doors to let the air out. ^{[4] X Research Sources}

Only open the car door when parking the car outdoors, do not do this in the garage. The garage doesn’t have enough air circulation for this to work.

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Try to deal with the vomiting as soon as possible. The longer you leave it, the more liquid in the vomit will seep into the car mattress.

During the hot season, vomit will smell worse if left for a long time. ^{[5] X Research Sources}

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Try using baking soda and essential oils to remove odors. Baking soda is the traditional method for removing unpleasant odors; It really has a deodorizing and deodorizing effect. ^{[6] X Research Source} You can use baking soda with a little essential oil to get rid of the nauseating smell in your car.

Mix a few tablespoons of baking soda with a few drops of your favorite essential oil. Any essential oil with a pleasant smell will work, but lemon or orange scents are especially effective at removing odors. You just need to put the baking soda and essential oils in a plastic container with a lid and shake well.
After cleaning the area, moisten and sprinkle the baking soda and essential oil mixture on the area, cover and wait for about 10 minutes, then use a vacuum cleaner to suck up the baking soda.

Advice

Prepare 4 liter zippered plastic bags on the vehicle. When someone gets motion sickness, these bags can be used for vomiting and locked until you can stop somewhere to dispose of the vomit bag.
If the vomit of a person or object may contain pathogens, wear rubber or latex gloves to avoid contact with germs.

Things you need

Latex gloves (optional)
Absorbent cloth or tissue
Dough scraper (optional)
Detergent container
Baking soda
Vacuum cleaner
White Vinegar
Warm water
Dish soap
Lint-free fabric
Spray bottle (optional)
Hard brush (if carpet cleaning is required)
Hair dryer or fan (optional)

Steps

New vomit treatment

Treat dry vomit

Deodorize the car

Advice

Things you need

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