Getting rid of the smell of diesel?

[zubzub]

My gal says my bus stinks of diesel, I don't think it's that bad.   I know that the fuel tank could use a good hosing off as it looks like it belongs on a garbage truck.  I will pressure wash all the places that seem fuelly but I am interested in suggestions as to what detergents to use and how to get the so called stink out of my bus (I kind of like the smell of diesel myself).

[Melbo]

Hey Zub

Get a new gal -- Just my way

YMMV HTH

Melbo

[Kwajdiver]

Keep the gal, use Tide on it.  Brush down what you can reach.

Bill

[JohnEd]

Zub,

That astrology stuff has an explanation.  People born in July/Aug(Leo) have a high tolerance and even affinity for "chemical" smells. I am with you on actually "liking":the smell of fuel. They can't tolerate "natural" odors such as vomit or poop.  The Taurus folks are the inverse.  Makes them bullet proof nurses cause "natural" doesn't phase them.  My step mother, a Taurus and a witch, would start yelling about 1 minute after I opened a can of thinner in the basement to clean something.  It has been my personal experience that this is mostly true.  YMMV

Now if this post really rankles your innards.....you are a Libra most probably.

John

[Peabody]

Hey Zub,
I'd steam clean the under carriage if possible,change the air and fuel filters that will go a long way in cutting the smell. If your bus is carpeted you will need a good vacuum for this next step,don't laugh but coffee grounds fresh from the can will kill any smell.Just sprinkle it all around  the floor let it set awhile then sweep or vacuum it up.Trust me this one works great.It's an old truckers trick to get smells out of the trailers.Good luck and keep the girl. Peabody

[Van]

Zub ,simple green works very effectivly,enviro friendly  andhas that minty smell the girls all like have a diesel day ;)Van

[TomC]

If you have a powered roof vent, running the vent with the fan pulling air into the bus will pressurize the interior with fresh air pushing out the Diesel smell.  Just run it for about an hour before your wife steps into the bus.  Good Luck, TomC

[quantum500]

I surprised nobody has asked if the engine compartment is sealed up good.  So if it isn't you get the wonderful aroma of Detroit 2-stroke which contrary to popular belief has a diesel smell to it but is very distinctive.  I know mine has a small leak somewhere and until I ran the exhaust straight out the back.  I could definitely tell.  Spray foam could solve your problem.  Depending of course on what the problem is.

[JohnEd]

Zub,

Eat a load of beans.  She will learn to treasure that "interesting" D smell.

John

[gus]

I'm with your gal, I hate the smell of fresh diesel but love the smell of diesel exhaust.

If you have a persistent diesel odor you probably have a small leak somewhere as the odor seems to go away after a while from just one spill.

[JohnEd]

Zub,

I have heard that coffee works really well.  Drug smugglers use it to mask the smell of H and Coke so the dogs don't alert on it.  I don't now how well that works but I do know that the agents get really interested in anything that "stinks" of coffee.  Particularly bananas.

If you need to get the oder out from where it is in DEEP I have another solution....BORAX.  NOT borateem....NOT.  Disolve the borax in water that you heat on the stove.  Get the water to hold as much as it can(supersaturated).  Spray the solution on carpets and such and thoroughly wet areas of "interest".  When the stuff drys out the oder is gone and no smell remains.  Sprinkle some powder in your carpets and enuf will persist to keep them fresh.  The stuff is cheap.

I have had friends wives promise to name their next child after me for the following:  put a tablespoon full of borax in your shoe/boot that you wear every day for a week.  You can smell nothing after that time.  A spoon full every couple weeks keeps the shoe in absolute oder free condition.  After six months you are done till there is a problem.  Stuff you nose in your boot and nothing....amazing.  Yes it feels sandy for ten minutes.  Borax used to advise this till the tort law guys got the best of them on risk only.  A pediatrist told my Dad this many years ago and I named a dog after "Doc".   That good!

John

[Lin]

I just want to be sure you are talking about fresh diesel and not exhaust.  If there is an exhaust smell, maybe you want to see if there is an exhaust leak.  If it is a smell from diesel oil, the housekeeping methods described should work.  Also, you can try an ozone generator.  They can get rid of about any smell.  You can buy cans of Ozium at janitorial supply or hydroponic stores.  The stuff comes in 6.4 oz cans and are used in automatic dispensers in public restrooms and such.  Don't worry about the dispenser, just squirt the can by hand.  It's great for cooking and bathroom smells etc.

[zubzub]

thanks to everyone for the tips.

[Jriddle]

I will not use simple green on my airplane when I wash it. I was told it will react with aluminum. Of course bus has thicker aluminum and may not be a factor. As Bill stated mix a very strong tide mixture and it works great on the greasy belly of an airplane can't see why it wouldn't clean diesel.

John

[buswarrior]

Find the source of the stink, you might want to know if it is leaking.

High degree of care when fueling, do not spill even a drip on the bus or doen the tank.

Don't walk around the fuel island and then jump into the carpetted bus, soles of shoes will put it on the carpet and then it won't go away.

WARNING: if she doesn't like diesel stink...the bus's days are numbered.

Get rid of the stink or she'll get rid of the coach!

happy coaching!
buswarrior