Old truck smell ( sweet smell but not coolant)

You all are gonna think I am crazy, but…
If any of you have older farm trucks you might be familiar with that sweet smell when you open the doors ( it reminds you of riding with grandpa or dad in their truck)

Usually only in trucks with cloth or saddle pad seat covers over the vinyl and it seems crank windows.

It is not an unpleasant smell but one that I might not want if it is caused by mildew.

I recently found a ballcap that I was handwashing dust off of that had the same exact smell after getting wet.
, which made me think it was caused by mildew.

Has anyone figured out what causes it? And how best to eliminate it?

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I live in the middle of dryness. In other words, we don’t have mildew, but we still have that smell. It could be the dye chemicals that were used then?

Baking soda might help

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Be happy it is that sweet smell :slight_smile:. Usually the sweet smell does not mean mold, just old dirt and dust.

There are worse ones:

The mechanic smell- dirty, greasy, fuel like an old mechanic’s shop.

The wet animal- This one ranges from wet dog to wet Billy goat.

The Dirty Feet smell- It smells like smelly socks that need to be bleached.

The ashtray- stale cigar or cigarette.

My new to me 1995 dodge smelled like the dirty ashtray in a 70’ s mechanic shop combined with man and dog that both needed soap. It was truly gag worthy. My 1995 Land Cruiser smelled like vomit and dirty underwear.

In the case of the Dodge we did the cursory alcohol spray, (rubbing alcohol or Vodka) put in a spray bottle, spray all surfaces until damp, shut the windows and leave in the sun to dry. This will help quite a bit. I usually follow up with a cloth bag of coffee or laundry scent crystals.

A good vodka spray and wipedown is pretty compulsory for all vehicles here, keeps them smelling fresh, kills most biological smells and is safe on the fragile interior parts of older/classic cars.

Of course my liquor store thinks I am a lush and I only do the Vodka treatment when I am not going to drive it. It can smell like a cosmo until until all the alcohol evaporates, :laughing:

Give it a spray, if it has seat covers, pop them off and throw them in the wash on gentle, air dry and reinstall. I actually prefer coffee, smells nice with the heat on…

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Thank for your post! It was very helpful. Someone ( who did not smell the truck in question) said that it was probably mouse visits but I know that smell and it doesn’t seem like it would be that.

Also I doubt it would be on a hat that came from a different location as well and was never in the truck :smile:

I know that smell from the old old truck - and some old gloves that live in that truck - I think it’s oil, grease and farm work built up odor. Not mildew. It’s not a bad smell but it makes you want to put the windows down.

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I think some of it is 90 weight oil.