Dear Tom and Ray:

My 1985 Honda Civic stinks. Last summer we found mice in our Honda. They were living in the blower housing. We knew this because when we turned the fan on, it sounded like the car was going to reach a resonant frequency and explode. Also, the air from the ventilation system stank of dead mice. So I opened up the blower housing and found approximately three dead mice. I say approximate because they had been mangled by the blower and I could not ascertain just how many there were. I did, however, count 11 mouse feet. I also found the mouse nest filling the blower housing and vents shafts. The nest was not pretty, as it contained the mouse bathroom facilities. I wiped out all of the crud and expected the problem to be solved. Nope. The car still stinks, but only under the following conditions: The heat must be on and the air coming out must be warm. How can I get rid of the smell? -- John

Ray: Well, first we want to thank you, John, for one of the most disgusting letters we've gotten in some time.

Tom: I think the smell is coming from that missing mouse foot. You found three mice, but only 11 feet!

Ray: Actually, what you really need to do is take apart the ventilation system again. And this time, don't just wipe up the mess, disinfect it. Isn't there a liquid disinfectant called Mice-ol?

Tom: No, that's Lysol. But that's the kind of stuff you need, John. And you need to scrub down as much of the inside of the ventilation system as you can get to. In fact, do it twice. And any parts you can't reach, spray with disinfectant from a spray bottle.

Ray: That should help significantly. But dead mice produce a very strong and long-lasting aroma. So the other thing you may want to do is allow the heat to dissipate it faster. Obviously, the heat carries the dead-mouse odor out of the vents. And you probably don't use the heat much because it's, what? Disgusting! My advice would be to blast the heat. Once the primary source material is gone, the heat should eventually break down what's left.

Tom: And you don't have to be in the car while this is happening. Turn it on, roll down the windows, and blast the heat for a few hours. And don't worry about theft, John. Who's going to steal a car that smells like yours?

Stop the madness! You can stop driving like a knucklehead, and you'll help your car in the process. Learn how your driving habits can harm your car in Tom and Ray's pamphlet "Ten Ways You May Be Ruining Your Car Without Even Knowing It!" To order, send (check or money order) to Ruin, P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475. You can also order online.

© 1998 by Tom and Ray Magliozzi and Doug Berman Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.

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