Car Wet From Flooding in Louisiana? Put a Bag of Charcoal in It

Lafayette, La (KMDL) - With the entire state of Louisiana under a flood watch over the next few days, Acadiana residents are making the necessary preparations to hopefully minimize any damage their property.

Sandbags have been made available in Lafayette, New Iberia, Youngsville, Opelousas, Breaux Bridge, and all Parishes across Acadiana.

If you don't have higher ground available to park your car, your vehicle could be a sitting duck if the flood waters impact your property.

If your vehicle does get impacted by the flood and makes it through with no mechanical issues, you might be left with a funky flood smell that just doesn't want to go away no matter how many trees you hang from your rear view mirror.

There is one effective, simple thing you can do to help get the moisture and smell out of your vehicle.

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How To Remove Moister And Smell From Car After A Flood

Hopefully the coming rain and flood threat in Louisiana doesn't negatively impact your home and vehicles.

If the water creeps up high enough to seep inside of your car and everything makes it through OK mechanically, you're going to be left with a soggy, wet interior that smells like a mildewed wet dog.

After the rain stops and the waters subside, you're obviously going to want to vacuum your vehicle thoroughly and then open the doors and windows to let your car air out.

Once it airs out a bit, there's one simple, cheap hack that will hopefully help get the remaining soggy funky smell out.

Just get some activated charcoal and leave it in your vehicle.

READ MORE: The 5 Louisiana Cities That Flood the Most

From hondaofdenton.com -

"In the same way that baking soda works to absorb odors, activated charcoal will too. Only with charcoal, the odor-absorbing properties are much stronger.

It works better because there are millions of pores in each piece of charcoal that attract moisture and odors in the air, and trap them. Afterward, you can simply vacuum them out with a shop-vac or at the car wash."

Obviously you don't want to use charcoal infused with lighter fluid.

Your best bet is to use natural, activated charcoal.

You can get a small bag for as cheap as $6.

Charcoal has a unique ability to absorb moisture and odors.

Place the charcoal in open plastic containers and place inside your car, under the seats, or place several more on the floorboards depending on how bad the situation is.

Some people even swear by simply placing a bag or two unopened in the vehicle for a few days.

READ MORE: NASA Warns Louisiana: 2030 Moon Shift Could Raise Flood Risks

There are plenty of companies that sell charcoal bags made for keeping your car, but really all you need to do is just get a bag from the store and put it in plastic containers or even in some socks.

Here's to hoping you make it through the next few days without any flooding issues, and here's to hoping this charcoal hack can help you out if you do.