The most effective way to get the smell of spilled beer out of your car is to get it professionally detailed .
The first thing to keep in mind is that beer stains are considered water-type stains. That means they’re completely water-soluble and will come out easier than oily or highly pigmented stains.
Since beer stains are water-soluble, cleaning them with water and a detergent and letting your car air out should solve a majority of the problems.
The compound responsible for stale, skunky beer, prenylthiol, will stick around for a long time after the water in your beer evaporates, so it’s best to address the problem sooner than later.
For best results, soak up stains as soon as they occur, then rinse the spot with detergent or a vinegar solution. Be sure to air out your car as the stain dries to ensure that the smell evaporates and exits your car entirely.
If you spilled beer on upholstered cloth seats, using a steamer and/or blotting at the stain with a detergent or vinegar solution should clean up the stain without leaving any odors.
A very similar method for removing stains is recommended by leather-care experts though: wipe down the stain with water, and use a vinegar solution if the smell persists.
Carpets and floor mats can really hold onto the smell of skunky beer; to avoid persistent smells and stains, you should liberally wash your carpets and floor mats with vinegar and detergent and allow them to air-dry with the help of a fan to remove the smell from your car interior for good.
Luckily, center consoles are not very absorbent and will not hold the smell of spilled beer. Still, cupholders and crevasses make it tedious to clean up sticky beer stains.