calling brainy science types, hmm... like CHCB?
my delightful child has just spilled milk all over the sofa and rug in a rather swish and rather rented apartment. i'm a concerned about stinky milk smells - not good.

i dont have any biological type sprays to hand so here's my thinking - ive removed as much as i can with a towel then blowdried the rest with a hairdryer, my thinking is its not the milk fats that will stink but maybe the other shit in there? lactose? who knows (i draw pictures and fuck around on the web for a living).

warming milk in a pan doesnt sour it so will my 'evaporate it with a heat source' plan actually work?
( spimf ™ is whoever you want him to be, Tue 2 Feb 2010, 20:00, 21 replies, latest was 16 years ago)

Vinegar and bicarbonate of soda are the shining knights of stain removal.
A panacea for all filth based woes.
(Cancer Joy was short lived, Tue 2 Feb 2010, 20:07, Reply)

I can vouch for bicarb for getting rid of organic stinkyness
my mrs once vomited fondue and wine over the sleeve of a woollen cardigan, and bicarb sorted that out
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Tue 2 Feb 2010, 20:15, Reply)

well...shows what I know...I would've sucked it up with a vacuum

( Lisette von Falcon, Tue 2 Feb 2010, 20:09, Reply)

can I just say that CHCB
is a computery type and therefore KNOWS NOTHING ABOUT SCIENCE!
( djtrialprice, Tue 2 Feb 2010, 20:12, Reply)

truth
rakky is the chemist I believe
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Tue 2 Feb 2010, 20:15, Reply)

Actually, I know quite a bit about science,
the clue being in the name "computer science". I don't, however, know much about chemistry. But my ugrad dissertation was on secondary products in prehistoric animal domestication so I did do quite a bit on milk.
I also know I want to kill the cunt bitch in the other bunk in this youth hostel. She came in at 1am, turned her lamp on and is now on some social networking site and eating a pasty, and I can't fucking sleep.
( crackhouseceilidhband Fuck off back to Mumsnet, Wed 3 Feb 2010, 1:47, Reply)

May I Suggest

That yo get out your computer and play this for her?

www.youtube.com/watch?v=5z52d_3iYhg

Cheers
( Legless Mister Stabby - shanks for the memory, Wed 3 Feb 2010, 8:28, Reply)

solidarity brother
I know you're a computer science reseacher like wot I used to be, and it's proper science.
( djtrialprice, Wed 3 Feb 2010, 10:38, Reply)

I am just a common or garden lady type who does housework and one thing I do know is......
Google it.
( girlinthehole, Tue 2 Feb 2010, 20:23, Reply)

not really much chat with web mates in that though is there
:(
( spimf ™ is whoever you want him to be, Tue 2 Feb 2010, 21:39, Reply)

Rub on half a raw potato
then clean that up after about 5 minutes. Apparently something to do with starch, I don't know, but it works.
( Jimbuktu See? Right here, Tue 2 Feb 2010, 21:11, Reply)

apparently you can clean a wok with a raw potato as well

( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Tue 2 Feb 2010, 21:15, Reply)

Yeah, I think it's one of those 'vinegar' products
does everything, costs (next to) nothing.
( Jimbuktu See? Right here, Tue 2 Feb 2010, 22:03, Reply)

Actually I think it is the milk fats that will cause it to smell
You'll get that unpleasant milk smell after a while when the fats start to go rancid. Not sure I know what the best remedy is, but the bicarb suggestions above sound clever enough to work (usually does the trick for the fridge).
(LongJohnBaldry, Tue 2 Feb 2010, 22:12, Reply)

Well...
I'm not a chemist, but I know that milk contains sugar, in the form of lactose, protein (casein) and fats. All three will provide nice food for nasty bacteria, which will then shit out the stinky stuff which causes the smell. There's some sort of enzymatic breakdown which goes on.

Anyway, bacteria require moisture to survive, so drying out the milk is a good start. Of course, the crap's still all there and so it will decompose of its own accord, to a certain degree, but it won't be anything like as bad as if you leave it wet.

Ideally you want to remove it. Rub it with a soapy cloth. You need some sort of surfactant to emulsify the fats with water. Don't know if vinegar or bicarb will work, but don't use them both together or they'll fizz.

I suggest gazzing Rakky for further information, as she's an organic chemist who deals with biochemical stuff.
( K2k6 has a proper job these days, Tue 2 Feb 2010, 22:34, Reply)

*breaks it down*

( Enzyme is powered by sunlight, Tue 2 Feb 2010, 22:57, Reply)

hahahah

( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Wed 3 Feb 2010, 8:38, Reply)

Jay-cloth, warm water, roll-on version of Vanish
and a bit of elbow grease.
( Enzyme is powered by sunlight, Tue 2 Feb 2010, 22:58, Reply)

Oh, and if you can
clean the fabrics from the side that didn't get the spill.
Reason is that if you rub the spill directly you are just pushing it further into the fabric.
( Mrs Entity is in hiding., Tue 2 Feb 2010, 23:10, Reply)

whatever you do
do not even consider using any fragranced product - in this case it was magnolia and vanilla shake n vac - I did an emegency stop breaking a pint of milk onto my car's carpet.In summer...sickly does not even come close......

good luck with the rescue op, bicarb is the way forward.......
(Purpledoris I've got afeckin' job, Tue 2 Feb 2010, 23:31, Reply)

Either sponge the excess off or use paper towel
then use a little biological washing powder mixed in with a fair amount of water (you want quite a weak solution) keep re-applying and sponging off.
(Himjim died a little more inside on, Wed 3 Feb 2010, 8:38, Reply)