Car smells like smoke - Help!

golfer02

I think I found the perfect used vehicle (for me), however the interior reaks of smoke. The dealer has used an ozone bomb to remove the smell, but it is still very bothersome. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Mr_Shiftright

You'll never get it out, no matter what you do.

So the best you can hope for is to mask it with something and learn to live with it.

Actually you'll get kind of used to it.

You could of course replace the interior.

jgmilberg

I have a brother that smokes in his car. I borrowed it for 2 weeks and it did diminish considerably after I had it for 1 week. I drove everywhere with the windows down, and I clean the windows, dash, and leather seats. I couldn't even smell the leather seats when I got it, but after I did the windows and seat you could smell it again, and by the time I gave it back it smelled almost new again. If you have the interior shampooed it should help quite a bit, but the first thing I would do is air it out. It's getting warmer and driving with the windows down is louder, but you get the smell out faster like that. Having the interior cleaned and shampooed can cost big $$$ depending on where you go. Around me the average for a mid size sedan is $250, to do the floor and seats, and a full interior detail job.

swschrad

I have not desmoked a car with it, but it has been done. it works real well to clean up apartment odors for me, including having forgotten to take out the trash before heading off for a long weekend vacation. www.atmosklear.com

isellhondas

Will never go away completely. On a hot day when you trun on the A/C etc you'll get a blast of it.

If it's that bothersome, find another car.

Dog stink is even worse, MUCH worse!

pjyoung

But even if she did, like smoke, try using Febreeze on the fabric and roof liner, and spray some on the intake vents for the AC (set the AC on recirculate and spray down near the floor). It seems to work pretty well on most other odors.

Mr_Shiftright

I agree with Isell (and he should know). It is impossible to eradicate because it is permanently imbedded in the foam or packing of the seats. Even if you could shampoo every square inch of the interior, you cannot get at the interior of the seats. Dog smell is equally bad. Don't count on it ever going away.

spyderturbo

I left my window cracked, it rained, my carpet got wet....my interior now smells like mildew.
I have used Febreze (for mildew) and the smell improves until the car has sat in the parking
lot all day.

Any ideas on what to use for that mildew smell?

karl

Steam-cleaning all the upholstery & carpets you can reach will help. Also clean every surface you can touch -- all vinyl, plastics, etc. -- since smoke odors can permeate those as well.

To help mask the odor, try placing a new dryer sheet or 3 inside the car (under the front seats, etc.) Use the fabric softener sheets like "Bounce" that you put in your clothes dryer -- use new ones only -- they have a very strong smell and will help. They work a lot better and last a lot longer than those car air fresheners sold in stores, and IMHO, smell better. Plus, they're very cheap & easy to replace every month or so.

BTW, dryer sheets are also supposed to work well as mosquito repellents -- put one in your pocket (or tie it to your belt, whatever). I haven't tried this though.

-Karl

petrnyc

make sure sprinkler system is in working order and fire extinguisher is in place. If that is so, call your local fire department and ask for the 'street value' of this car. They are usually pretty good with things flammable.

swschrad

most cities don't have Da Guys to arrange little accidents for 50 percent of the take, as I think you are implying. try that trick, you will be up to your donkey in cops before you can hang up on the insurance guy. around these parts, you don't have to pay rent for up to 5 years, but the neighborhood sucks, when they outfit you in Martha Stewart Orange and book you a room at the Greybar.

much better to clean the heck out of the vehicle, then spray the entire interior down with AtmosKlear and rub it in. if anything will kill the smoke odor, that will.

if it fails, sell the car to a smoker.