New Car Smell

[ALUCARD]

Now that I've been off analogs I have regained my sense of smell and my truck smells like a freakin ashtray! I've put a really strong air freshener in there and I can't smell the cigs anymore, but I know that won't last long. Any long term fixes? Should I rent an ozone machine?

 

[GeeYourHairSmellsTerrific]

My local self serve car wash has an air freshener feature attached to their vacuum and carpet islands. You put in a dollar and it dispenses a mist of air freshener for a minute. Find one of those, use the new car scent, and spray down the headliner and under the seats, seat backs, etc. The instructions say it could stain but my gray interior doesn';t show anything from it.

My truck is awful every winter, smells like drowned horse and stale cigarette. This stuff will kick the smell out for a month or two even when I was still smoking.

If you're smart you'll do it on a nice sunny day, roll up the windows, and go scrub your tires or something before you try to get in there! Beware, it's strong stuff.

 

[keyzygirl]

I read a thread about putting coffee grounds in an open tupperware under your seat.Its suposed to absorb the odor.Try that.

 

[Ultracorp]

Febreeze works really well, but you might have to spray your truck 3 times a week or so. I found a small febreeze spray bottle at the local walgreens that fits nicely in my center console..I've also heard that coffee grounds work but have never tried it.

 

[M4jin]

same principal as baking soda, but put some kind of mesh on it if your going to leave a open container.
i would suggest a carpet cleaner, this is what worked for me.
I took the seats out of my car (alot easier then how it sounds, it usually just 4 bolts), and washed the "carpet" in the floorboards as well as the seats. The color of the water was very disgusting. It made a huge difference it didnt smell like a new car but it didnt smell like cigarette feces

 

[keyzygirl]

Id try coffee first.

 

[franklyspeaking]

I had to deal with the same thing. Here is what worked for me:
I took some plates (4 of them) and paper towels and soaked the paper towels in vinegar. I put the paper towels on the plates and put the plates in the car and let it sit for two days over the weekend with the windows up. This soaked up all of the smoke smell but kinda stunk so I then took 2 bars of old style laundry soap, like this: Hectors Hardware: Product Description
and put one under the driver seat and one in the back and drove it like that for about a week. Now, there is no smoke or vinegar smell whatsoever.

 

[maaron]

Thats funny,I was going to post something like this too! Now that I haven't smoked for awhile my car smells nasty!!! So this is how my car has always smelled to other people when they get in?? Kinda embarrassing!

 

[martha1014]

I had a car that was 8 years old. It had a terrible analog smell that would not every go away. So when they has the rebate, cash for cluncker I traded it in a got a new car. I no longer smoke so it will stay fresh. I do vape in the car but my husband says it smell kinda sweet. I still can't get use to not cracking the window.

 

[JohnnyVapor]

Try Febreze, it's worked well for me to cover the smell. The best way overall would be a good cleaning. Wash the windows, shampoo the carpet and seats, etc. However, Febreze would be the quicker and easier option.

 

[Blooper]

make sure to clean everywhere. Ashes get in the strangest places. Vaccum and wash everything and leave the window open a little at night so theres some ventilation.

 

[Parmacrafter]

I have had to remove the smoke smell from few cars that I have sold over the years. The best solution is vinegar. You can either put it 50/50 in a squirt bottle or soak a washrag with it. Wash all the windows and wipe down everything (even carpeted areas and seats) with the vinegar. The weather is cooler now, but do this in the morning and leave the car closed up all day. Then let it air out with the windows cracked. A little fabreeze will help with the vinegar smell, but that smell will go away on it's own in about a week.

 

[drgnfang]

I'd have to agree on the "wash everything/everywhere". Give it a good scrubbing (steam the seats/carpet if possible), and toss in an air-freshener (or two). Might also try one of those air-fresheners that attach to the air vents...

Ultimately cleaning it (really well) and time are the only things which will fix it.

 

[ALUCARD]

Great suggestions, thanks guys! I'll let you know what works.

 

[Darrigaaz]

Ok so what worked?

 

[daphne]

Yah, this is an old thread, but I'll put my 2p in...

Super absorbent cat litter in a shallow box.

 

[JTSmeed]

Wow. I'm very glad that I never smoked in my car. As an aside, I also never before realized how odd the leather interior smelled until I could actually smell again. Not yet sure if I like it or not.

 

[jennlsnoopy]

I cleaned the inside of my car from top to bottom, including the windows, dashboard, doors, and floor. Use things like febreeze after and when you vaccum the floor of the car use some of that smelly carpet powder. That seemed to work for me. So nice to have a good smelling car now.

 

[leeshor]

Great suggestions, thanks guys! I'll let you know what works.

BTW: Welcome back. Long time!

 

[Rotaryfeen]

Here is a suggestion change your cars air unit filter. I was a smoker for 16 years. The car I own now i have had for over 6 year. I quit smoking at the end of January. I tried lots of things to try and get the smell out wiping down the leather interior cleaning the glass vacuuming. Didn't work till about a week and a half ago when I changed the interior air system filter. Since then all of my girlfriend has been ecstatic. Few days ago I went to visit a fellow vaping buddy and he was like no ashtray smell. I drive a acura legend. Its not the nicest car in the world but it is a luxury vehicle. Which makes me very very . Depend on what car you own But most can be change by taking out your glove box going behind that area. And you will see a long strip of metal with a few screws between 2 large plastic air boxes. Unscrew the metal piece out usually about 6" long the piece of metal. Behind it you should see a filter you can slide right out. Then stick a LONG vacuum extension in the slot and turn on the vacuum. After you see everything you can get with the vacuum leave it in there running making sure it won't hit anything. Then turn on your air to the MAX. Let it run for 2 minutes like that. And putting back together is just as easy took me 15 minutes to do it. Tools needed 1 philips screwdriver 1 panel popper and a vacuum. Panel poppers are cheap at any local auto parts store like at most $5. It just looks like a wide and flat 2 pronged fork with a screwdriver handle. Oh and I never smoked in my Rx-7 the gas fumes are bad enough since I mod it for racing.