The smell of cigarette smoke is overt. Its odor has a way of sneakily getting into our rugs, furniture, and clothes. However, most people concur that it has one of the most repulsive smells, ranking right up there with sulfur and gasoline.
White vinegar can be placed in a container and left near the center of the car for several hours or overnight to eliminate the odor of smoke.
Getting rid of smoke and other unpleasant odors can benefit your health and the comfort of your passengers. If you intend to sell the car, it is also crucial. This manual was written to help you learn everything there is to know about how to remove smoke odor from a car.
What is Smoke Smell in the Car?
The smoking of cigarettes or other tobacco products by a previous or current owner is one of the most frequent causes of smoke smells in cars. The smell from the smoke can linger for some time and can penetrate hard surfaces, clothing, and even the car’s air conditioning system.
However, if you detect a burning smell inside your car, stop right away, get out, maintain a safe distance from it, and exercise caution until you can locate the source. There’s a chance it’s a fire, so even though it might just be a broken auto part, it’s crucial to exercise caution.
Here are the benefits of removing a smoke smell from your vehicle:
- Health and safety: Assuring that everyone in your car can breathe clean air can help to protect their health and safety.
- Comfort: Making sure your car smells good can help you give visitors a better experience and ensure both your and their comfort.
- Protection of the vehicle’s interior: It’s critical to eliminate smoke particles from surfaces and take steps to keep them from doing so in the future because they can harm a car’s interior.
How to Get Smoke Smell Out of the Car?
Eliminate the Culprit
Remove all traces of cigarette smoke and ash from the interior of your vehicle. That’s right, clean your car, making sure to throw your ashtray’s contents in the trash. Place your ashtray outside of your car and spray it down with a multi-surface disinfectant like Microban. When used as directed, it kills 99.9% of bacteria for 24 hours*. Simply spray the product, then leave the area to let it air dry.
Vacuum
Your car’s soft surfaces are very likely to absorb smoke. By sucking up scent-clinging particles, you can combat this head-on. Make sure to get into all the small nooks and crannies, using the hand attachment for the particularly hard-to-reach places, like in between the seatbacks and bottoms. The best advice is to use your extra hand to separate the seams in the car seats so that you can use the other hand to press down firmly with the vacuum and remove everything, even the parts you can’t see. Keep the floor mats outside the vehicle after removing them and vacuuming the undersides so you can later determine whether they still smell like smoke.
Recirculate the Air
Spray Febreze Fabric Auto on your car’s soft surfaces, such as the seats and seatbacks, to help get rid of the smoke smell. Then, open all the doors to your car and turn the vents on “recirculate”. Allow the air to circulate throughout the entire system for at least an hour.
Clean the Hard Surfaces
Use a home remedy to clean the windows and mirrors on your car. In a spray bottle, combine ¼ cup vinegar with ½ teaspoon of liquid dish soap like Dawn, followed by two cups of water for dilution. Shake the bottle vigorously, then spritz your windows and mirrors as necessary. Be sure to wipe and dry everything down with a microfiber cloth. Then, spray and wipe the plastic components of your interior with Microban 24, which, when used as instructed, not only cleans but also offers protection against bacteria on non-porous surfaces for up to 24 hours.
Put Everything Back and Hang An Air Freshener
Put your ashtray and floor mats back in your car after making sure they no longer smell like smoke. Consider placing an air freshener on your rearview mirror as a precaution.
Types of Products for Getting Smoke Smell Out of Your Car
Natural Products
You can use some natural remedies to get rid of odors like smoke. These techniques, which include the use of charcoal or coffee grounds, could be less expensive than replacing individual components and more environmentally responsible than applying chemicals. Before implementing more aggressive tactics, it is a good idea to try these first.
Cleaning Supplies
Using chemical deodorizers and foggers is one way to make your car smell less like smoke or other unpleasant things. These are capable of assisting you in cleaning both soft and hard surfaces, and they might be stronger and more efficient than natural remedies. Make sure they won’t damage the materials in your car, especially if it has delicate surfaces like leather. You can also use some aerosol products to clean the air conditioning system in your car. (Read More: How to Pick The Portable Car Air Conditioner)
Part Replacements
An outdated air conditioning system is one of the most frequent causes of a smoke smell. In general, changing the air filters in your car is a good idea, especially if you can smell something unpleasant. If your vehicle has an ashtray, you can also replace it. Electrical wiring issues in an interior or exterior car component could be the cause of the smoke odor.
How to Prevent Smoke Smell in the Future
One of the best ways to remove the smell of smoke from your car is prevention. Verify that your air conditioner filters fresh outdoor air rather than recirculating air from the inside of the vehicle. Keep your windows open while smoking in your car to prevent smoke from getting trapped inside. To lessen smoke contact with the interior surfaces of your car, you can also use an ashtray cup with a cover or a smoke diffuser.
Below is a list of options for odor-absorbent substances that you can use:
- Coffee Grounds
You can use coffee grounds, a product that is typically found in homes, as an odor absorber. Pouring coffee grounds into a bowl and leaving it in your car overnight will help to eliminate the smell of smoke.
- Baking Soda
Finding a box of baking soda in your kitchen should be simple if you bake. You can either sprinkle the powder on odorous areas or simply open the box and leave it in your car.
- White Vinegar
To eliminate the smell of smoke, put some white vinegar in a bowl and leave it in the car overnight.
- Cat Litter
You can also eliminate the odor of smoke by leaving a bowl of cat litter in your car overnight. Continue if required for one more night.
- Citrus Peels
Citrus fruit peels, such as those from oranges, lemons, limes, or grapefruits, can leave your car with a pleasant scent in addition to removing the smell of smoke. Any citrus fruit on a plate may be left in your car for up to 48 hours.
Make sure to keep the car’s windows closed to avoid luring insects.
- Charcoal
Odours can be absorbed by charcoal due to its high porosity. For at least 36 to 48 hours, leave a bowl of it in the vehicle.
How Often Do You Need to Deodorize Your Car
If this was only a spring cleaning and you still smoke inside, you’ll probably need to go through this process quite frequently. If you’re planning to sell the car, we advise cleaning it twice and letting each session dry for a few weeks so you can gauge how much cleaning will be required to fully get rid of the smoke’s arid odor.
Conclusion
If you smoke, you’ll eventually need to follow these instructions on how to get the smoke smell out of a car so that you and your passengers can breathe cleaner air.
In order to keep your car from smelling like smoke, you’ll need to do them frequently if you smoke a lot. To protect your health and the health of your passengers, as well as the interior of your car, keeping your car smoke-free and free of particles is essential.
FAQs
How Long Does Smoke Smell Last in a Car?
The smell that tobacco leaves behind can take up to 48 hours to disappear after you’ve cleaned the car.
What Kills the Smell of Smoke?
White vinegar naturally eliminates odors. Try cleaning the floors, washable walls, and furniture. with white vinegar. Try distributing several bowls of vinegar throughout the area that has smoke damage and leaving them there for a few days.
Can You Get Smoke Smell Out of a Car Professionally?
In addition to having the necessary tools and chemicals to remove smoke smell, automotive detailing shops also have the expertise and training to complete the job correctly the first time.