Best way to get smoke smell out of car?

Just got a car that it looks like previous owner had smoked in it a bit. It is not too bad, I am picky as it is and a non-smoker so I would like to treat it to get all traces of it out.

Does anyone know the best way to get all of the smoke smell out of a car? I just got a bissel green pet machine and cleaned the carpets but not sure if that did it just yet. Any help would be appreciated. thanks.

some thoughts from this oldy http://www.nsxprime.com/forums/showthread.php?t=5848&highlight=bad+smell+trunk

Light up a joint in the car...

Then after that, go to White Castle and get 12 burgers. Eat 8 and leave the other 4 in the car for a week. Won't smell like cigarette smoke anymore. Promise.

My Dad is an avid hunter, and uses dogs when going bird hunting. After a hunting trip, the smell in his Ford Expedition is pretty strong. He uses an ozone-producing/ionizer machine intended normally for purifying the air in a home. After 24 hours in a closed-up car, any trace of the offending odor is gone, replaced by the odd smell of ozone. The ozone smell is like the smell of the atmosphere right after a summer thunderstorm, but it goes away fairly quickly once the machine is removed. The original offending odor does not return. The ozone machine works. One small caveat: There will be a thin film on the inside of the windows, which is the fallout of the offending odor particles after their combination with the ozone molecules. In other words, you'll need to clean the windows, and likely any hard surfaces. A simple vacuum job on the upholstery, and you should be good to go.

There has been lots of research that points to these machines as unhealthy, and some types are banned in California. They're probably right, but the one my Dad uses sure does get rid of smells in houses and vehicles. (It's always the stuff that performs the best that turn out to be hazardous. Asbestos would be another example.)

Bryan

I would prefer to stay away from the Ionizer machines that leave a gunky film and gives it another weird smell. I am going to say no to the Whitey's b/c I hate that anyway. Ha, ha.

Doc, the thread you referenced was more for rotten food and I wanted to see if there was anything specific to cigarette smoke smells that would help. Vinegar would smell worse than the smoke.

a bowl of vinegar over night or a couple of nights will help.
Afterward, put some dryer sheets under your seats.

Hope this will help.

When I use to smoke in my Mom's car I would grab a can of Ozium and a box of Armon Hammer Baking Powder. Spray the Ozium and leave the OPENED box of AH in the car for a week and then pitch.

^^^ Just Kidding.

Hire several hookers and have a wild orgy in the car. I'm not sure if it will get rid of the smell but I doubt you'll really notice it all that much.

I used a Green machine spot bot last night and while the carpets now look better, I have the same smell so I am thinking I should try Arm and Hammer baking soda. I figured with all the car dealers on this site that they've had experiences with getting smoke smell out.

I've always been a big believer that you can't get smoke smell out of a car. Not 100%. People who say you can are usually smokers themselves and their sense of smell is already fading.

I did have a guy light one of these stick incence in his car and let it burn out. He swears it worked, but all that did was replace one stale smoke smell with another less offensive smoke smell.

jlindy said:

Just got a car that it looks like previous owner had smoked in it a bit. It is not too bad, I am picky as it is and a non-smoker so I would like to treat it to get all traces of it out.

Does anyone know the best way to get all of the smoke smell out of a car? I just got a bissel green pet machine and cleaned the carpets but not sure if that did it just yet. Any help would be appreciated. thanks.

Click to expand...

Fabreez sp?
Works very well. Spray it on everything fabric or leather, let sit in the sun for an hour or so and itll smell like new.

HTN said:

a bowl of vinegar over night or a couple of nights will help.
Afterward, put some dryer sheets under your seats.

Hope this will help.

Click to expand...

+1 or Ozium

From reading on the internet, it looks like the Ozonator is the way to go, but which one to buy? A lot of products out there and a HUGE range of prices. Is there one that is built for autos? I've also realized that I need to spray intake vents outside the car and recirc vents inside the car b/c the smoke has entered the A/C system as I smell it most when I first start the car and the air comes on.

Don't forget that some cars have a replaceable interior cabin filter. I'd replace that, if it has one since it will probably retain old odors.

More advice from old threads...

http://www.nsxprime.com/forums/showthread.php?t=54707&highlight=smoke+smell

Some good stuff in here too.

http://www.nsxprime.com/forums/showthread.php?t=108240&highlight=cigarettes


Philip