Cigarette Smoke Odor Removal From Car
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Originally Posted By: FastEddie
We will usually give the car a thorough full interior detail (shampoo all carpets, clean all panels, etc) paying special attention to the headliner as it traps tons of smoke odor. Good luck.
Yeah, a new headliner makes a big difference.
Although, it could be a PIA in newer vehicles. Older vehicles (10 years +) the headliner material comes off easier as the foam backing is starting to break down by that point.
We will usually give the car a thorough full interior detail (shampoo all carpets, clean all panels, etc) paying special attention to the headliner as it traps tons of smoke odor. Good luck.
Yeah, a new headliner makes a big difference.
Although, it could be a PIA in newer vehicles. Older vehicles (10 years +) the headliner material comes off easier as the foam backing is starting to break down by that point.
Originally Posted By: FastEddie
Originally Posted By: Chris142
How do you recomend removing the stink from the ac vents and evaporator etc?
That's what my ozone machine is for, turn it on w/ the A/C on recirculate.
Agreed on the ozone. I've got a big ozone generator, and bought a heavy smoker last year. After a wipe down of every hard interior surface with a high concentration of APC, shampoo of the rugs/carpet, new cabin filter, and 4 or 5 15-minute treatments of ozone it was basically unnoticeable. I asked a couple of passengers that didn't know about the history afterwards, and none noticed it specifically. My wife and I could still tell, but no one else could.
--Matt
Originally Posted By: Chris142
How do you recomend removing the stink from the ac vents and evaporator etc?
That's what my ozone machine is for, turn it on w/ the A/C on recirculate.
Agreed on the ozone. I've got a big ozone generator, and bought a heavy smoker last year. After a wipe down of every hard interior surface with a high concentration of APC, shampoo of the rugs/carpet, new cabin filter, and 4 or 5 15-minute treatments of ozone it was basically unnoticeable. I asked a couple of passengers that didn't know about the history afterwards, and none noticed it specifically. My wife and I could still tell, but no one else could.
--Matt
I used the Meguiar's bomb and that left behind a smell better then cigarettes and is currently the only noticeable smell. I guess I will see if this just masked the odor or was a more permanent solution.
Cigars from Nicaragua. Smell much better than cigs
These will take care of it.
AutoMechanic
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The Little Trees Royal Pine air fresheners will help a lot. When my dad bought his big rig that’s what the dealership had used to get the smoke smell out of it not only does it smell nice but it works.
I’m thinking most cabin air filters do not deal with recirculated air. They filter air coming in at the cowling, into the car. Which models have filters that can treat recirculated air? 
Dollar Tree - smoke eliminator spray in the air freshener section. spray into the air vents, spray the seats headliner etc.fog the interior , park in full sun with the windows closed.may need repeating .first use got rid of 90% of the smell in a truck i bought.it took 2 more treatments to get rid of the remainder.
While at Dollar Tree buy a jug of lemon scented ammonia .place several saucers on the floorboards and pour some ammonia into each one .also have the vehicle in the sun and have the windows up let it sit for a day.Then open the windows and let it sit for a while.i have used this in the past on some funky smelling vehicles.
also wipe down all hard/vinyl/plastic surfaces with soapy water.
good luck
While at Dollar Tree buy a jug of lemon scented ammonia .place several saucers on the floorboards and pour some ammonia into each one .also have the vehicle in the sun and have the windows up let it sit for a day.Then open the windows and let it sit for a while.i have used this in the past on some funky smelling vehicles.
also wipe down all hard/vinyl/plastic surfaces with soapy water.
good luck
twouvakind
Site Donor 2025
http://www.starbrite.com/item/performacide-smoke-odor-eliminator
On a related topic:
We used their Avanflex in the C19 fight until it was determined we needed eyewash stations in the offices we were using it in. Great product. I actually sprayed it directly into the fresh air intake on my car, worked wonders on my musty system with one application. If there is a downside to the Avanflex, mixed...it only has a 15 day shelf life.
CLO2 (Chlorine Dioxide) is your friend in odor elimination.
On a related topic:
We used their Avanflex in the C19 fight until it was determined we needed eyewash stations in the offices we were using it in. Great product. I actually sprayed it directly into the fresh air intake on my car, worked wonders on my musty system with one application. If there is a downside to the Avanflex, mixed...it only has a 15 day shelf life.
CLO2 (Chlorine Dioxide) is your friend in odor elimination.
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That's been my experience. Oh you might think it's gone, but it comes creeping back. Smoking in a car ruins the car. Of course some vintage or collector or otherwise expensive newer cars, yes it will be worth it, maybe back to metal restoration. And this is NOT saying the mentioned techniques and products don't work. I say go for it, and agree with the process analogy mentioned by the pros. Just keep at it. You can get it quite satisfactory.
I would gladly take a double blind test. I can easily know any car, any room really that has been smoked in.
I quit smoking a year and a half ago after 45 years. My Jeep stunk. The biggest thing that helped it was shampooing the carpet. I also left the windows down all the time at home. I can smell a cigarette at 100 yards but the smell is gone from the Jeep. Clean clean clean every surface!
Another vote for ozone. If you can get the carpet out, you should, put it on a nice hot driveway in the sun and hose it down with your favorite detergent, water, air, sun, and time.
People are afraid of getting their interiors sloppy wet but it's the best way to clean hard and soft surfaces. Soapy water and a rag.
People are afraid of getting their interiors sloppy wet but it's the best way to clean hard and soft surfaces. Soapy water and a rag.
Auto Vaccine on Amazon. I have tried it and it really works well !!
The smoke from the wildfires stank up one of my vehicles this year. A full interior cleaning got rid of most of the odor. There are ashes even under the trunk lid er. Of course, I also replaced the CAF. I got rid of the remaining odor with a few bags of zeolite placed under the seats and in the trunk.
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