Smokers

Mr. Presentable

Other half loaned our car to a relative who smokes. Any suggestions for getting the smell out, short of a soaking by a valet co.? I have cleaned down all the hard sufaces with scented wipes and vacuumed the softs, but the odour persists.

Dancor

Whatever you do, send the bill to the cheeky bastid.

Febreeze is decent.

Sir Digby Chicken Caesar

fresh air is all that will really do it
to mask it slightly thhrow a few bounce dryer sheets onto the seats overnight

nicol

Baking soda is supposed to be very good at removing odours. I'd sprinkle it over all the carpets / seats / any other fabric areas in the car. Leave it for a day or more if you can and then vacuum it up after.

Anan1

Dancor wrote: »

Whatever you do, send the bill to the cheeky bastid.

+1, plenty of people smoke and yet wouldn't smoke in someone elses car. I'd second Febreze.

gyppo

Buy about 6 of the biggest strongest onions you can get, cut them in half, and leave them in the car for a few days if you can.

Im not taking the p1ss, this will work.

vectra

Send it to Brian at Spiritdetailing.
I think he has a system for doing the likes

Otis Driftwood

Just leave two of the windows open a sliver over night and bobs yer teapot,smell gone.

Mr. Presentable

gyppo wrote: »

Buy about 6 of the biggest strongest onions you can get, cut them in half, and leave them in the car for a few days if you can.

Im not taking the p1ss, this will work.

Thanks. Now how do I get rid of the smell of onions? It's like the old woman who swallowed a fly........

Zubeneschamali

Otis Driftwood wrote: »

Just leave two of the windows open a sliver over night and bobs yer teapot,smell gone.

Eh, no, it gets into the fabrics.

I know someone who bought a 1-year-old demo car: the garage cleaned it before sale, and the new owner sent it back twice because it still stank. A year later, after three thorough cleanings that left the seats wet, you could still kind of tell people had been smoking in it.

Elephant9

Febrease is reall good, I have a dog and it covers the smell when she is wet. I also liked the onion suggestion, if you put a half one in the fridge it takes all the smells away. I still think that person had no respect smoking in someone else's car. We don't allow anyone no matter who they are to smoke in our house or car.

djimi

Ill be honest if I lent a car to someone and they smoked in it then they would be paying whatever it costs to get it properly internally valeted. Absolutely disgraceful thing to do to someone elses car.

MarkR

Shake some Neutradol around and hoover. Also, you can get these little cans of air conditioner cleaner that you set off like a bug bomb in the car. You push forward your sets, turn the aircon on max to recirculate, then set it off. Cycles through the a/c.

Nissan doctor

Otis Driftwood wrote: »

Just leave two of the windows open a sliver over night and bobs yer teapot,smell gone.

The smell might be gone as far as another smoker is concerned. But it would take a lot more then that to stop a non-smoker from smelling it.


I agree with what a few have said, it was extremely ignorant of the OP's reletive to smoke in someone elses car when they only have a loan of it.

idunnoshur

Drive around with the heating on full whack with the windows open, should get rid of it within a day or two.

dudara

Can't believe he smoked in a car that wasn't his own. Send him the bill for whatever cleaning is needed.

Gordon Gekko

I used to have a car which had been owned by a smoker - tried everything, including a couple of valets, but couldn't ever get rid of the smell - and that car had a leather interior.

Went to test drive a really great car a while ago - sat in it, smelt smoke, and just handed back the keys. No point in wasting the seller's time as I'll never buy another ex-smoker's car again - imho you never get rid of the smell.

Mr. Presentable

I'm hoping it's only surface because it was only a couple of days. Job for the weekend - maybe a steam clean of the upholstery and a long blow through the AC.

Sweet jesus I'd hate not to be able to get the whiff out. Naturally she denies smoking in the car......

e46connacht

I bought my car for significantly cheaper due to it having been smoked in.
To get it out I placed basins with a teatowel in them soaked in white vinegar. Leave this in it for a few days, topping up the vinegar as needed, just remember to remove them if you will be driving, and wash the teatowels really well afterwards. Then run the air conditioning full whack with the windows slightly ajar. Turn the engine off then leave all the windows open to let all the air circulate.

I also had to clean the head lining of the car - thats where a lot of the smell will be present from the smoke. then clean all surfaces of the car - carpets, glass, upholstry and the dash.

If it was only borrowed for a short time it shouldnt be too bad to remove.

I bought my car in september and the smell is completely out.

Best of luck

dantastic

It's been said already but from experience, baking soda!

We tried EVERYTHING to get rid of the smell, spent a lot of money on products what were meant to get rid of the smell. Simple solution, baking soda.

Smoke will sit on every surface and especially so in fabric. Sprinkle baking soda all over the car - yea - all over! Everywhere! Rub it in to the fabric as well - don't worry - it will come out no problem. Leave a window just a wee bit open for air to get in and just wait. After a week or so you can hoover up the baking soda, you won't be able to smell a thing.

The smell won't be completely gone though but there is a way to manage it. cut a 0.5l coke bottle in half and put some baking soda in the bottom of it, leave it in the center console. This should be enough to manage the smell. Change it every month and after 3 months or so the smell should be gone.

Good luck!