Removing smell of stale smoke

alice14

Hi,

I recently bought a second hand car off a friend's family member who smokes. The car doesn't stink but there is definitely a smell of stale smoke. I'd like to get the car fully valeted and was wondering if anyone could recommend somewhere really good? Preferably in south dublin, either near Dun Laoghaire or near Tallaght.

And is there anything I could try in the mean time to lessen the smell?

Thanks!

Eric Cartman

clean all the glass with a good window cleaner
clean all leathers with a good citrus scented car interior cleaner
hoover all carpets and fabrics (headliner included)
shampoo carpets with pet ouder carpet shampoo
air conditioning bomb and use recirculated as directed
leave a bowl of vinegar in the middle of the car overnight

itll be gone completely or to the point that even a standard air freshner will render it un-noticable.

Odelay

Would the vinegar leave it smelling like a chip van?

Eric Cartman

Odelay wrote: »

Would the vinegar leave it smelling like a chip van?

it absorbs ouders, after a day it wouldnt smell of vinegar. do the aircon bomb last and itll definitely remove that too.

Vinegar leaves a strong smell for a couple of days, depending on how much you use, but it does work.

I've never just left it in a bowl, though, I tend to put it in a spray bottle and use it to clean the fabrics (in the case of smoke smells, I'd go for the ceiling fabrics).

It really is good for getting rid of smells. I used it to clean my boot before when some milk busted and started stinking the place out. Did a great job.

Wishbone Ash

Get a bag of large onions. Cut them in half and leave them in the car for a few days.They will absorb any odours.

99nsr125

Vacuum
Vent
Odour eaters
Febreeze

Del2005

I'd a car that a heavy smoker owned, the headliner above the drivers seat was yellow! I had to scrub everything and still the smell was there, in the end I had to remove all the seats to get at the carpets underneath them and also so I could scrub the seats and let them dry.

Vinegar, baking soda, onions, fabrez etc will absorb some smells but if its ingrained the only solution is elbow grease, you decide who's.

colm_mcm

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

Get a bag of large onions. Cut them in half and leave them in the car for a few days.They will absorb any odours.

This also works for newly painted rooms. Apparently leaving them in a dish with a small amount of water in it makes it even more effective.

Another very good method is to take it to someone who has an ozone generator. Basically like a fog machine.

Miscreant

alice14 wrote: »

Hi,

I recently bought a second hand car off a friend's family member who smokes. The car doesn't stink but there is definitely a smell of stale smoke. I'd like to get the car fully valeted and was wondering if anyone could recommend somewhere really good? Preferably in south dublin, either near Dun Laoghaire or near Tallaght.

And is there anything I could try in the mean time to lessen the smell?

Thanks!

Get yourself some of this:
https://www.halfords.ie/motoring/car-cleaning/interior-cleaning-vacuums/autoglym-new-odour-eliminator-500ml

I used it about 4 years ago on a car I bought that had a really strong smell of stale smoke in it and the smell was gone in 2 treatments. Spray it on the seats, carpets, door cards, headliner and boot. No-one can even tell my car was owned by a smoker before me now.

(I am not affiliated to Halfords, this is just where I got mine )

alice14

Thanks everyone, I appreciate the advice!! Does anyone know if the ozone treatments some places offer is worth the money or would a good pet odour shampoo etc do the job?

Sorry just saw that is what you recommended Colm