Car smell causing headache

houseyhouse

So we just got a new (second-hand) car. My husband is the one who went to see it and bought it. When I sat in it I immediately noticed it has that awful car upholstery cleaner smell, which he doesn’t seem to notice. The smell makes me headachy and nauseous. Even just leaning into the car to tie children’s buckles leaves me faintly sick. I have to keep all the windows open when driving or I get a headache that can last for hours.

Any ideas how I can get rid of the smell? Thanks

Allinall

I would imagine it will wear off very quickly.

Give it a couple’s of weeks and it will probably be gone.

I get the same with them "new car scent" air fresheners, for some reason gives me a headache and turns me stomach.

Get a bowl of ground coffee and put it in the car for a couple of hours.

I ordered a cologne air freshener from amazon, theyre not too strong and will drown out the smell.

JoyPad

You need to spray everything with Ozium-D, let it de-ionise, vacuum the spray out with a de-ionising machine. Hit it with high-pressure compressed air, and wet-dry vac it to extract the remaining liquids.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IPEBgdGv2Tg&t=175

hoodie6029

Spray all the fabrics with Autogylm interior shampoo or similar. Wash all the plastics down with a car plastics cleaner. Hopefully that’ll sort it for you and you can get to enjoy your new car soon 🙂

windowcills

Don't use MORE fresheners or cleaning products, i hate them all, natural is the only way

Hopefully the car was just valeted with strong smelling stuff before sale and the products used smells should fade with time, ventilate it as much as you can in the mean time

Get hubby to change the pollen filter

two wheels good

Place a tray/bowl of bicarb. of soda in the car.

whizbang

New rubber mats ? - was my problem last time..

John_Rambo

I'd say it was over valeted. Lot's of chemicals, sprays, upholstery cleaners, dashboard cleaners etc... to get the grime off the interior to make it look good for sale.

It will quickly wear off and you'll have that familiar smell of crackers, crisps, puke, banana skins, wet wetsuits, socks, sand, seaweed, wet dogs, wrinkly apples & old rice cakes that I'm desperately trying to get rid of!

crosstownk

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121005410#Comment_121005410

This.

Just leave all the windows and tailgate open if you can on a warm dry day and it should be sorted relatively quickly.

Spook_ie

Change pollen filter (if fitted) get AC Bomb ( many smells can be traced back to the AC system )

https://www.eurocarparts.com/en_ie/air-con-cleaner

Good luck and fingers crossed that it isn't a super strong scent that's been used to cover up the smell of vomit/spilt milk