Smoke smell

[Phaedra]

I bought my NB used and the previous owner smoked in the car. In the winter the smell isn't so bad, but when the weather starts to warm up (like now) and the sun hits the leather seats the smell gets worse. I've tried everything I can think of to remove the smell but nothing seems to work.
Also, I'm guessing the previous owner ashed through the sunroof (little burn holes around the headliner) and so when you open the sun roof the smell gets worse because the wind kicks up whatever old ashes got sucked through the opening.
Does anyone know how to get rid of this smell? I'm sick of my clothes and hair smelling funny whenever I drive my car.

[Blugg]

From a smoker to an occasional non smoker..

When i give up, i can smell the smoke in the Bug.

I use watermelon and cucumber airfreshner. Soak the carpets and cloth seats with it.

When i had my other Bug with the leather interior it was never a problem. Smoke doesn't take too well to leather. I used a good leather cleaner once a week too.

Sounds to me like your biggest problem is the sunroof. Also behind the steering wheel column. Bet there's a ton of smoke behind that. Have you changed your pollen filter recently too ? As any air that comes in from the heaters or the air con is pulled through that smoke sodden filter.

I'd be inclined to stick a flat nozzled hoover through the sunroof, or even have it removed, cleaned out and put back in. Check the cigar lighter hasn't any old burn't tobacco on it, as that can be a pungent smell. Chuck it away and get a new one.

Lift up the back seat, Liquid lemon zest under that. Any ash that misses the window, ends up on the back seat, then goes under it.

[jason m]

remove adn clean anything you can. fabreeze the rest. changed the c abin air filter and get an air freshener you like to cover up the stink. you will never get rid of it completly.

[Phaedra]

Cool I'll try all that. Even if it doesn't completely get rid of the smell I'd simply be happy with not smelling like a stale ash tray when I get out of the car. I certainly appreciate the suggestions.

[MyOtherRidesAVette]

I have found the best way to deal with the smell of cigarettes is to smoke. You will seldom notice it.

As that's not an option in your case, however, there are the same professional remedies for vehicles as for living and working quarters. It has to do with de-ionizing the air. The same procedure used by smoke and fire damge companies. Also by high-end hotels who have had a guest smoke in a smoke free room. Do know that this procedure can be hard on certain surfaces. Anything short of this will do more than mask the smell and depending on what you use, may be worse. I am a fan of Fabreze, however, to rid things of many odors. The old, tried and true open box of Arm & Hammer may also give you some relief.

Any fabric or fabric type material will retain the smell, i.e. headliner, carpet, pollen filter, underside of seats, etc. Hard surfaces can more easily be cleaned and not as suseptible to holding the smell.

In the future, it might be best to stay away from previously smoked in vehicles. Sorry your having to deal with 25% of the adult populations way of life.

M.

[JP]

go to Home Depot and get Zep smoke eliminator it's a 15oz. aerosol can (in the chemical aisle) black with smoke highlights in background i sell this to hotel's often when they have a room that a guess has smoked in works well it's like 4-5 bucks a can

[Pushing Fifty]

Originally Posted by MyOtherRidesAVette

I have found the best way to deal with the smell of cigarettes is to smoke. You will seldom notice it.

Best answer of all! The funny thing is that nobody gave cigarette smoke a thought until the government and media told everyone that it harms nonsmokers.

[pdoel]

Originally Posted by Pushing Fifty

The funny thing is that nobody gave cigarette smoke a thought until the government and media told everyone that it harms nonsmokers.

Hardly. For as long as there have been smokers, there have been people complaining about them. The health issue was only the catalyst needed to get government to start listening, and finally passing laws banning it in many areas.

If you smoke, which I'm guessing you do, you probably don't realize how horrible it actually smells. You'll never hear someone say, "Hey dude, you gotta see this car I picked up. Totally vintage, the paint is great, the body's in good shape, the engine has low miles, but the best part, the previous owner smoked, so the interior smells incredible!"

And you'll never hear someone say, "Boy, I miss the good old days of being able to go into a nice, smoke filled restaurant, and sit down to eat a nice meal."

They could determine tomorrow that second hand smoke gives you more energy, raises your metabolism, and will extend your life by 10 years. I still wouldn't want to be around it.

People have always cared about second hand smoke. Smokers just didn't want to listen until the government forced them to.

[Pushing Fifty]

I couldn't disagree with you more. Back in the day, about 50% of the population smoked. Some people complained about cigar and pipe smoke, but almost never cigarette smoke, save for maybe 1 in 1000 nonsmokers who were whiners waving their arms about and commencing a fake cough.

Also, I do happen to think cigarette smoke smells good. And yes, I'm a 37-year smoker. I also sadly miss "smoke-filled" restaurants. The smoke gave them an ambiance.

As far as smoking in a car goes, there's really a simple solution: crack the window open! I do this even when it's 30 below outside. If someone can still smell old tobacco smoke even after a smoker practices this, then he/she belongs to the league of fanatical freaks who claim they can smell smoke from cars moving 70 mph down the highway! Yes, there are actually rabid smoker-haters who make this claim..........

[pdoel]

Originally Posted by Pushing Fifty

I couldn't disagree with you more. Back in the day, about 50% of the population smoked. Some people complained about cigar and pipe smoke, but almost never cigarette smoke, save for maybe 1 in 1000 nonsmokers who were whiners waving their arms about and commencing a fake cough.

Also, I do happen to think cigarette smoke smells good. And yes, I'm a 37-year smoker. I also sadly miss "smoke-filled" restaurants. The smoke gave them an ambiance.

As far as smoking in a car goes, there's really a simple solution: crack the window open! I do this even when it's 30 below outside. If someone can still smell old tobacco smoke even after a smoker practices this, then he/she belongs to the league of fanatical freaks who claim they can smell smoke from cars moving 70 mph down the highway! Yes, there are actually rabid smoker-haters who make this claim..........

Sorry, but people have always complained about smoke. No non-smoker has ever enjoyed the smell of it. Sorry.

And as for fanatical smellers, again, but you're wrong. I cant walk into a house, get into a car, even walk past a smoker, and know they smoke. You don't notice it, because you're used to it. But for people who don't smoke, we can smell, and it's obvious. You may not think the interior of your car smells, but any non-smoker would.

But how about we keep this on topic. This is about trying to get the smell of smoke out of someone's car. Not to justify or explain away how great you think it smells.

[Pushing Fifty]

Keeping this on topic is indeed best, for this could develop into a very ugly discussion. I am an avid proponent for smoker's rights, but this isn't the place to voice such an argument. I just saw My other ride's a Vette's response, and reacted to it. Since the smell of smoke doesn't bother me, I'll leave this thread.

[Smileybug]

Its not just disliking the way it smells...my mom and my husband get sick if they are around smoke, even in an open area. I personally get a pretty killer headache.


On topic, its going to be almost impossible to get all of the smell out of the car. You can clean the carpets and seats pretty well though, but you're going to still have some smell in the headliner and such, but that's replaceable. Replace your air filters, clean everything as well as you can, and see what happens. Febreezing what you can't clean may help a bit.