HOW TO DEODORIZE A HEAVILY SMOKED IN CAR ???

Is there a product, consumer or professional, to use to get the smoke stink out of a car? The car is sitting over winter outside, so if something can be 'set off' inside it....

Thanks in advance.

Fred

Reply to
septicman
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Baking soda. Just pour a few boxes around the interior, wait a few days, and then vacuum up the backing soda. If there's a lot of buildup in the headliner, you can make a paste with the baking soda & water, rub it in, let it dry, then vacuum again.

Reply to
Sharon Cooke

Rent a carpet cleaner, clean all carpets , seats , doorpanels etc

Don't be afraid to use to much soap but be sure to suck it all out again.

and yes, lots of baking soda

Reply to
Ollie

I bought a car that used to be part of Coca-Cola's sales fleet. Guy who drove it must have been a chainsmoker, because the entire interior was brown.

The problem with a _really_ heavily smoked-in car is that the crap is everywhere. It's inside the seat cushions, inside the headliner, in the carpet, and in the cabin air filter. I used a handheld steam cleaner to do the upholstery and left the doors open for an entire summer day. I did the headliner by hand with one of those spraycans that has a brush built into the top of it. Even now, more than two years later, when I turn on the heat I get a brief whiff of stale tobacco.

Reply to
zwsdotcom

Another thing to watch is that the smoke and tar will dissolve the glue in the headliner. This may not happen for a couple more years, but eventually it may fall down.

Reply to
GMach3

Reply to
George Jaynes

Don't be scared about renting these units, and PRESCRUB the carpets and seats with a spray on cleaner of sorts.. .i use spray nine or simple green.

DO NOT wet the headliner, unless you want ot replace it!!!

as the car is drying, the smoke smell will linger some, but after it dries you shouldn't smell much. wetting it seems to bring out smells.

Reply to
Picasso

ive never heard that! interesting. doesn't sound right, but interesting

Reply to
Picasso

Use Febreze and spray all the fabric in the car- seats, headliners, carpeting. If there are floor mats, throw them away and buy new ones. Use a good cleaner such as Simple Green or a good vinyl/plastic cleaner for the dash and door panels. Clean all the windows with ammonia- cuts the tars the best. Get some Lysol concentrate and mix it in a bottle sprayer slightly stronger than the instructions say, turn the heat and fan on high, and spray liberally into the outside cabin air intake (set the heater controls on fresh air or outside air). Turn the car off and spray inside the vents with the Lysol. Let sit for a while. You may end up doing it all again come summer, but that should get rid of most of the smell. My girl friend's car was owned by a heavy smoker, and that's what I used to get rid of it all. Took me 2 complete treatments, and a few more sprays with the Febreze when the humidity was high.

Good luck!

SC Tom

Reply to
SC Tom

Yep. had more than one like that. Smoke accelerates the deterioration of the adhesive when combined with other factors. Don't know if it would do it all on its own, though. Learned that from an experienced upholstry guy.

Reply to
GMach3

Try a local auto detailer, they should be able to get rid of the smell buy using a real steam cleaner and some cleaning products. It may take more that one attempt to get it all out.

Reply to
Andy

No offense, man, since your email addy says you're a septic man, I'd think that a cigarette smell would be an improvement. :-P

Just kidding!

CJB

Reply to
CJB

Im not sure febreeze does anything except mask odour.

Any proof anywhere that fabreeze does anything?

Reply to
Picasso

Only my own experience. I guess you could go to the manufacturer's web site and get all the information you need. I play a lot of tennis, and my Probe had cloth seats. I used Febreze on them to get rid of the sweat smell, and it was gone, not simply masked. The smell wouldn't come back until I forgot to use a towel on the seats a few times (or sweated through it), not even in the heat and humidity of SC. Not trying to sell the product, just saying it works for me!

SC Tom

Reply to
SC Tom

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