social

Removing Cigarette Smoke Odors from a Car

October 29, 2004

If you want to remove the smell of cigarette smoke from your auto interior, use a Red Delicious apple. Cut it in half lengthwise, and place each half under the front seats. Throw them away when they're all dried out. For really heavy smoke smell, it may take a couple of applications.

Advertisement



By Scott J.

 

9 Questions

Here are the questions asked by community members. Read on to see the answers provided by the ThriftyFun community.

September 4, 2009

My husband and I just bought a truck and it reeks of cigarettes. We have tried everything we know of, and can't get the odor out. I sprinkled baking soda into the carpet, and even went as far as spraying my favorite perfume into the A/C vents. While this helped some, and the perfume makes the air smell nice, it hasn't eliminated it. I really need some advice.

By stephanie from Albemarle, NC

Answers

September 7, 20095 found this helpful
Best Answer

I had the some problem, first I took the mats (vinyl) out and washed them with hot soapy and bleach water and left them in the sun to dry.

I then vacuumed, washed the entire interior with a Murphy's oil soap solution (use directions on bottle) even slightly swiping the cloth seats. This took about 2 hours. Take special care to double clean the windshield as this is where most of the nicotine collects.

Advertisement

After all this, I took about a cup of unused coffee grounds and spread them in an aluminum pie pan. I set the pie pan in the car and let the car sit in the hot sun for an afternoon. Talk about smelling heavenly and clean, unless of course you don't like the undertone of coffee.

 
Answer this Question

February 12, 2005

My brother-in-law just got a work van that smells of cigarette smoke really bad. How can he get rid of the smell? There is no carpeting in it.



Donna J.

Answers


Diamond Feedback Medal for All Time! 1,023 Feedbacks
February 12, 20050 found this helpful
Best Answer

Hang a small bag made of cheesecloth, a coffee filter or other fabric full of ground coffee (unused). It absorbs odors and replaces the smell with a nice one.

 
February 13, 20050 found this helpful
Best Answer

Wipe all the surfaces with a strong foaming cleaner, preferably one that is ammonia based, to remove smoke residue from surfaces.

Spray any upholstery/carpet/fabric headliner with febreeze.

Advertisement

Replace the "bad" smell with a "good" smell.

Try an "air sponge" (sold where air fresheners are, comes in a small plastic tub).

Give it time.

 
February 17, 20052 found this helpful
Best Answer

I use OdoBan which I get at Sam's Club. It works on all odors and doesn't mask them. I use it for fire damaged homes and it works great. It will get any smell out and it doesn't return. It's great for litter box, too. It has a eucalyptus and wildflower smell.

 
Answer this Question

January 4, 2012

I would like information on removing the smell of cigarette smoke in a caravan. Thank you.

By Mieke


Answers

January 4, 20121 found this helpful
Best Answer

Put a bowl of household Amonia on the floor mat, close doors & windows for 24 hours...presto!

 

Silver Feedback Medal for All Time! 282 Feedbacks
January 6, 20122 found this helpful
Best Answer

I've had to do this several times both in the States where I'm from, and here in the UK where I now live. Trust me on this, if you don't get rid of the nicotine on the walls, floors, and ceiling, the smoke smell will come back no matter what you do to freshen the air.

Advertisement

So the best thing to do is get a huge jug (or several) of vinegar; make up a half vinegar, half water solution and use the solution to "mop" the carpets and ceiling with a well wrung sponge mop.

Then wipe down the walls with some more of the solution, and leave several shallow bowls of straight vinegar in each room for a couple of days. The odor of both smoke and vinegar will dissipate.

You'll be horrified to see the yellow-orange muck that comes out of the carpet and off the hard surfaces. It may take a couple of cleaning sessions to get it all off.

For a quick air freshener, you can dampen a tea towel with straight vinegar and flap it furiously through the room you are trying to freshen-my son is a chef and has used this tip several times when a trainee lets something burn in the kitchen!

Advertisement

Because you use the word caravan, I am going to assume you are in Europe, the UK, AU, or NZ - you are looking for distilled white vinegar. If the word malt is on the label the vinegar will be a bit stronger in the odor but will still work as a cleaner and air freshener.

 
Answer this Question

August 19, 2012

How do I get cigarette smoke smell out of my car?

By Robin

Answers


Bronze Feedback Medal for All Time! 119 Feedbacks
May 31, 20152 found this helpful
Best Answer

Set a small pint jar half full of white vinegar, close up the windows and leave that all night. The vinegar will absorb any and all bad smells no matter where you find them, I promise.

Advertisement

I do this all the time in my home leaving several small jars of vinegar set in different areas of our house as this helps control cooking odors too (like the cooking cabbage smells).

 
Answer this Question

Archives

ThriftyFun is one of the longest running frugal living communities on the Internet. These are archives of older discussions.

February 23, 2010

Can someone tell me how to get the cigarette smell out of a car?

 
Read More...

September 25, 2009

How to remove cigar smell from automobile interior?

 
Read More...
Load More
In This Page
Categories
Home and Garden Cleaning AutoFebruary 28, 2012
Pages
More
🍀
St. Patrick's Ideas!
💘
Valentine's Ideas!
🎂
Birthday Ideas!
Facebook
Pinterest
YouTube
Instagram
Categories
Better LivingBudget & FinanceBusiness and LegalComputersConsumer AdviceCoronavirusCraftsEducationEntertainmentFood and RecipesHealth & BeautyHolidays and PartiesHome and GardenMake Your OwnOrganizingParentingPetsPhotosTravel and RecreationWeddings
Published by ThriftyFun.
Desktop Page | View Mobile
Disclaimer | Privacy Policy | Contact Us
Generated 2024-01-28 23:17:34 in 12 secs. ⛅️️
© 1997-2024 by Cumuli, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
https://www.thriftyfun.com/tf/CleaningGroup/Auto/Removing-Cigarette-Smoke-Odors-from-a-Car.html