Buying a used car can save you a great deal of money. However, if the previous owners were smokers, you might be wondering how to get the smoke smell out of your car. Smoke residue can be tricky to deal with because of how it clings to upholstery.
Wondering how to get the smoke smell out of your car? Read on to find out the best tips for removing the smell of cigarettes from your car.
How to Get the Cigarette Smell Out of Your Car
On top of being unpleasant, the residual smell of cigarette smoke can also be harmful to your health. The combination of chemicals in cigarettes has a characteristic smell that clings to fabric and permeates throughout your car. Luckily, there are a number of methods you can use to get the smoke smell out of your car.
If your car has a smokey smell, this is the easiest way to get rid of the smoke smell:
- Replace the upholstery with new leather upholstery: Although it is possible to clean the smoke smell out of your seats, you’ll find that it takes a great deal of effort, especially if the seats are cloth. Leather seats don’t retain the smell of smoke and other pesky odors like cloth seats do. One of the easiest ways to remove the smell of smoke is to reupholster your seats with Katzkin. Removing the soiled upholstery and replacing it with new leather takes care of the bulk of the smoke smell.
- Replace the floor mats. You can clean the smoke smell out of the existing floor mats, but replacing the old mats quickly removes the smoke residue from the car.
- Deep clean the air filtration system. If the previous owner smoked while circulating air through the car, the smoke will have penetrated the air filters. Remove the old air filter, vacuum the housing compartment as well as the air intake, and replace it with a new air filter.
Whether you just purchased a Ford F-150, Ram 1500, Chevy Silverado, or a Tesla Model 3, we can replace the seat upholstery with high-quality leather that’s free of the smell of cigarette smoke! Click here to see our product options.
Other ways to get the smoke smell out of your car include:
- Use baking soda to neutralize odors. After vacuuming soot from all the nooks and crannies in your car, sprinkle baking soda on the seats and floor. You’ll want to let the baking soda sit for at least an hour to neutralize the odors. Vacuum up the baking soda, and reapply if needed. Afterward, you can leave an open box of baking soda in the car to get rid of the remaining odors.
- Wipe down all the interior surfaces, including the windows, front windshield, and rear windshield.
- Let the car air out with the windows down. Make sure to do this on a day when the weather is good.
- If you don’t have time for a deep clean right away, you can wipe the seats down with dryer sheets. This will mask the cigarette smell for a bit until you deep clean or reupholster the seats.
- Use coffee grounds to absorb the smell. Leave a bowl in the car overnight, and you should see an improvement by morning.
- Use a specially formulated leather cleaner to clean your leather seats and dashboard. Cigarette smoke can penetrate deeply into the leather, so you’ll need to clean it several times before you’re successful.
How to Get the Gas Smell Out of Your Car
Another common question you might have is how to get the gas smell out of your car. If even the smallest drop of gas is spilled inside your car, the noxious smell will linger. Gasoline is flammable as well as toxic, so you’ll want to make sure to promptly deal with the smell.
Your first step will be to identify the gas stain or spill inside the car, as this will be the source of the smell. If you think the smell may be caused by a fuel leak, you should contact a mechanic as soon as possible. Don’t drive the car until it can be looked at.
If you’re dealing with a large spill, stop the spill as quickly as possible. Block the area off and use cat litter, sawdust, or potting soil to absorb the gasoline. Allow five to ten minutes for the absorbent material to soak up the gas, then sweep everything into a dustpan.
Next, you’ll need to clean the stain. Gasoline is hydrophobic, so you won’t want to use just water. This will spread the stain around rather than cleaning it up. Instead, sprinkle baking soda on top of the stain and let it sit for at least an hour. Scoop the baking soda up into a dustpan. To clean the stain, mix equal parts of baking soda, vinegar, and hot water. Soak an old rag in the mix and rub the gas stain gently. The solution should lift the stain easily and neutralize the gasoline odor.
Once finished cleaning the stain, you’ll want to safely dispose of everything that you used to soak up the gas. Contact the local hazardous waste center to find out how to safely dispose of the gas-soaked material.
Freshen Your Car with Leather Seats from Katzkin
Now that you know how to get the smoke smell out of your car, you might be considering replacing your seats. It takes a lot of time and effort to scrub smoke residue from your car. New leather seats from Katzkin will easily remove the smell of smoke and gas as well as give your car an upgraded interior. When you need custom leather seats at an affordable price, you can count on Katzkin.
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