Getting rid of cigarette smell in a used car?

thedoc46 · 21 Jan 2011 at 16:01

Bought a car yesterday, but the previous owner must have been a fag ash lils.

Any recommendations for completely eliminating the smell of tobacco?

Car has only 14k and the smell is only slight, so hopefully recoverable.

lordrobs · 21 Jan 2011 at 16:14

Wet Vac the seats, carpets and possibly the head lining (if it is a suitable material). Preferably using a pre wash spray on treatment.

Then finish up with some Febreeze or similar.

Also make sure to give the steering wheel a good clean. My hands used to stink of fags after borrowing my dads Mondeo, thankfully he packed the habit in a few years ago :cool:

Zuban · 21 Jan 2011 at 16:14

I used some spray fabreeze for the same thing recently and it did the trick, went pretty gungho with it and left the car in the garage over night with all windows open, next day no more ciggy smell.

bledd · 21 Jan 2011 at 16:16

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Car-Pride-Conditioning-Cleaner-Purifier/dp/B0033M64U2

You can find them in pound shops and aldi too

You just set the can to 'on' and leave it in your car with the air con on for 10 mins or so until the can runs out

MOOGLEYS · 21 Jan 2011 at 16:25

bledd. said:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Car-Pride-Conditioning-Cleaner-Purifier/dp/B0033M64U2

You can find them in pound shops and aldi too

You just set the can to 'on' and leave it in your car with the air con on for 10 mins or so until the can runs out

Do these work ? My Aircon gets a bit whiffy sometimes this seems a perfect soloution...

Finglonga · 21 Jan 2011 at 16:38

MOOGLEYS said:
Do these work ? My Aircon gets a bit whiffy sometimes this seems a perfect soloution...

Yes they work, ideally it should be used at least every year as a preventative measure to bacteria.

ubersonic · 21 Jan 2011 at 16:46

If the car has a filter in the A/C system may be worth changing that

MOOGLEYS · 21 Jan 2011 at 16:47

ubersonic said:
If the car has a filter in the A/C system may be worth changing that

Changed it a few times, Think I will give one of these a go and see what happens.....

coopersim · 21 Jan 2011 at 17:07

If you're a non smoker then you're never likey to get rid of the smell totally. It totally permeates every bit of absorbent surface!

thedoc46 · 21 Jan 2011 at 17:13

bledd. said:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Car-Pride-Conditioning-Cleaner-Purifier/dp/B0033M64U2

You can find them in pound shops and aldi too

You just set the can to 'on' and leave it in your car with the air con on for 10 mins or so until the can runs out

Thanks, this looks perfect.. Now only if I could find it in the US (my home now) Seems silly that they don't make a similar product. Or at least one that's easy to find on google !

Finglonga · 21 Jan 2011 at 19:32

Autoglym do an air con sanitizer if you can get it over there.

Begbie · 21 Jan 2011 at 19:55

I used a fog machine once, filled with scented fog.

It was incredible, left my car smelling great for months!

Third Opinion · 21 Jan 2011 at 22:28

coopersim said:
If you're a non smoker then you're never likey to get rid of the smell totally. It totally permeates every bit of absorbent surface!

Eventually you get used to it so you think the smell has gone. That is till somebody new gets in the car and says "I didn't know u smoked!"

DB_SamX · 21 Jan 2011 at 22:54

bledd. said:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Car-Pride-Conditioning-Cleaner-Purifier/dp/B0033M64U2

You can find them in pound shops and aldi too

You just set the can to 'on' and leave it in your car with the air con on for 10 mins or so until the can runs out

+1

The previous owner of mine was a smoker. Can't tell anymore now.