The smell of cigarette smoke can get into every crevice of a car and give it a potent stale smell that can be very undesirable. The stale smell mostly comes out of the air conditioner panels when the air conditioner is on, but the smell of smoke can invade a car through every interior, especially the upholstery and plastic. Trying to get the smell of smoke out can seem like a daunting task, but there are many tried and true methods that have worked. Some are non mainstream methods that border on bizarre, and others are mainstream methods that many people may already know about. Getting the smoke smell out of a car can be a time-consuming endeavor. It can sometimes take many days or even weeks of trying, but eventually the smoke smell will go away.
Bizarre methods
Baking soda- Pour baking soda under seat bottoms, on top of seats, floor boards, carpets, and back of seats and let it sit for five days. It is important that a person has a second vehicle that they can use while the baking soda airs out the car. After the five days, take the car to a car wash and vacuum out the baking soda. The smell of smoke should be gone for good.
Baked bread- Bake a loaf of bread and immediately put a piece of newly baked bread in the car for a total of twenty four hours. The bread will absorb the odors in the car, including smoke smells.
Eucalyptus- Use four to five fresh eucalyptus sprig leaves over a period of up to three months, changing the leaves every three weeks. The eucalyptus will take the smoke smell out of a car forever.
Simmering onions- Place a crock pot of simmering onions in water in the car for a few hours. Mechanics used this method over forty years ago, and it always worked.
Nature’s Miracle- Nature’s Miracle is a pet odor remover that will remove any smell from homes and cars. Best used with a big bottle and sprayer.
Perky Pucks- This has been tried when all else failed and actually worked. Perky Pucks are porous ceramic like discs that absorb odors in cars and refrigerators. They are reusable forever, and they can be bought at any Home Depot store.
Vinegar- 1/3 cup of vinegar in a cup can be placed in a car over a twenty four hour period to remove smoke odors from a car.
Dryer sheets- Scented dryer sheets can be placed in a car for a few days, and will get out most odors.
Vanilla Extract- Hot water and vanilla extract can be used to sponge down the interior of a car and it will get all odors out.
Charcoal- Placing a piece of charcoal wrapped inside a paper towel inside of the car can help to remove the smell of smoke. Charcoal granules inside of an ashtray can also help.
Mainstream methods:
Odor Ban- Odor Ban can be bought from any Sam’s Club and put in a car for a short period of time.
Nil Odor- Nil Odor is a product sold in stores that can be used for car smells.
Replace cooling and heating system filters- The filters for the heating and cooling system can be replaced which may get out smoke odors from a car.
Febreeze- Febreeze can be sprayed down in a car over the seats, carpets, and dashboards of a car and then be left to dry.
Lysol- Diluted Lysol substances can be used, such as Mr. Clean disinfectants.
Foggers- Foggers emit chemicals into the air of a car that helps to kill bacteria. The foggers have chemicals that can kill any type of odor.
Ozone Machine- An Ozone Machine does not have any chemicals in them. They are used to purify the air inside of a car by using oxygen.
Vapor Steamer Machines- These machines can clean and deodorize the inside surfaces of a car that will leave it dry and chemical free.
Labor intensive cleaning and detail- A labor intensive detail and cleaning that will have to be done more than one time can help to remove all contaminants from a car. The cleaning tools involved in this are a q-tip swabs, tooth brush, fingernail scrubbers, nylon scrubbers for pots, magic erasers, upholstery shampoos, and a vacuum.