How do I get smoke smell out?

[71T Targa]

I am borrowing a car while mine is in the shop, and it reeks of smoke. Are there any solutions? I don't want to mask the smell with something else, I want to get rid of it for good.

[Rick Lee]

If you're borrowing it, why are trying to get rid of it for good? I smoke in my cars and they all still smell like the day they were new. As long as you don't use the ashtray and keep the windows open, the car should never smell like smoke. I even smoke in my lady's car now and then and she has never noticed it.

[stomachmonkey]

Tough one.

Shampoo all carpets, headliner etc.

Try ATMOSCLEAR. Dealers use it for this purpose. Can be found in hardware stores.

Put cups of baking soda in the cup holders and or activated charcoal.

[71T Targa]

I am borrowing the car from my niece, and she doesn't smoke either. It's been this way since she got it, and bugs her too. As I'm not paying anything to use the car, I thought I could at least take care of some of the things that have been lingering. This is one of them, the power drivers seat is another, but I haven't started digging in to that yet.

[RickM]

That's a tough one. Nicotine builds up like wax and is hard to remove.

Short of a professional cleaning you may try a product like Meguires Car Odor Eliminator. Claims to remove strong smoke smell. I've used it for a light mildew build up on one of my stored vehicles after a cleanup and it seemed to work well.

[Rick Lee]

Best smelling stuff I've come across is Wurth's Cockpit Cleaner.

[legion]

Clean the inside of the windows, shampoo the upholstery (lots of gas stations have these). Don't forget the cloth headliner. Sprinkle baking soda over the ulpholstery, let it sit overnight, and vacuum up in the morning.

[Tishabet]

Clean it with soap and water on all hard surfaces, consider shampooing everything else.
Then put 4-5 dryer sheets under each seat and park it in the sun for a day.

This is the technique I use for my 944 (I smoke cigars in the car regularly...maybe 2-3 a week) and you would never know it.

[M.D. Holloway]

Febreze fabric sheets - works when I come back from oil refineries and rendering plants!

[Scott R]

When I was a wrench for Cadillac I would see heavily smoked in cars come in all the time, the detailers would try everything, and you could still tell. Short of pulling all of the duct work out and scrubbing it, it will be there forever. You then of course also have to deal with the gauge faces, they will varnish over in time and have to be dissembled. You then still have to either toss the upholstery or attempt to clean it, best thing to do is to never buy a car that's been smoked in.

[cstreit]

Take up smoking yourself, then you'll never notice it.

[71T Targa]

Thanks, Keep em coming.

[Dottore]

Don't know - but I bought an ex-smokers car once and called around to a few auto detail shops. They get the smoke out all the time for the used-auto trade - and sure enough they worked their magic on my car. Smelled like whore's handbag afterward - but no trace of the smoke.

[scottmandue]

Originally Posted by Dottore

Smelled like whore's handbag afterward - but no trace of the smoke.

That is beautiful man...

[Mule]

Get or borrow an Alpine Air machine. Put it inside. Close the windows & turn it on high for a day. You'll never smell smoke again.

[71T Targa]

Originally Posted by Mule

Get or borrow an Alpine Air machine. Put it inside. Close the windows & turn it on high for a day. You'll never smell smoke again.

But will it smell like whore's handbag?

[72doug2,2S]

Empty the ashtray!

[cstreit]

Originally Posted by Dottore

Smelled like whore's handbag afterward - but no trace of the smoke.

Better than smelling like their, umm...coinpurse..

[Mule]

Originally Posted by phred68

But will it smell like whore's handbag?

Not any I ever smelled!

[rouxroux]

I remember a product my Dad used in airplanes back in the 60's called "Nilodor". That stuff would get the stink out of anything!


smoke, eh? Dude, you need some BIG incense sticks!