Help! My car reeks of cigarette smoke!

[AshG]

Just bought a lovely 07 plate Mazda 6. Unfortunately, the one previous owner was a smoker and the interior reeks of cigarettes. What can I do to remove the smell? I'm trying Febreze, but this seems to only work for so long. I tried leaving a bowl of white vinegar in the car overnight but again, to little effect. I've also heard some good things about Neutradol carpet powder. Might give that a try.


Alternatively, can anyone here recommend me a good London-based mobile valeting company, preferably one that specialises in odour removal?

Thanks

[Bloosey]

baking soda apprently works, sprinkle it on the areas required leave it for a few hours then hoover it off ......

[UncleRic]

*Viz mode on*

Why waste time and effort trying to remove the smell of stale cigarettes when taking up smoking yourself would be a much simpler solution.

[Bloosey]

Bloosey said:

baking soda apprently works, sprinkle it on the areas required leave it for a few hours then hoover it off ......

obviously test an area first to see what it does the the fabric

[MrLou]

AshG said:

Just bought a lovely 07 plate Mazda 6. Unfortunately, the one previous owner was a smoker and the interior reeks of cigarettes. What can I do to remove the smell?

Petrol.

Apply it to the seats, headlining and carpet and then activate with a match or similar.

Stand well clear once the cleaning process starts.

HTH

[MarsellusWallace]

Any reputable valeter should have a deodourising machine which is placed in the car and left on for an hour or so.It creates a fog which is absorbed by all the fabric surfaces and permanently changes the odour.

[JumboBeef]

AshG said:

What can I do to remove the smell?

You can't: ever.

Sell it and buy another owned by a non-smoker.

[V88Dicky]

The smell (and any staining) will generally be around the headlining above the driver's seat, and the steering wheel.

Concentrate your cleaning attempts around these areas and try some Autoglym upholstery cleaner. Its pretty good stuff.

[liner33]

Shampoo the interior and steam clean the plastics and vents only way

[whitechief]

Can of Neutradol, leave doors and windows shut for a couple of hours.

[Plotloss]

Put a bowl of vinegar inside it when you're going away without the car for a few days/weekend.

Failing that, putting one in every night for a week or so should resolve it.

DO NOT spill it.

[liner33]

whitechief said:

Can of Neutradol, leave doors and windows shut for a couple of hours.

....for the smell to return

The smell is coming from a layer of tar and other deposits left by the smoke the only way to get rid of the smell is to clean all the surfaces anything else will just mask the smell for a short time

[RJDM3]

Just a dam good clean, shampoo all the upholstery, paying attention to the headlining as that where most of the staining and smell will be.

Wont ever smell like a new car again bit wont stink of fags

[marlinmunro]

MrLou said:

AshG said:

Just bought a lovely 07 plate Mazda 6. Unfortunately, the one previous owner was a smoker and the interior reeks of cigarettes. What can I do to remove the smell?

Petrol.

Apply it to the seats, headlining and carpet and then activate with a match or similar.

Stand well clear once the cleaning process starts.

HTH

I really like that

[bazking69]

Time will get rid of the 'smoke smell', but the interior will always have that twang of ex smoker about it regardless of what you use on it.

[Ninjaboy]

liner33 said:

Shampoo the interior and steam clean the plastics and vents only way


This does work, steam cleaners are great.

[road_rager]

Plotloss said:

Put a bowl of vinegar inside it when you're going away without the car for a few days/weekend.

Failing that, putting one in every night for a week or so should resolve it.

DO NOT spill it.

plus one, this does work after cleaning first, I think putting a damp tea towel as well as the vinegar helps too

[thetapeworm]

Everything needs to be cleaned - including the inside of heating pipes, behind dashboard plastics, behind trim, all fabrics... everything.

Then you need to find someone with an ozone generator and deodoriser to get rid of what's left of the stench.

I bought an old Legacy estate from a heavy smoker, the last smoked in car I'll ever bother with, lots of hassle to remove the stench.

It might actually be easier to rip the interior out and fit a full one from another identical car that hasn't been smoked in. Don't forget to clean all the glass too, they might look tinted but that's probably just smoke filth.

[MrLou]

Just. Burn. It.

[Wadeski]

next time smell the car you are buying first?