Cleaning an ex-smokers car

[ThunderSpook]

Both of my parents-in-law has recently given up smoking having smoked their entire lives. They own 3 cars, a Mk3, Mk4 and Mk6 Golf. The later car isn't a problem as they've never smoked in it, but the other two have been smoked in probably since they were new, often with the windows closed.

Now I'm guessing that removing the smoke smell would aid in the quitting process, but how would you go about cleaning a car that had been smoked in for so long?

[Super Slo Mo]

Wet and dry vacuum type cleaner really. Even the headlining will need doing. You'll also be amazed at the amount and colour of the stuff that comes out of the fabrics.

[Rovinghawk]

I had a caravan (I know- flame me!) with a similar problem. The only answer was scrubbing again & again followed by lots of air freshener. Sorry there's no short cuts.

RH

[QuackHandle]

Probably best to just take them to a good valeting company. Also, I can't understand how people can smoke in the car with the windows closed

[edo]

Prof valet, vax carpets, steam clean etc.

I'm also told that oranges etc, cut in half and left in the car will absorb lots of smells.

I would avoid air fresheners and magic trees - too sickly!

[QuackHandle]

edo said:

Prof valet, vax carpets, steam clean etc.

I'm also told that oranges etc, cut in half and left in the car will absorb lots of smells.

I would avoid air fresheners and magic trees - too sickly!

Vinegar also, I think.

[shoestring7]

IME you never will. You can spend hours cleaning and a fortune on products, yet come back to the car after a couple of hours on a sunny day and it will still smell like an ashtray.

I had a BMW tourer that I bought when sleep deprived (kids, eh?) not realised the chemically smell wasn't just the result of a valetting job but an industrial sized effort to mask the stink of a smoker's car. No matter what I did, it still smelled of nocotine.

Perhaps you can get a whole new interior on ebay...

SS7

[Rabbo]

Check these out:

http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/forum/showthread.p...

http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/forum/showthread.p...

[TomJS]

Bin the ashtray, and then a lot of hoovering/washing including all plastic surfaces.

[KenBlocksPants]

shoestring7 said:

IME you never will. You can spend hours cleaning and a fortune on products, yet come back to the car after a couple of hours on a sunny day and it will still smell like an ashtray.

I had a BMW tourer that I bought when sleep deprived (kids, eh?) not realised the chemically smell wasn't just the result of a valetting job but an industrial sized effort to mask the stink of a smoker's car. No matter what I did, it still smelled of nocotine.

Perhaps you can get a whole new interior on ebay...

SS7

+1 you'll never get rid of it properly.

New interior is the most effective, but probably drastic, option other than cleaning for litterally days on end

[thetapeworm]

The main issue is cleaning behind dash panels, trim, under things you wouldn't normally see - the nature of stinky smoke means it gets to places your eyes can't see and your fingers can't touch until you start removing bits.

You can hire an ozone generator or get a valet chap with one to give the car some attention, these are supposed to remove the smell in places you can't get to rather than just masking them on a temporary basis.

http://www.brandontoolhire.co.uk/directory/prodvie...

[Jay12329]

When i was last buying a used car the stealer had one that stank of smoke, the salesman said they had a company that comes in put some sort of cleaning bomb in it and after 30mins you can't tell its ever had a smoker in it... I left and got a non smoked in car from somewhere else.
But maybe contact your local used dealers and see how they deal with this issue?

Hth
J

[ukzz4iroc]

Just start smoking

[ThunderSpook]

Thanks for the ideas

[ChasW]

Before selling it I recently had to valet my sister's 10 year car in which she had smoked. In her defence she always had the sunroof open while smoking so that must have helped. In any event I vaxed the upholstery, thick velour, and gave the carpets a really good vacuum. Vaxed the floor mats and cleaned all the glass. That got rid of most of the smell. I also had to remove hairpsray residue from the headrest. That took ages and only came off with meths in the end. By the time I had finished there was no discernable smoke odour. I think the combination of chemicals must have neutralised the tobacco smell. Couldn't do much with the burn marks though! The buyer, a smoker!, insisted on viewing the car at night and did not see the burns.

[Ozzie Osmond]

QuackHandle said:

Probably best to just take them to a good valeting company.

£100 well spent I expect. But check out their ability to do a proper "wet" job before you say yes. No point getting the car back clean but still with a longterm stink.