How to remove bad smells in the car?
You get in your car one day and your nostrils are assaulted by a bad smell. Once you notice it, you need to get rid of it! There are many things that can cause unpleasant odors; you may notice that your car smells of gasoline, rotten eggs, cigarette smoke, or something else.
Most odors tend to get trapped in the fabric inside. You could start by vacuuming, as this can sometimes be enough to remove odors. If this trick does not work, there are several tricks to get rid of bad smells in the car.
Here are our tips and tricks for removing bad odors and having a car that smells good.
Cigarette smoke can leave a particularly unpleasant odor in the car. Smoke seeps everywhere, including the ductwork for the heater and air conditioner.
To eliminate the smell of cigarettes in a carstart by vacuuming the carpets and the fabric of the seats, then, wash the solid surfaces with a mixture of water and pure white vinegar.
For stubborn odors in a car, fill a jar with white vinegar and place it in one of the cup holders. Leave on for a few hours, ideally overnight.
2. Baking soda for odors in the car
Baking soda is an excellent car air freshener. Simply:
- Generously sprinkle carpets and upholstery with baking soda.
- Leave on for a few hours, or overnight for stubborn odors.
- The next day, all that remains is to vacuum.
It’s a good trick to eliminate the smell of vomit in a car, or the bad smells left by an animal.
3. Deodorize the car with essential oils
To get rid of bad smells in your car, essential oils will be of great help to you.
So to have a good smell in the car, just put a few drops of the essential oil of your choice on cotton balls and place them in your car.
You could also opt for an essential oil diffuser specifically designed for the car, and which you hang on one of the air outlets.
How about some car potpourri? Here is an article that offers several recipes: How to make homemade potpourri?
4. Coffee to get rid of bad smells
Coffee also has deodorizing properties. To eliminate a bad smell in the car, coming from any damage:
- Sprinkle the affected area with ground coffee.
- Leave for a few hours or overnight, and vacuum.
5. For a car that smells good
If your car’s interior is due for a good cleaning and it smells bad:
- Soak a cloth in the juice of a fresh lemon and two drops of laundry soap.
- Run the cloth over all surfaces of the car. This will finally give off a fresh smell of cleanliness.
6. What to do if there is a bad smell in the ventilation?
Do you notice a bad smell when you turn on the heating or air conditioning in your car? This typical smell comes from a bacteria that grows in the ventilation.
So you need a solution that will kill this bacteria, which will also lead to the disappearance of the bad smell.
How do we get there? With a product specifically designed for this purpose! This type of product vaporizes directly in the technical circuit (air conditioning and heating), and cleans the air in addition to eliminating bacteria, fungi, etc.
Also, it would be wise to think about changing the air filter, which is probably the source of the bad smell in your car.
7. Washing powder to remove odors in the car
In order to eliminate bad odors in the car, one can:
- Sprinkle washing powder on the carpets and upholstery of the seats.
- Then, let it act for a few hours before vacuuming.
8. Wipes to deodorize the car
You will find wipes on the market designed to clean car interiors and restore their shine.
These wipes are often scented, which will help remove bad odors from the car.
9. Clay to deodorize the car
Clay has the property of absorbing bad odors, and it will be very practical to eliminate those which invade your car.
To do this, pour it into a small container that you will place in your car. To avoid spills, close the container but make holes in the lid.
10. The big cleaning of the car to eliminate odors
At least twice a year, do a major cleaning of the car to eliminate the sources of bad odors.
Sure, you could have your car cleaned at a car wash, but it’s not that hard to do it yourself. Here’s how:
- Throw away all the rubbish and take out the mats.
- Vacuum everywhere, both on smooth surfaces and on fabrics, without forgetting the gaps between the seat and the backrest.
- Wash all windows and mirrors with glass cleaner.
- To restore shine to the smooth surfaces of your car, rub them with a wipe designed for this purpose.
- If you have a small portable carpet shampooer, you can also use it to deep clean your car. To properly clean carpets and car upholstery, you can choose a liquid soap designed for your device, or opt for an enzymatic cleaner instead. Be sure to follow your shampooer’s instructions carefully.
- If you have rubber mats, wash them under running water, and scrub with a brush and a little liquid soap. Rinse well, and let air dry.
- Clean, with a product designed for this purpose, the technical ducts of the air conditioning and heating. Follow the instructions for this product to be effective and remember to change the air filter.
- Leave doors and windows open for a few hours to allow time for the inside of your car to dry out.
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