# Terrible smoker.. smelly interior



## [email protected] (Dec 21, 2008)

As the title says, a good friend of mine just bought a new car from a chronic smoker. The interior reeks of cigarettes. What would be the best method, besides an ozone machine, to clean the interior and remove as much of the smell as possible?


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## citizenal (Nov 5, 2008)

I would use an enzyme odor eater. 
http://www.elitecarcare.co.uk/product_info.php?manufacturers_id=52&products_id=527


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## [email protected] (Dec 21, 2008)

Equivalent for the states?


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## citizenal (Nov 5, 2008)

I believe rugdoctor makes something that is an odor elimator. Just make sure it has enzymes. I live in the states, but get alot of product from the uk.


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## reign (Oct 6, 2008)

a good, deep interior shampoo and extraction with a citrus cleaner will do the job nicely. Don't forget the roof lining! Making sure to treat all plastics/interior vinyls with some strong apc will also help shift the odors. Remember to get as far into the air vents as you can, as cigarette smoke has the pesky habit of worming into every crevice and clinging like mad.


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## zachtdi (Jan 11, 2009)

i have just bought a car and have the same probelem, i have been using oust and frebreeze and nothing is shifting it, will look into an enzyme cleaner then


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## -ROM- (Feb 23, 2007)

you can do as much scrubbing, extracting and shampooing as you like, but with out a fog machine you will never completely get rid of i as it gets in places you just can't get to.


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## mccalia1 (Mar 1, 2008)

I removed the smoke smell by:

1.Thorough hoover
2.A/C Deodoriser, basically a small canister set in the footwell and AC left on recirculate.
3.Light APC spray on headlining and interior trim and wiped over with damp microfibre
4.APC on interior carpets, agitated and then Wet Vac'ed
5.Wet Vac'ed again but this time with a Autobrite flavoured Carpet Deodoriser
6.Cleaned and conditioned leather with Raceglaze Cleaner and Conditioner. 

The car was owned by an occasional smoker, so it wasn't that bad compared to some.


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## reign (Oct 6, 2008)

rmorgan84 said:


> you can do as much scrubbing, extracting and shampooing as you like, but with out a fog machine you will never completely get rid of i as it gets in places you just can't get to.


hey Morgan! long time no postings!! how are ya??

thought the smoke machine would only cover temporarily?
to really remove the smell, you have to extract all the ingrained smoke from the fabric... and that would require a deep shampoo....


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## -ROM- (Feb 23, 2007)

reign said:


> hey Morgan! long time no postings!! how are ya??
> 
> thought the smoke machine would only cover temporarily?
> to really remove the smell, you have to extract all the ingrained smoke from the fabric... and that would require a deep shampoo....


i'm good thanks.

autosmart do a machine and odour eliminator which is supposed to be the dogs thingy madgic it breaks odours down.

The problem with extracting is that you cant get to places like the plastics under the dash, the underside of the seats etc and without addressing these areas you'll never completely remove the smell.


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## PETER @ ECLIPSE (Apr 19, 2006)

tough one this guys , you imagine years of heavy smoking all the plastic pipework in the heater system will have a coat of nicotene on it , will a fogger get it out i doubt it , all it might do is mask it for a bit .
if it was my car id take out everything thats possible clean it and put it back , but saying that probably wouldnt of bought it in the first place , just do what you can damage limitation unfirtunately


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## Avanti (Jan 17, 2006)

[email protected] said:


> As the title says, a good friend of mine just bought a new car from a chronic smoker. The interior reeks of cigarettes. What would be the best method, besides an ozone machine, to clean the interior and remove as much of the smell as possible?


Was the interior like these?










or










both were steam cleaned vac'd and low cost upholstery cleaner and you can rest assured, afterwards the cars were boasting a fresh interior










and










:thumb:


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## dominic84 (Jan 27, 2007)

It's a nightmare and to be honest it's very very hard to remove the smell of smoke even with an Aromatek which I've used in the past but the problem is as rmorgan84 pointed out that ash will get into places like the steering column or behind the door panels and you really need to remove this hidden ash or the smell will keep coming back.


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## drive 'n' shine (Apr 22, 2006)

rmorgan84 said:


> i'm good thanks.
> 
> autosmart do a machine and odour eliminator which is supposed to be the dogs thingy madgic it breaks odours down.


No, it just does a better job of masking the smell than a fogger (I have both) as others have said you really need to get behind door cards and the steeing column surround, and thoroughly clean the headlining as these will be the areas most heavily effected by smoking

Nice turn around on those 2 Avanti :thumb: Glad I don't get minging interiors like that to do anymore!


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## Avanti (Jan 17, 2006)

drive 'n' shine said:


> No, it just does a better job of masking the smell than a fogger (I have both) as others have said you really need to get behind door cards and the steeing column surround, and thoroughly clean the headlining as these will be the areas most heavily effected by smoking
> 
> Nice turn around on those 2 Avanti :thumb: Glad I don't get minging interiors like that to do anymore!


Would you believe both cars are owned by the same person? !! I do enjoy doing heavy cleans like those though inside and out, roll on the warmer weather :thumb:


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## WHIZZER (Oct 25, 2005)

Steaming helps a lot , but you need to steam everywhere .... Also an A/C cleaner will help and remove the ACfilters and change to new ones ..

You need to get in under the dash and also check the door cards .... 

And keeping the windows open if possible overnight for a few weeks will allow fresh air to get in


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## Timmo (Mar 21, 2006)

the only real way to do it is basically a full strip down of the car including all trim pannels, the smoke from a heavy smoker will layer on the panels inside and out and whilst the aromatek with the anti bac cartridge will remove the majority it wont get the film off the insde of the panels, 
head lining is often forgotten but contains a lot of the fumes, 

its not a ten minute job to fully remove the smell but if its really bad and effecting you then time to start stripping the car down!


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## ryanuk (Jun 22, 2007)

rmorgan84 said:


> you can do as much scrubbing, extracting and shampooing as you like, but with out a fog machine you will never completely get rid of i as it gets in places you just can't get to.


how much this the machine and were do you get them from?


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## Timmo (Mar 21, 2006)

an aromatek will set you back £200-250ish through your ASrep, but they do pop up on ebay every now and again for a fair price, 
the Fogger machines can be had for £50 ish but are not the same as the aromateks!


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## Colin Hall (Dec 17, 2008)

Furniture Clinic have an Odour Remover which will effectively remove odours from leather, wood, plastic and other materials. The trouble with prolonged exposure to smoke is that the smoke can become imbedded within the seat padding and other unseen and hard to reach places. This makes eliminating the smell rather difficult.


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## tonz (Sep 21, 2008)

I am a smoker , but don't smoke in the car . 

When I have smoked in past cars I don't use the ashtray , makes the car smell worse


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