# Eliminating a mild cigar smell



## mattjk88 (Dec 7, 2007)

Since taking ownership of my new-ish car its had mild smell of cigars in the cabin. (i know cigarillos as i found some rolling papers in the wheel well of all places!)

I went to town on it last week, cleaned the leather seats with gliptone gentle cleaner and nail brush, cleaned everything else with AG interior shampoo - went over the headlining several times with a MF cloth, did the windows with AG glass polish. The most dirt by far was on the seat belts where loads of grot came out & while it smelt perfect on the first day a few days has passed and the smell has come back lol! The only thing i didn't go over was the parcel shelf so will do that Sunday too.

Plan for next time is to go over everything again with a scrubbing brush - i also have a couple of air con cleaner things just incase some of the smell is coming from the ventilation system.

Any particular products or areas i should be focusing on please let me know. I like a challenge though so might just be a case of persistence, i was also thinking of a steam cleaner maybe?


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## Summit Detailing (Oct 9, 2006)

Sounds like you need an Odor Rescue kit:thumb:


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## Vossman (Aug 5, 2010)

You will find that the smell is in the vents and in the carpet, very hard to get rid of but Odour Rescue or a similar one will help.


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## Elliott19864 (May 11, 2008)

I had a similar problem with my previous car, and have the same problem with my current car!

First time it eventually went using a dakota odour bomb air freshner, so using this again.

I just spray some in everytime I hoover the inside, but you can also let the whole can off in one go if need be.


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## Wilco (Apr 22, 2010)

Summit Detailing said:


> Sounds like you need an Odor Rescue kit:thumb:


Any ideas where to get one these days? Been looking for a while now with no success.


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## Sanke (Aug 21, 2014)

If the car has a pollen filter, change that as chances are if it's been on recirc the smell is hiding there. 

Steve


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## mattjk88 (Dec 7, 2007)

Thanks guys, ill look into those Odour rescue kits however they don't seem to be in stock anywhere!

I think the majority is coming from the ventilation system tbh as it smells most when putting the heater on max.

Will go over everything again with gliptone/AG interior cleaner and run these Normfest AC cleaners through and see what happens!


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## C-Max (Oct 1, 2015)

Valet Pro odour eater is very good. Dilute as per the bottle info.


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## AllenF (Aug 20, 2012)

Get a dog and put that in there


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## SLK Polisher (Oct 14, 2014)

AllenF said:


> Get a dog and put that in there


LMAO :lol::lol::lol:


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## great gonzo (Nov 4, 2010)

As mentioned you need to change the cabin filter. 

Gonz.


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## Summit Detailing (Oct 9, 2006)

Wilco said:


> Any ideas where to get one these days? Been looking for a while now with no success.


Word has it that C&S will be getting some stock in at some point:thumb:


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## mattjk88 (Dec 7, 2007)

C&S is that clean and shiny? I will order one when they are then.

Pollen filter has already been changed but its irrelevant anyway as it isn't used when the blower is set to recirculate.


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## Summit Detailing (Oct 9, 2006)

mattjk88 said:


> C&S is that clean and shiny?


Correct:thumb:


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## shabba (Sep 28, 2008)

Had the same (but worse) experience with my car. 
Did the following:
- changed the cabin filter,
- wet vac the carpets,
- ozoned the car (neutralizes instead of covering the smell) (Wynn's Airco Cleaner)


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## Wolfstein (Jan 18, 2011)

Check out these threads

http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=369601

http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=368833

Should be available from retailers next year but you could always ask Florian himself if he'd be kind enough to send you a sample...


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## mattjk88 (Dec 7, 2007)

I wouldn't mind giving it some ozone love but the machines aren't cheap!


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## WY1 (Dec 3, 2015)

Get that pollen filter changed! forget the normfest AC cleaner.. You want an odour bomb and use it whilst you have the pollen filter removed. That will definitely help.

If the stale smoke smell still lingers, then have the interior vet vac'd


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## nick9one1 (Dec 28, 2010)

I've had a couple of cars in the past that had a cigarette smell, and an A3 that was really really bad. 

I tried odour neutralisers/odour bomb and the Odour rescue kit back when it was more easily available. None of them worked that well.

The best solution I found was to rent a Rug Doctor from the nearest Tesco, B&Q etc. I think they're about £20-£25, so pretty much the same price as the odour rescue kit. 

To do it properly you need to take out the front seats to get to all the carpet. 
then use the handheld tool, spray detergent over half the carpet, use a scrubbing brush to work it in and leave it for 10 mins before vacuuming. While you're waiting do the other side. 
Go over everything a couple of times if you can. 

I even did the headlining on my cars. they are usually fabric so will hold the odour as well. 

You don't need the (expensive) branded RugDoctor detergent, any will do. A biological clothes detergent like Ariel Liquid with Febreze works well. You could even throw something else in there that is specifically for cigarette smoke. 
If the seats are fabric you will need to do these too. 

The seats will dry out quicker if you take them in the house, and one or two moisture traps from the pound shop speed up the carpets drying.

You'll be amazed at the colour of the water when you empty it! 

As an added bonus you can clean the house carpets, the missus will love you for it ;-)

(Pollen filter is a good idea too)


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## Chris221273 (Aug 16, 2015)

mattjk88 said:


> C&S is that clean and shiny? I will order one when they are then.
> 
> Pollen filter has already been changed but its irrelevant anyway as it isn't used when the blower is set to recirculate.


Buy a foggit machine on eBay.
£60 with 3 bottles of different fragrances.
Fills the whole car with a fog which eliminates all odours and bacteria etc.
All my customers love the end results, plus like seeing their car full of fog to


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## nick_mcuk (Jan 4, 2008)

I use one of these in the wifes old Saab....worked a treat and once done there simply was no smell of stale smoke ever again...

http://www.cleanandshiny.co.uk/interior/air-fresheners/dakota-odor-bomb-5oz


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## mattjk88 (Dec 7, 2007)

Thanks all for your suggestions. The fogger system looks interesting!

On Sunday 

Went over all the hard surfaces with AG interior shampoo and water.
Went over parcel shelf.
Scrubbed all leatherette with Gliptone GT12
Removed seats, thoroughly vacuumed everything wiped under the seats and anywhere i could reach!
Washed cat mats in washing machine with oxiclean
Ran x2 NormFest cleaners through the blower system.

Got to be honest cant really notice anything anymore at least for now!


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## nick_mcuk (Jan 4, 2008)

G60 said:


> Hahahaha :lol:
> 
> The odor can style foggers do work well I used them before, but not sure on longevity if the smells creep back


Well 6-8 months after letting the one off in the Wife's 93 and the stale *** smoke smell was still gone.


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## GC#65 (Nov 8, 2014)

In my experience, Carpro S02Pure eliminates pretty much anything.
Quick spray every month or so, pretty straightforward.
The only downside to it is if you spray air fresheners etc, it kills the scent.


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## WHIZZER (Oct 25, 2005)

Airtune System would be a good choice - Its a fogger but Aircon Cleaner as well so this would be a good choice


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## mattjk88 (Dec 7, 2007)

Massive array of options there thanks guys. Still a tiny whiff left in the car even after 2 deep cleans dammit lol. May try one of those cheap eBay ozone generators in the car overnight. rather prefer that over a chemical product.


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## ninja250r (Jun 3, 2015)

A lot of people forget the roof lining. Did you clean that as well?


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## mattjk88 (Dec 7, 2007)

Yar, went over it several times with Autoglym interior shampoo and a MF.

Ps, that stuff works really well on all surfaces in the car (diluted 50%)


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## AllenF (Aug 20, 2012)

Wee in the boot and stick a lump of dog poo under seat.
Grade cheese into the heater matrix and just for good measure pull the headrests out and fill the holes up with fresh anchovies


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## mattjk88 (Dec 7, 2007)

Righty hoe champ


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## nick9one1 (Dec 28, 2010)

G60 said:


> Sounds good.. will recommend one to my friend, her car was cleaned properly and I shampooed the seat and carpets
> 
> But now after 2 months its creeping back, but I think its gets into the headlining and plastics :wall:


Try the rug doctor carpet cleaner. £20 to hire, and use normal laundry detergent.

The way I look at it is.. if you had smelly/smoky clothes, you wouldn't think of letting off an odour bomb in your wardrobe. You'd just throw them in the wash and clean them properly.

So do the same to your car upholstery with a proper carpet wash


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## mattjk88 (Dec 7, 2007)

i actually think the smell sticks on hard surfaces worse - steering wheel, start button and surrounding are - gear shifter etc..


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## nick9one1 (Dec 28, 2010)

mattjk88 said:


> i actually think the smell sticks on hard surfaces worse - steering wheel, start button and surrounding are - gear shifter etc..


If thats the case it should be really easy to get rid of it. Just clean everything with a damp cloth and some kind of kitchen surface spray. Rinsing the cloth out as you go.

Personally I think the fabric seats and carpet capture and hold on to the smell much more.


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## nick_mcuk (Jan 4, 2008)

mattjk88 said:


> i actually think the smell sticks on hard surfaces worse - steering wheel, start button and surrounding are - gear shifter etc..


Nope it gets into the fabrics and foams and air vents it's the upholstery that holds the stink.....trust me done enough skanky smokers cars before to know.


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## mattjk88 (Dec 7, 2007)

Fair enough, i only have a very limited experience


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## magpieV6 (Jul 29, 2008)

Have you tried bicarbonate of soda?


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