New (used) car, cigarette smell, help me!

[Jenova314]

i got a new 1996 accord and the previous owner was a smoker. i tried using turtle wax upholstery cleaner to no avail! anybody have any recommendations that can permanently get rid of the cigarette smell? i've heard about this "Odor Elimination System" (OES) thing but i can't find it for purchase anywhere online nor have i heard any real testimonials.

please help me out!

 

[Redwingsguy]

have you tried Febreeze? Don't get the ones with the perfume in it though! those are nausiateing

 

[BigNeko]

Redwing is right, gave my sis my car, and I smoke like a chimney. She Fabreezed it and Good to go.

 

[kranky]

Yep, Febreze, baby!

 

[The Stigenator]

febreeze will work for the carpets however if teh smoker also turned on teh aircon or something.. you might want to replace the filter for the ventilation system. I had to do that for my mom's car. When we bought it the guy at the dealership the sales guy was disgrunteled (I bargained for a lowerprice and got it) and he smoked in the car, I immediately noticed it (cause i test drove the car before and it wasnt there). I raised hell and got them to take that smell out. God knows what he smoked in there, even after they worked on it for a day I still could smell it. Later I febreezed it and then put some airfreshner in the car. A coupel of months later I got teh air filter changed and it worked.

 

[Pliablemoose]

Multiple methods needed here:

1.) Febreeze
2.) Baking soda (2 boxes with holes punched in the side) placed under the seat
3.) Fabric softner sheets tucked between the tops & bottoms of the seats (where your change falls in)

 

[yakko]

Fabreeze works really good.

 

[tasslex]

Just start smoking, that way you won't notice.

 

[glen]

Fabreeze just soak the car multiple times. It will remove the smell, not cover it up.

 

[Jenova314]

thanks!

i'm gonna try all these methods and hopefully it will work. i'll come back here and complain some more if it doesn't!

btw, i'm not really an auto guru... but would i be able to replace the air filter myself or would i have to pay for somebody to do it? is that something i could buy at the local auto shop specifically for my car?

 

[amnesiac]

I bought an air ionizer for my dad's car and it seemed to help rid the vehicle of the pipe smoke residue. Usually about $50 for one of these gadgets.

 

[Jzero]

I heard ozone generators work wonders. My college chem teacher said he left one running in his car overnight and the smoke smell was completely gone.
I have no idea how much they cost or where to get them.

 

[Thump553]

Also clean every surface on the inside that you can-including the windows and hard surfaces (I used Windex). And also shampoo the upholestry if possible. That smoke gets everywhere.

I got a used car once from a private party once who was so neglectful the windows seemed tinted brown from his cigarette smoke. He got less than half the fair price for the car and (fortunately) I got to it in time before his neglect caused any major mechanical problems.

I had a friend once who was a painting contractor who specialized in post-housefire situations. His customers used to complain about the lingering smoke smell until he hit upon the idea of using a really smelly paint primer first-then no more complaints. Maybe you could do something similar with one of those air fresheners.

 

[SuperTool]

My used Maxima had various cigarette and other smoke smell. Febreezed the whole thing. Ceiling too. Everything cloth/carpet. I have leather Washed the floormats. Left it Febreezed with windows open for a few hours. The smell was gone.

 

[Kntx]

Take it to a detailer and get a carpet shampoo + febreeze

 

[BrunoPuntzJones]

i second the dryer sheets, they work excellent.

 

[amnesiac]

Here's one from Sharper Image

 

[d33pt]

what i did was rip out all the seats and carpet then shampoo the hell out of htem... i mean..spray it down with a hose and throw detergent on it and get down on your knees and scrub ... then i threw baking soda all over the floorboard and left it there for a few days and put everything back together and no more smell... alot of work but well worth it.. i hate cig smoke

 

[gumbysucks]

At work on furnaces to get rid of odors (smoke odors from fuel oil) , We use white vineagar. Just pour out into pan to let evaporate when car is just sitting . Could use a plastic container with lid on when driving.

 

[Slacker]

tasslex, are you an engineer?

 

[bret]

they have new car sents that u can buy for cheap and it is powerful. and you need to clean the windows of the car and the dash and crap like that because that holds the smell also...

 

[Jenova314]

thanks for all your inputs!

lots of you seem to recommend febreze. does that stuff mask the odor, or does it chemically neutralize it?

 

[Jenova314]

one more thing...

i've been looking at the febreze website and there are so many variations of them! i don't know whether to use the auto cleaner, deep clean, or extra strength...