Smoke Smell

Updated on June 05, 2010
P.L. asks from Albuquerque, NM
27 answers

Does anyone know of a way to get the smell of smoke out of a car. I ask this because my husband is a police officer and the car he got smells of smoke and he does not smoke.

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P.G.

answers from Phoenix on

Ozium. It's awesome stuff. I use it all of the time. I am a smoker and no one can tell when they get in my car that I smoke in it all the time. I also use it as a body spray after going out on a break for a smoke. Good luck.

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E.M.

answers from Phoenix on

We had an apartment once...with bad smoke smell. The management gave us a bomb thing called "Fire-D" It smelled kinda candy like afterward..but better than smoke.

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T.B.

answers from Albuquerque on

My daughter was a heavy smoker and she asked us to sell her car. The thing that I found that worked was a bottle of Febreeze. It took the smell out and it never came back. Hope this helps.

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J.C.

answers from Phoenix on

We purchased OdorZout at Walgreen's and put it in a shallow dish. We then put that under the seat of the car for about a week and it seemed to work. We made sure to leave the windows cracked at all times to help get the smoke smell out.(An employee decided to smoke in our work truck) We also did this for a second hand china cabinet that was given to us. We just put a few dishes inside the cabinets and in the drawers and the smell was gone within a week.

The Queen of Clean also has some other suggestions, but this was the first one that we tried and it worked. I believe that another one was to cut up apples and leave them in the car-but in the summer here we just didn't think that it would end up smelling very good after only a few hours in the car:( I know that she has a website and you can search for solutions. Good luck.

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J.P.

answers from Phoenix on

There is a product at the pet store called "odors out". It comes in granule form. I put some stuffed animals that had the smoke smell from my mom's house and it worked. You could fill some sachets (like the ones they sell in Michaels for candy favors) and put those around the car in hidden areas. The "queen of clean" recommends that stuff all the time on the radio. Hope it helps!

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J.K.

answers from Phoenix on

The only thing that got the smoke smell out of my hubby's work truck after having it totally detailed and shampooed and it still smelled was having the head-liner cleaned...I think they steam cleaned it??? Can't remember how they did it but he took it in to have it cleaned...

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K.R.

answers from Phoenix on

Hello, try this. Get Fabreez and spray down the interior. Let set with windows down or cracked open overnite. Then hit the local automotive store and get some air fresheners. At least two and stick them under the seats. This work for two of my vehicles.

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K.N.

answers from Las Cruces on

Dilute some vanilla extract in a spray bottle and spray down the surfaces. Seems like Febreeze also works pretty well the same way.

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M.P.

answers from Phoenix on

first of all clean any places that is vinyl,etc with regular detergent and vacuum the carpet really really good. when every thing is dry spray the carpet or cloth areas with febreeze. use heavily and I would say do this when the sun is going down and the car is not in the direct sunlight. also make sure the windows are cleaned too and make sure you use vinegar in this water.

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S.R.

answers from Albuquerque on

We use "Oust" which is a non-deodorant kind of spray that takes the scent out of things. They sell it at Wal-Mart (etc) in the bathroom sprays & cleaning supplies area. When my husband sold cars, they had a spray called "New car smell" but I don't know if you can buy it at dealers or Autozone/Checkers kinds of places or not. Good luck! I am a non-smoker and my husband is a smoker again. DISGUSTING! smells!

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S.D.

answers from Phoenix on

I would check out the Queen of Clean books. I'm pretty sure she has some home remedies for that.

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J.F.

answers from Tucson on

Got this from ask yahoo... hope it helps

Commercial air fresheners only mask odors with an artificial scent and don't provide a long-term solution. Instead, try to prevent and neutralize odors. One of the most effective ways to deal with the smell of cigarette smoke is to air out the room for a short time every day. This will also help prevent new odors from building up. To neutralize the smoke smell, place saucers of white vinegar around the room and near affected furniture. Charcoal or baking powder has a similar effect. Leave it in the room overnight or for several days, preferably with the room closed off. Then thoroughly air out the room again.

To remove the smell from fabrics, such as furniture upholstery, sprinkle the fabric with baking soda. Leave it for a few hours, and then vacuum it off. If you're concerned about baking soda messing up your fine materials, test it first in an inconspicuous area of the fabric. Upholstery shampoo, either a commercial brand or a one you make yourself using liquid dish or laundry detergent and warm water, can also help remove smells from furniture. Be careful that you don't get the furniture too wet while you're cleaning it, and speed the drying by keeping windows open and using a fan. Don't forget the carpets. These can suck up smells too. Sprinkle the carpet with a mixture of 1 cup Borax and 2 cups cornmeal, wait an hour, and then vacuum.

If the odor has really sunk in and these tricks don't help, you'll need to wash all the surfaces of the room thoroughly. Smoke can leave a residue that causes the smell to linger, so you need to wash it away. For painted walls and ceilings, try a solution of 1 gallon of warm water, 1/2 cup plain ammonia, 1/4 cup white vinegar, and 1/4 cup washing soda (which can be found in the laundry additives area of supermarkets). Refresh this solution frequently while washing, and you won't need to rinse. Start at the bottom of a wall and work your way up. How you clean wallpaper will depend on the specific type of paper. Newer vinyl papers can be washed with water, but older papers may be more delicate.

If you have machine-washable curtains or other fabrics in the room, try washing them with heavy-duty, phosphate-based detergent plus 1 cup water conditioner and 1/2 cup bleach. Other fabrics may need to be professionally cleaned.

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S.O.

answers from Albuquerque on

Ok but i need something that takes the smell away from you. Like something that works as soon you put it on you. I need this because i smoke in school (bording school) and is a non smoke school and i dont want to get caught.

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J.H.

answers from Phoenix on

There is a product called Odorzout. The "Queen of Clean" talks about it all the time. You just put some in a dish and leave it in the car. It absorbs the smokey smell. Keep repeating until the smell is gone. With cigarets it might take some time. Hope this helps.

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G.D.

answers from Flagstaff on

have you tried febreeze?

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L.S.

answers from Phoenix on

The Queen of Clean always suggests Odor's Out..... She said you can get it from any "Pet Care" store. Not sure that it works, but she swears by it.

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M.S.

answers from Albuquerque on

My husband investigates fires and he comes home smelling strongly of fire smoke. I have found OdoBan at Sam's club. It kills germs and removes odors. It comes as a concentrate bottle that you can mix and use throughout the house and in the washing machine, but it also comes with a handy spray bottle which you can use to clean and disinfect or spray onto fabrics like febreeze. I like this because you can use it on pretty mnuch every surface. I think it would be perfect for his unit.

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J.J.

answers from Tucson on

febreze works wonders.

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D.C.

answers from Raleigh on

Some others have already said this, but OdorzOut. The Queen of Clean recommended it and it is awesome! You can sprinkle it right on the floorboards, then vacuum after 24 hours... also put a shallow dish of the crystals and leave for 24 hours. Keep repeating until the smell is gone. I think we bought ours at Walmart.

Check out her website...

http://www.queenofclean.com/soa.php

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J.B.

answers from Phoenix on

Hi P., I just wanted to add that I would use any of the other natural suggestions before resorting to using chemical sprays like Fabreeze and Oust. Masking one chemical smell with another just doesn't make sense to me! Good luck!

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M.R.

answers from Flagstaff on

Best things is steam cleaning. If you do not want to pay for a detail cleaning job at a car wash I would suggest investing in a compact steam cleaner. When you are done using it on your car you can use it everywhere in the house to clean.
In the meantime, you can freshen up your car with laundry dryer sheets...like Bounce. I use this stuff everywhere to keep things fresh. For smelly jobs I use the Bounce sheets numbered 8...mainly because that is the highest scent I can find at my local store.
I put one sheet under my seats in our Yukon and it does a great job. Put one in the ashtray and that'll help.
The sheets can also be used for dishes with caked on food.
Soak your dirty pan overnight with one sheet floating inside and it absorbs all that food..it's like magic.

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J.F.

answers from Phoenix on

Try putting some coffee beans in panty hose and putting under the seat. Also you can try charcoal briquets and do the same. It's amazing how fast the odors get absorbed. This is also a great idea if you're moving. Put on of each in a closed fridge or freezer to prevent smells and mildew from accumulating. We've moved several times and it works great.
J. F.

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S.V.

answers from Albuquerque on

When my mother quit smoking, the smell in the car made it very difficult to control her cravings. I used a carpet shampoo on the seats and the fabric overhead. Be careful when doing this. If he has leather seats, this may not work. Honestly anything you can clean, do because its everywhere. Febreze works like magic, so I would follow up on the cleaning with a healthy dose of Febreze a couple of days in a row. The remnents of cigarette smoke get in every crack and crevice so any part you can get to, I would clean it. Nothing special, just whatever is safe for the surface you are cleaning.

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K.E.

answers from Phoenix on

Did you try Febreeze?

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C.P.

answers from Phoenix on

Try Febreze! It is amazing it really does get any odor out!

T.C.

answers from Albuquerque on

Hi P.,
We use white vinegar in a spray bottle. My FIL is, literally, a chimney. We've found it also gets into the car's air filter, so that may have to be changed too.

Good luck!
T

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K.U.

answers from Phoenix on

A friend told me this and it really works. Peel an orange or lemon and put the peelings all over the car over night. The peels will absorb the odor.

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