removing cigarette smell

[GypsyDogs]

I did a quick search for 'cigarette smell' 'remove smoke' 'remove cigarette' 'owner smoked' and got nothing.

How about a thread about how to get cigarette smell out of a vehicle? Sometimes you find the Perfect one.. mechanically sound, good price, features you want/need.. except for the disgusting smell...

What are some ways to Remove, not just paint over it with air freshener, the lingering smell..?

Vacuum the surfaces, clean (not just jump) the ashtray/s, pull cabin air filter and change that.. and, clean as much of the ductwork as you can, steam clean carpets-seats-seatbelts-other surfaces, wipe down All surfaces you can reach including windows, rinse, repeat.

Then pack the thing full of dryer sheets and leave it in the sun for about 6 months.. <jk>

But seriously- anything else?
Anyone find products that actually Work?

 

[rvpopeye]

Foaming upholstery cleaner ? Spray on and vac off ....

 

[GypsyDogs]

Need to get a lot deeper than that.. The smell gets into everything.. I am planning on pulling the dash to clean behind it and get at the vents...
Also on the list- look into renting a professional grade Ozone generator for a day.. and just let it run... Apparently that is what dealerships/hotels do...

 

[gargoyle]

I wont buy a vehicle that's been abused by a two or three pack a day smoker. Often you will see them riding down the road with the windows "tinted' by the nicotine. I always think "what do their lungs look like?"

The seat cushions, carpet and sound-deadening under the carpet are also saturated with stink. Headliner too.
You can try to clean and deodorize and air it out? But there will always be a lingering smell.
I worked for a steam cleaner, we had a huge hypodermic needle that we would inject a odor neutralizer into the cushions. It helped some, but the cig-smell would eventually return.
I was gifted a couch that was in a smokers home. I steam cleaned, deodorized, injected, perfumed that couch for a two-month span in an attempt to squelch the stink. NOPE! Off to the dumpster it went. Sometimes there is no fix.

Arm and Hammer baking soda, a few boxes under the seats. Replace weekly for a month or two?
Lay them on the wide side, cut a slit, and fold the box open to expose a larger surface area. Remove carefully. Repeat.
Hang a few dozen air fresheners?

Fabreeze the whole interior?

Strip the interior completely and power wash it out?

Buy a clean vehicle?

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

No personal experience dealing with this.  This article seems to know what it's talking about:

http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/ho...6-tips-for-removing-smoke-odor-from-your-home

I would think the headliner would be the biggest problem.  The smoke would rise and get trapped in it.  Be hard to treat with vinegar or baking soda.  Maybe a special product like this?

https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_...=2FJFTY6Z52S7B&rh=i:aps,k:smoke+remover+spray

 

[GypsyDogs]

I actually have a small carpet shampooer- hand-vac style.. and would get Maguires APC and 'wash' the headliner carefully.. and the walls, and door panels, and seats, and seatbelts, and carpet, and and...

 

[GypsyDogs]

Maybe we need a 'Cleaning' topic under 'Life on the Road'
Where we can discuss products that work well for certain applications.. inside and outside the van.. "how to get motor oil out of your hair" and such.. lol

I cannot be the only one struggling with smoker smell - or someone didn't tighten the quart of oil, and now it is in the carpet - or something died in here? - or road tar spatters on paint - or successfully killing mildew - or....

Just sayin'

 

[deadwood]

Ozone. It will neutralize the cigarette smell pretty well. I think home depot rents a small ozone machine in there tool rental section. You basically just plug it in and let it run. The ozone will get into every place that the smoke can get into unlike trying to clean it with conventional methods. It is definitely worth a try. Pretty easy to do as well.

 

[gargoyle]

I would give that Ozonator rental a shot.? Less labor and chemicals to buy.
Plug and play is always good.

 

[rvpopeye]

Did someone say OZONE ?
Now I am listening to Commander Cody and the Lost Planet Airmen repeating over and over in my head.....
Yeah , that's all it takes.

Good idea though , cleaning products and perfume make me have trouble breathing and sometimes a hives break out if it's in my clothes or sleeping bag.

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

Google 'car detailing'.  They have stuff that removes smells.  Next time I see a friend that does this I will ask, but that won't be for a while.

Now I am listening to Commander Cody and the Lost Planet Airmen.....

'Hot Rod Lincoln' my favoritest song ever 

 -- Spiff

 

[MrNoodly]

Ever see the Seinfeld episode about trying to get the funky smell out of his car?

I think the only way to get smoker smell out of a vehicle is to rip everything out then set the vehicle on fire and push it over a cliff into the ocean. Or take up smoking yourself so you don't notice.

 

[ArtW]

Sunlight, lots of sunlight
take the seats out and sun them, leave the windows open on sunny days
Also, Ozium
Still might not work on cloth seats though

 

[rvpopeye]

"Lost In The Ozone Again" !

After several hours in a smoky club , I would wash my face and hair with a couple of baby wipes and wrap all my clothes in a plastic bag before I could go to sleep ....................

 

[GypsyDogs]

I think it is going to be Vacuum, then (organic Meyers cleaner- gotta be me/dog safe) shampoo All upholstery (including seat belts and skirting and dash mat), wash All surfaces (glass, vinyl, switches, painted metal, seat frames, etc), let it thoroughly dry for a few days with fan on (did I mention 12v ceiling fan?).
Then shut it up tight and blast it with a commercial Ozone machine for a day.
Return machine.
Next day, air out van.
see how it is.
possibly r/r as needed.

Also- recommended by my favorite farm store a product called Scout's Honor- one of the ladie's hubbies drives truck and just got a new/used rig from a chain smoker.. she said it took 3 coats over a couple weeks and now- No trace of cig.smoke

 

[#1BonBonQueen]

When my Mom stopped smoking, if only for a few weeks, I cleaned her house well, sprayed lots of furniture polish, and set out some bowls of ACV around in hidden places, to help get rid of the smell and until she started smoking again, it really did help.
I also have cleaned with ACV and put out some Untreated Charcoal in small pans in different cars and it has helped to rid the vehicle of the smell too.
I don't think you will ever be rid of it completely, but all of the ideas here on this thread will make a big difference in the smell of your vehicle, for sure.

 

[DesertDweller]

I had this problem with pet odors in a house we bought. Every time I vacuumed, it stank so horribly, I could barely stay in the house. We did replace some of the carpeting, and had to get rid of the padding, too, as it was totally permeated with stink. I bought a large can of Ozium, which seemed to help a lot. I had to spray it several times to get rid of as much of it as I could. The parts of the carpeting that we did not replace always had that horrible smell, no matter how many times I steam cleaned it. The new owners had two dogs, so I'm sure it didn't bother them.

 

[SternWake]

look into renting a professional grade Ozone generator for a day.. and just let it run...  Apparently that is what dealerships/hotels do...

This was my thought,  Also run a strong fan inside and a fine bristle brush on upholstered surfaces inside while ozone generator is running, but it is also probably best not to breathe the ozone.  So use a long stick.

They do have ozone generators whick plug into 12v ciggy outlets, never tried one.  I have bought carbon activated filters and hooked them to the back of an interior circulation computer fan, and also can put this same material over my main intake fan.  That filter changes the smell of a passing skunk.

https://www.amazon.com/DC-12-Generator-Cleaner-Deodorizer-Purifier/dp/B00I12L2BK

My friend's buick lesabre was a smokers vehicle.  He quit smoking 1.5 years ago.  It has been baking in the sun since then.  Open a door and 15 feet downwind of it, and  Blammo, stale ciggy smoke.

 

[DesertDweller]

The baking soda might be a really inexpensive option on soft surfaces, sure worked good in the fridge.

 

[djkeev]

Watching this thread......

I've purchased smokers vehicles in the past, I almost always disassemble the vehicle and start fresh. Launder everything I can, clean and replace those items I cannot.

My worst was my 1968 Chevy Chevelle......great car but the PO was a cigar smoker! I ended up getting a junk yard interior out of a 69 to put in!

My VW Vanagon? I took three years to gut it and put it back together as new.

My Dodge? Well...... I haven't touched it yet but it too is a smokers unit. I have plans to basically gut it getting rid of the conversion van interior tackiness and building a new interior so I am concerned mainly about the dash area on this one.

I'd rather not pull the dash but if I must.......

Dave