Getting rid of cigarette smell?

[dbonds]

Well, had the ozone generator treatment done at the dealer a couple of days ago - so far so good. Time will tell if this got rid of the smell completely.

Was definitely interesting to pull out the old cabin air filter - see pic below for "before" filter next to a new one. yuck.

As an aside - was interesting to find that none of the local parts places (Autozone, Western Auto Parts, etc) carried the cabin air filter, had to get from the dealer - at a cost of ~$27. ouch. At least it was easy to replace.

As another aside - found an odd part with no obvious use when replacing the air filter - see other thread "ID this part" for that question.

 

[luigisho]

That's mighty dirty for its age. Please report back after a while to let us know how this treatment worked.

 

[mjhpadi]

Wow, that's amazingly dirty! Imagine how yucky the interior would be if all that dirt would have gotten into the interior!

 

[shaker281]

Rock Auto $20.40 shipped.
Ebay $13.77 shipped.

 

[JRA2000TL]

OdoBan at Home Depot. Saturate the car in it.

 

[Fun4SHO]

Check with a few companies that do water damage dry-outs, fire clean-up and repair. They will have an ozone generator which can oxidize the residual smoke smell. Ozone works relatively slow, 1 to 24 hours, depending on machine capacity, volume of area and severity of odor. You could maybe negotiate an overnight cash rental. The results would be positive but ozone oxidizes all odor and the human mind thinks no odor smells funny. Just reintroduce a nice odor for a little while (air freshener hanging from mirror)and everything will be fine

 

[RonPorter]

Check with a few companies that do water damage dry-outs, fire clean-up and repair. They will have an ozone generator which can oxidize the residual smoke smell. Ozone works relatively slow, 1 to 24 hours, depending on machine capacity, volume of area and severity of odor. You could maybe negotiate an overnight cash rental. The results would be positive but ozone oxidizes all odor and the human mind thinks no odor smells funny. Just reintroduce a nice odor for a little while (air freshener hanging from mirror)and everything will be fine

NO!!

You don't need more carcinogenic chemicals in your car!!

 

[dbonds]

Still had a bit of lingering odor last weekend after the ozone treatment at the dealer early in the week, so I mounted another attack.

Thursday night, I did a autoshocker treatment from biocide systems -- once that had sat overnight, put car in driveway Saturday and left it sitting with all windows and sunroof open for about half the day. Slight odor left after that, but was definitely lessened further.

On Saturday, did a through detailing of the interior :

1. Removed weathertech floormats from car - soaked in Meguiar's Odor Remover, scrubbed with a brush, hosed off, left to dry in the sun.
2. Scrubbed down every hard surface in car (except glass) with Meguiars Odor Remover.
3. Vaccumed interior (seemed to draw smell back out a bit)
4. Sprayed cloth, headliner, carpet, suede, trunk interior with Meguiars.
5. Did a leather cleaner and conditioner treatment on leather in interior.
6. Let interior air out again for an hour or so, windows and sunroof open.

That was a couple of days ago - nothing but a faint antiseptic smell can be detected now (as a friend mentioned "Smells like a hotel"). We'll see if this holds up....

 

[dbonds]

NO!!

You don't need more carcinogenic chemicals in your car!!

I should also mention I spend a lot of time with the sunroof either totally open or at least cracked open (vented?) when at freeway speeds as who knows what I've loaded up my car interior with recently between all the treatments.

 

[RonPorter]

I should also mention I spend a lot of time with the sunroof either totally open or at least cracked open (vented?) when at freeway speeds as who knows what I've loaded up my car interior with recently between all the treatments.

In the past, I've also used denatured alcohol. Buy a gallon at HomeDepot/Lowes. Soak carpet, then scrub out. After that, I would soak and let air-dry. Worked pretty well for other scents I had in a coupla cars.

Hasn't touched the issues with the white '89, though, as it was loaded with the christmas tree "air fresheners" when I bought it.

 

[SHODWN]

Welcome back David!

Just a fyi I see your location as Texas, these cars stink after using the AC. not sure if that's the smell your getting of not.. does it seem worse after the ac has been on?

Mine has smelt like chit after every ac use..

 

[SoCalSHO]

Try this...Put a dish of vinegar in your car, closed tight for as long as you can. That is supposed to do wonders. I have used it on occasion around the house...Doesn't do too bad....and it is cheap.

 

[javon7065]

I know this is a really old thread, but I have the exact same issue as the original poster. I’ve already had the full detail done with the ozone treatment. Still have the same smell. Cabin filter has been replaced. I’ll check into the seat Air filters. Didn’t know that was a thing. Are there any new products on the market for this problem in the time this thread was posted 13 years ago?

 

[Junkyard_Mad-Scientist]

I know this is a really old thread, but I have the exact same issue as the original poster. I’ve already had the full detail done with the ozone treatment. Still have the same smell. Cabin filter has been replaced. I’ll check into the seat Air filters. Didn’t know that was a thing. Are there any new products on the market for this problem in the time this thread was posted 13 years ago?

REALLY old thread lol, as a smoker and "retired" car detailer (worked at a car wash in high school for 3 months, im qualified) the most over looked and sensitive area is the headliner. you cant saturate it in chemicals, cant steam it, if you try or if you scrub too hard the glue will release and the fabric will sag. I sold an explorer to a ford dealer after smoking in it for 2 years and avoided the "smoker car" tax by using resolve foaming carpet cleaner with oxy clean (something to do with odor control) hit the headliner with a light mist of foam by moving quickly in all areas, worked it in with a rag, and then rub/blot dried with a paper towel so I could see the tar coming out of the fabric, and did that twice before hitting it with frebreeze and letting it air dry with a fan inside the car windows down for about 4 hours.

other than the headliner, the package tray behind the rear seat will absorb some smell and usually ignored, a good scrub and steam of the carpets is a must and may take a few passes before all the smell is out. the hvac ducts can be an issue, I usually spray some dawn dish soap or ozium in the vents themselves and then put it on recirculate full fan and unload frebreeze or ozium in the intake (under dash passenger foot well), for defrost I do the same but in the cowl vents since recirculate doesnt work on defrost. and lastly the seats will absorb the smell too, these are perforated vented seats so the foam is susceptible to all odors and I have not had to deal with that yet but a good leather clean and condition should help. clean the glass really good too, stuff sticks to everything.

short of taking apart the car and cleaning/replacing every inch of the interior (ive done that too, 0/5 stars wouldn't recommend) this is what I've done in the past and its worked well enough that non smokers in my cars cant tell, I did all of my cleaning with stuff off a walmart shelf, theres probably specialized professional detailer stuff out there for this reason but i dont know about it.

 

[javon7065]

REALLY old thread lol, as a smoker and "retired" car detailer (worked at a car wash in high school for 3 months, im qualified) the most over looked and sensitive area is the headliner. you cant saturate it in chemicals, cant steam it, if you try or if you scrub too hard the glue will release and the fabric will sag. I sold an explorer to a ford dealer after smoking in it for 2 years and avoided the "smoker car" tax by using resolve foaming carpet cleaner with oxy clean (something to do with odor control) hit the headliner with a light mist of foam by moving quickly in all areas, worked it in with a rag, and then rub/blot dried with a paper towel so I could see the tar coming out of the fabric, and did that twice before hitting it with frebreeze and letting it air dry with a fan inside the car windows down for about 4 hours.

other than the headliner, the package tray behind the rear seat will absorb some smell and usually ignored, a good scrub and steam of the carpets is a must and may take a few passes before all the smell is out. the hvac ducts can be an issue, I usually spray some dawn dish soap or ozium in the vents themselves and then put it on recirculate full fan and unload frebreeze or ozium in the intake (under dash passenger foot well), for defrost I do the same but in the cowl vents since recirculate doesnt work on defrost. and lastly the seats will absorb the smell too, these are perforated vented seats so the foam is susceptible to all odors and I have not had to deal with that yet but a good leather clean and condition should help. clean the glass really good too, stuff sticks to everything.

short of taking apart the car and cleaning/replacing every inch of the interior (ive done that too, 0/5 stars wouldn't recommend) this is what I've done in the past and its worked well enough that non smokers in my cars cant tell, I did all of my cleaning with stuff off a walmart shelf, theres probably specialized professional detailer stuff out there for this reason but i dont know about it.

I know, it's ancient but I hate to be that person that starts a new thread when one exists already. And it is exactly what happened here. I got this car about a month ago from a new car dealer and it was not smelling so obvious of smoke the way it is now. Like the OP said, the chemicals the dealer used for detailing have worn off. Interesting thing you said about the headliner since the detail shop said they are not allowed to touch it. Now I know why based on what you said. This is the second time I have had an Ozone treatment done to a vehicle with zero results. I am calling them to complain today but not sure what else they could do if they won't touch the headliner. I guess I could price a replacement out or try and do what you did since you had results.

 

[luigisho]

Alot os based on how much was exposed. that being how much smoke was in there over time. It contaminates everything. I would look at youtube vids and take an all of the above method. You have to scrub everything (headliner is an issue for sure) you can reach. Including maybe some ducts and maybe blower. I'm not sure if it was really saturated to a high degree if getting everything out vs tamping it wayy down is a livable result. What seat material do you have? ozone probably won't work without scrubbing/ shampooing the $h1t out of everything. clean the glass, visor material, door seal and jambs. Pull the seatbelt and scrub that-- it just goes everywhere. Probably lysol all the ductwork.

 

[javon7065]

Alot os based on how much was exposed. that being how much smoke was in there over time. It contaminates everything. I would look at youtube vids and take an all of the above method. You have to scrub everything (headliner is an issue for sure) you can reach. Including maybe some ducts and maybe blower. I'm not sure if it was really saturated to a high degree if getting everything out vs tamping it wayy down is a livable result. What seat material do you have? ozone probably won't work without scrubbing/ shampooing the $h1t out of everything. clean the glass, visor material, door seal and jambs. Pull the seatbelt and scrub that-- it just goes everywhere. Probably lysol all the ductwork.

Thanks for the advice. I called the detail shop and am taking back next week to have it sit overnight with the Ozone machine. The seats are "leather" I know it's just everywhere. Perhaps I will ask them to shampoo the carpets again. I just want to set my expectations correctly. It seems like that after a lot of work it is possible to at least get rid of it a bit by actually cleaning the tar out, not by just masking it with other scents, that will surely wear off.

 

[luigisho]

scrub the seats with proper leather cleaning supplies. Actual leather should be better for removing alot of it vs cloth. Maybe circulate oxone air through the vent system with recirculate and lysol through the vents through an open outside climate control fresh air intake duct --without the filter-- to circulate the chem through the dash ducting unimpeded. Attack every square inch and I would ozone after every thing was cleaned from the interior. All glass, door panels, seat belts, rear glass package tray fabric etc. It is everywhere.

 

[yaycandy]

The smell is embedded into the ceiling cloth and pillar cloth. Replacing that helps a ton. Also deep clean helps as ashes get everywhere in cracks and inside the vent tubes in the dash. Even if you just clean the surface it is not enough. Takes removal of parts to get a full clean. But the cloth parts being changed out will make the biggest difference.

Growing up in a smoker family gave me a ton of advice as i got their vehicles. The one newer mazda i got from my dad years ago i had to replace all the cloth and it was enough with a surface clean and deep clean with seats out to make it smell normal.

 

[luigisho]

I wonder what a used matching healiner would cost from a parts car? IIRC in the early SHO cars people were removing the windshield to get the board piece in without breaking it. I think? Been a long time since I was reading those.