Secret ways to remove smoker smell...

[Vortech347]

I didn't notice untill after owning my car for a few days but it has a very slight hint of ciggy smoke. If the car sits all day outside my office I get in and its kinda easy to tell she was smoked in. The good news however is I havn't found a single burn spot.

Here's my plan of attack.

Shampooing carpets. (already did the floor mats)
Using leather conditioner.
Shampooing the head liner. (If I sniff the headliner/visor thats where most of it is) Then febreezing the hell out of it...

Just wondering if there are any "magic" fixes. I'm not a smoker nor have I had to deal with this before.

Thanks guys.

[Rider90]

I've never shampoo'd a headliner. If I were you I would first look into the cost of a new one from Ford. One reason being it might be cheap enough for you to get a new one and install it, the other reason to be prepared if you do damage to this one while cleaning it.

Good luck!

[PDMarauder]

when detailing, usually they do not included headliner in the cost. and believe it or not the additional fee is almostas much as getting the motor detailed. its like an additional 35 bucks. mabe b/c its a PITA or requires special treatment

[the_pack_rat]

I agree with not trying to shampoo the headliner. You'll probably just loosen the adhesive holding the foam backed material on & end up replacing it anyway.

Clean everything else real well & be sure to put some conditioner on the leather if you use any cleaners on it. Maybe even ever so lightly mist the headliner with Febreze. Again LIGHTLY, don't soak it.

Something else you can try ... get yourself some coffee grounds. Yes COFFEE GROUNDS.

Find something just tall enough to put a decent layer of the coffee grounds on the bottom of it, but keep the grounds from getting all over the floor.(piece of tupperware/pie tin etc etc. If you can leave the car sealed up for a few days with the grounds in it(as in NOT drive it), even better.

The coffee grounds can help draw out & absorb offensive odors. And yes before you ask, your car WILL smell like coffee grounds when you're done, but the coffee odor does NOT liinger in the car for long(couple days at the most).

I've done this in the past on cars that were in the bodyshop & had lingering odors of body work supplies/paint etc etc & it worked very well. This lil' trick was told to me by a friend that's been detailing cars for over 50 years(you read correct - OVER 50 years).

[jimlam56]

Febreze works well.

[JMan]

It might pay you to remove the "hush" panel below the passenger's dash and vaccum the blower fan intake area. That area is pretty gross typically - especially when the car has automatic temperature control. You can also affix a fabric softener sheet with a nice smell over the intake area to help filter out particulate crud and give the a/c ducts a freshened-up scent. Oh, by the way, start the car and turn ATC to 60* and the recirculation door will open and allow you to do a little more cleaning.

Most auto parts stores carry an a/c evaporator cleaning spray which may help in the duct work. It is usually alcohol based and you can spray it directly into the fan intake. Just follow directions on the product.

Good luck,

J

[Blackened300a]

OK heres the top secret method
A box of arm and hammer baking soda, Just open the box and leave it in the car overnight that will absorb the odors, or you can go the old fashioned route like guys would do when a car was flooded and had a mildew smell in it, Cut a few potatoes in half and leave them under the seat and in the back seat. That will draw the odors also.
Sounds crazy I know ,but it does work
When all else fails, Find a detailing shop in your area and have the interior shampooed. It can even bring the new car smell back.
I was lucky and my MM was never smoked in so it has a hint of new car smell still in it.

[duhtroll]

Don't know what your temps are like nowadays, but my wife bought a car with smoke smell that reared its head a few weeks after we got it. (i.e. the dealer had shampooed because we had asked about not getting one that was previously a smoker car) We left it in the driveway, windows down for an afternoon in the sun. Then the next few days we drove around with windows open, and it was gone. Sunshine and fresh air worked for us.

[O's Fan Rich]

We got the stink out of a car pretty good by running an inozation machine in it overnight with the doors closed.
I figured that if it can get the stink out of an office space, it would do wonders in the car!

You results may vary...... stink is tough.

[ckadiddle]

I was going to say baking soda at night for a few days(with windows closed), then follow up with Damp Rid for a night or two. If ya got some sunny days, open all windows and the sun and fresh air will do wonders too.

[LordVader]

What Rich said above..I had to stay at hotel once and they used an ion machine to rid it of a smoky smell. I didn't think it would work, but had to admit after 24 hours the odor was gone.

[SID210SA]

We used an Ion machine when I used to detail cars...it worked wonders....DO NOT CLEAN HEADLINER...the sticky will unstick and your liner will have upside down hills....We also took out the seats to make sure we shampoo'd all the carpet, but be careful if you go that route, you have to get the seats out a certain way and put them back in the same way...

[Bluerauder]

I didn't notice untill after owning my car for a few days but it has a very slight hint of ciggy smoke.

Looks like you have gotten lots of advice on how to get rid of the odor.

I am a smoker; but decided on the day that I picked up my MM that I wouldn't smoke in it at all. Now 28 months later, I don't even feel the need while I am driving. Even on the long trip to Detroit for MV III/WDC last year, I never even noticed it.

[Warpath]

Smoke can dissolve the headliner and other interior glues. That's why the headliner droops down in some old hoopties. Nearly every vehicle I see with the headliner fabric hanging down has a driver with a cigarette in his/her mouth. One thing to check when buying a used car is whether there is any evidence of ashes in the ash tray.

[magindat]

All of what was mentioned above actually breakes down the FOAM of the headliner. The result is the same, the cloth bubbles and sags.

I have used a product called OZIUM very successfully. Get a bottle from your local auto parts store. Spray carpets, headliner, etc. Spray from a distance that the aerosol is almost dry when it hits.

The secret: turn the vent on full blast. For the jap cars, no recirc. The air is sucked in under the wiper blades. Spray OZIUM into that vent near the wiper blades.

I use the above technique for trucks that collect leaves in that vent. They eventually start a stink. the OZIUM works great.

Be prepared. The stuff smells like a hospital!

Good Luck