Removing the smell of smoke

[Walesy 0]

Just wondered if any of you car cleaning freaks had some top tips on how to remove the smell of smoke from a vehicle? My new van was fully carpet lined 3 months ago but as the previous owner was a smoker it smells of stale smoke in there! I'm just off to give it a good going over with some Fabreeze but thought it would be worth checking to see if there's a better product available that anyone here knows of?

[carpoid 0]

Get it steam cleaned if you can, much better than spraying chemicals over the top of the stink thats already in there...

[coolrado 0]

best to go over the whole thing with a carpet cleaner, it's the only way to really get rid of the smell rather than mask it, it's also shocking the amount of yellow crap that comes out of the fabric of a smokers car.

 

if you just want to mask the smell, the neutradol gel air freshers work well, or you can get air freshner sprays especially for masking the smell of smoke from halfrauds, thier own brand one is just as good as any other.

[Walesy 0]

Hmm, steaming would be good but pricey having just looked briefly.

 

 

I suppose a carpet cleaner would be a good idea, I think you can rent them out for about £30 - cheers for the ideas guys.

[coolrado 0]

where abouts are you based?

[Walesy 0]

Cornwall :eek:

[coolrado 0]

oh nevermind, if it had been anywhere north wales or tewkesbury you could have borrowed mine.

[Walesy 0]

Bugger, living down here in the arse end of the UK has its drawbacks!

[coolrado 0]

Bugger, living down here in the arse end of the UK has its drawbacks!

Yeah, but with views like this you wont get any sympathy from me :lol:

[chubbybrown 0]

How about using some ordinary washing powder disolved into some hot water rub in to cloth upholstry etc then wipeing off with a towel,thats how we used to do it before all this valet stuff came around.

Just dont barf when you see all the dirt.

Neutradol used to do a smoke smell mask as well.

Removing all and steam cleaning is the ultimate answer if you have time.

[Leonard 0]

Another vote for carpet cleaner here as well! You could do your house for £30 as well :D

 

Cant wait to see all the updates on this conversion. Have you got any skills already that you are bringing to the camper van conversion table????

[Walesy 0]

Yeah, I need to give my Audi a good valet as well before I sell it so i'll get my £30 worth out of the machine, it's gotta be done though cos getting in the van in the morning makes me want to heave at the mo! :pukeleft: It'll be nice to know it's all clean before starting the build anyway.

 

As far as the camper conversion goes i'm bringing absolutely no skills to the table at all :lol: - i'll be buying the units ready made so hopefully it'll be pretty much bolt on, i've just got to plan it out and do it all in order so hopefully it'll be OK - i've started a thread in the members gallery so my trials and tribulations will all be recorded :lol:

[marcus 0]

If the smell is really strong already mate, even if you give the upholstery a good steam clean with a strong de-odouriser you'll probably have some smokey smell left anyway. So you really need to have it fogged with a machine to kill any bacteria left in the headlining, behind dash vents, behind door cards etc. A local valeting company or S.M.A.R.T repair company should be able to do this for you at a maximum cost of £30.00.

[Walesy 0]

I wouldn't say its 'really' strong, but it's deffinitely there! I want rid of it before starting the interior build though!

 

Whats 'fogging' then mate? :eek:

[craigowl 0]

Sodium bicarbonate (cheap, too) used to be used for removing smelly stuff like sick.

 

I would throw the white powder around on the fabrics, leave it for a while and then hoover it up. Dont get it in anything electrical/mechanical tho'.

[Walesy 0]

Yeah good idea, I could try that first I spose :grin:

 

I just googled 'fogging' and didn't come up with much, I did learn that the 'F' key is awfully close to the 'D' on the keyboard though! :eek:

[Leonard 0]

LOL

[Jim Bowen 1]

i smoke in my corrado :( i know i shouldn't but its mine and i have, i intend to give it a proper clean up one day.

 

you probably need to get rid of all the ash, so taking things apart and finding stuff thats filtered down to places.

 

here is a place near me that do fogging, i spose before i sell car (if i ever do), i'll send it to them

 

http://www.clean-image.co.uk/odour-kill.htm

[Walesy 0]

Jesus, it all looks a bit extreme! Fortunately because the van was only trimmed a few months back it's not too severe - I think i'll start with Craigowl' idea and work upwards from there :lol:

[Toad 0]

Has it got air con? you can buy kits to remove the stench from them from halfwits.

[Walesy 0]

I tried the bicarb, and it didn't work! :(

 

I've rented a 'rug doctor' today so we'll see if that works!

[coolrado 0]

Is it actually a proper "rug doctor"? the upright one they advertise on tv?

if it is they are no good for doing cars with as they only work on horizontal flat surfaces.

[marcus 0]

Get it valeted professionally buddy, need to use the right/good quality chemicals with an extraction machine.

Then once interior has dried, the right bacteria killing odors.

Plus dry fogging with the tobacco/nicotine solution if smell is still there.

 

You did say its not too bad, so It prob get better in time anyway.

[Walesy 0]

Its a rug doctor but it has an attachment, it seems to be working really well. The roof lining above the cab area is grey - which has gone a tinge of yellow (which wasn't noticeable until I started cleaning it!) - you can literally see the difference in colour before/after cleaning! So I assume it must be working! It's also made the seats come up like new :)

 

I suppose I should be doing a really in depth thread including millions of high res '50/50' pics etc but I cant be fecked :lol:

 

If this doesn't get rid of the smell i'll be finding out about 'flogging' etc - but for £20 this is worthwhile anyway to know it's all been cleaned properly, and i'm going to use it on my audi when i've done the van because i'll be selling it soon so im getting me £20 worth :)

[Jay2 0]

Thread resurrection ahoy!

 

Did this work?

 

Bought a load lugger and the former keeper was a smoker, tried the Autoglym interior shampoo which seems to have got rid of all the stains but just can't get rid of the smell when the car has been locked up for a while. :(

 

Valeting the only way to go?

 

The old man has suggested sticking Charcoal or Coffee Granules in the car overnight. Usefull or 'old wives tales'? :cuckoo: