# How do I get the strong smell of cigarette smoke out of a used car? **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** smoke, smells\ **Created:** [February 19, 2008, 9:34pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-do-i-get-the-strong-smell-of-cigarette-smoke-out-of-a-used-car/10898 "2008-02-19T21:34:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Beefy\_Norm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a4c791/32.png) [@Beefy\_Norm](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Beefy_Norm)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2008, 8:11pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-do-i-get-the-strong-smell-of-cigarette-smoke-out-of-a-used-car/10898/41 "2008-02-23T20:11:14Z")
Ellen, I know this may sound like too simple of an answer but try this anyway. It wont cost you anything initially. Being a former smoker I am sensitive to cigarette smoke also, and I used to work at a dealership cleaning cars as a teenager. My experiences have told me that if someone smokes enough to stink up their car, they usually wont empty their ash trays until someone else does it for them or they just can’t cram anymore into the ash tray. This means that there are probably cigarette butts smashed into the dashboard area surrounding the ash tray. You wouldn’t be able to see any just by pulling out the ash tray, but you might be able to pull out the ash tray far enough to see behind the ash tray assembly. If not you might have to spend a little money to have a shop pull out the ash tray assembly to pick out the old cigarette butts stuck behind the assembly. These days smoke smell CAN be removed from a car. Cigar smoke is a bit tough but smoke smells ARE able to be removed. All the butts need to be found before the smell is removed. Otherwise you are just perpetually spending money on cleaning gimicks. ---
**Author:** ![srichey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@srichey](https://community.cartalk.com/u/srichey)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2008, 8:44pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-do-i-get-the-strong-smell-of-cigarette-smoke-out-of-a-used-car/10898/42 "2008-02-23T20:44:54Z")
I have an answer to the cigarette smell problem but I was unable to read the agreement for this website but if you call me at 314-965-9920 I can help your car smell just like an afterstorm freshness ---
**Author:** ![Triedaq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/65b543/32.png) [@Triedaq](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Triedaq)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2008, 9:17pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-do-i-get-the-strong-smell-of-cigarette-smoke-out-of-a-used-car/10898/43 "2008-02-23T21:17:38Z")
I’ve had good experience using an upholstery steam cleaner. Bissel markets these under the name “Little Green Machine”. This machine dispenses a heated solution when you pull the trigger on the nozzle and then sucks it up out of the upholstery into a separate tank on the unit. I think I paid less than $100 for the machine My son had some fishing worms that he accidentally left in the trunk of his car and the odor was overpowering. I used this machine on all the upholstery and floor carpet, including the carpet in the trunk. I followed up by washing all the windows inside. I let the car sit open in the garage and that took care of the odor. This may work for you, although you may have to do two or three treatments. ---
**Author:** ![2000civic3door](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/2/5f9b8f/32.png) [@2000civic3door](https://community.cartalk.com/u/2000civic3door)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2008, 9:37pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-do-i-get-the-strong-smell-of-cigarette-smoke-out-of-a-used-car/10898/44 "2008-02-23T21:37:38Z")
There is one method of deoderizing you can try. I’ve had very good results. That’s citrus oil. I had a small fire in a Corvette once & actually put grapefruit rinds in the vehicle for a couple of weeks & it really took out the smell. There’s also I fairly new product called Citrus Magic that has done a great job on cigar smoke after poker games at my place. You can find it in the air freshener section at the market. It’s kind of expensive, but it works. Good luck. ---
**Author:** ![wizard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a87d85/32.png) [@wizard](https://community.cartalk.com/u/wizard)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2008, 10:48pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-do-i-get-the-strong-smell-of-cigarette-smoke-out-of-a-used-car/10898/45 "2008-02-23T22:48:29Z")
Had the same problem with a company car; cleaned the inside of the all the windows a couple of times and the problem went away. It surly worked for me. ---
**Author:** ![mehdiaplage](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e5b9ba/32.png) [@mehdiaplage](https://community.cartalk.com/u/mehdiaplage)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2008, 2:19am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-do-i-get-the-strong-smell-of-cigarette-smoke-out-of-a-used-car/10898/46 "2008-02-24T02:19:59Z")
detail it then grind some coffee beans every morning drive with them in the car all day make coffee with them the next morning repeat until smell is gone ---
**Author:** ![kg4hsr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c57346/32.png) [@kg4hsr](https://community.cartalk.com/u/kg4hsr)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2008, 3:46pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-do-i-get-the-strong-smell-of-cigarette-smoke-out-of-a-used-car/10898/47 "2008-02-24T15:46:04Z")
Has anyone mentioned closing the windows, turn the blower on full blast, and fill the intake full of Windex with Ammonia… Let the whole setup sit for a few hours. Problem solved. ---
**Author:** ![Bill\_Russell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Bill\_Russell](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Bill_Russell)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2008, 3:53pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-do-i-get-the-strong-smell-of-cigarette-smoke-out-of-a-used-car/10898/48 "2008-02-24T15:53:03Z")
I doubt coffee will do anything to remove the scent. It may cover it up for a bit, but do nothing to remove the cause. ---
**Author:** ![Imissmyfiero](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/imissmyfiero/32/690_2.png) [@Imissmyfiero](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Imissmyfiero)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2008, 11:15pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-do-i-get-the-strong-smell-of-cigarette-smoke-out-of-a-used-car/10898/49 "2008-02-24T23:15:23Z")
This may sound alittle odd but I’m a frequent watcher of Mythbusters. One episode they took two sweaters and stuck them in a box with about 20+ lit cigarettes and let em sit and “soak” in that smell for a while. The next day they put one sweater in a washing machine with regular detergent, and the other in a vodka rinse, and they actually came to find out the vodka one seemed to get rid of the smell. So maybe fill a spray bottle with vodka and spritz some in your car. (if your willing to sacrifice some vodka that is hehe). Note: May not want to do any reckless driving afterward, it’ll be hard to explain that smell to a cop =P ---
**Author:** ![Bill\_Russell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Bill\_Russell](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Bill_Russell)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2008, 11:22pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-do-i-get-the-strong-smell-of-cigarette-smoke-out-of-a-used-car/10898/50 "2008-02-24T23:22:04Z")
I can see alcohol dissolving the smoke particles in the sweaters, and they are then flushed away during the rinse cycle. But spraying alcohol in the air will do nothing to get at the many smoke particles in the upholstery and fittings of the car. ---
**Author:** ![charles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6f9a4e/32.png) [@charles](https://community.cartalk.com/u/charles)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2008, 11:31pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-do-i-get-the-strong-smell-of-cigarette-smoke-out-of-a-used-car/10898/51 "2008-02-24T23:31:25Z")
Did you try feberze take the rear seat out and spray under it. spray the door panels if cloth. rent a small rug cleaner do floor inside roof rugs even the rear window area. I would even turn on reclying air and spray down the air intake from outside window. . you could take a dog with you get him wet fisrt this stink will over come anything ---
**Author:** ![Bill\_Russell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Bill\_Russell](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Bill_Russell)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2008, 11:37pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-do-i-get-the-strong-smell-of-cigarette-smoke-out-of-a-used-car/10898/52 "2008-02-24T23:37:33Z")
As others have said, only work and lots of soap (or other chemicals) can fix this. Spraying stuff in the air or air fresheners or ozone generators will do nothing, as they are not attacking the problem, and that is the large amounts of smoke and tar particles trapped in the upholstery, the headliner, the rugs, the vents, etc. You have to disassemble enough to get at these and clean them. Of course time and ventilation will also help, as the smoke particles will slowly migrate out of the upholstery, etc, and can be blown out of the car. How much time — dunno, but some of the posts indicate a long time. ---
**Author:** ![ellen2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/df788c/32.png) [@ellen2](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ellen2)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2008, 1:18am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-do-i-get-the-strong-smell-of-cigarette-smoke-out-of-a-used-car/10898/53 "2008-02-25T01:18:43Z")
Thanks Bill, you’ve been so helpful. I’m going to start washing, ventilating, and spraying with citrus oder cover-up spray to distract from the smell. When that stops working I’ll spray with something else for the next few years I guess. I’ll also take it to another detailer to see what he can do with a steamer. I’m thinking about asking my lawyer to write a letter to the dealership. Maybe he can persuaded them to pay for all the cleaning. Maybe not. ---
**Author:** ![ellen2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/df788c/32.png) [@ellen2](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ellen2)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2008, 1:20am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-do-i-get-the-strong-smell-of-cigarette-smoke-out-of-a-used-car/10898/54 "2008-02-25T01:20:31Z")
I think I’ll use the citrus spray I use in the house to distract from the smoke and keep washing. Thanks ---
**Author:** ![ellen2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/df788c/32.png) [@ellen2](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ellen2)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2008, 1:21am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-do-i-get-the-strong-smell-of-cigarette-smoke-out-of-a-used-car/10898/55 "2008-02-25T01:21:42Z")
I think I’ll let a local detailer use a steamer on everthing and see what happens. Good idea. ---
**Author:** ![ellen2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/df788c/32.png) [@ellen2](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ellen2)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2008, 1:22am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-do-i-get-the-strong-smell-of-cigarette-smoke-out-of-a-used-car/10898/56 "2008-02-25T01:22:33Z")
Hi, I called but you were closed. I’ll call again this week if I can, if not next week for sure. Appreciate the offer. ---
**Author:** ![ellen2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/df788c/32.png) [@ellen2](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ellen2)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2008, 1:26am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-do-i-get-the-strong-smell-of-cigarette-smoke-out-of-a-used-car/10898/57 "2008-02-25T01:26:47Z")
I’ll start cleaning, but am also taking it to a detailer who has a steamer for the first go round. I’ve started leaving it open at night and using a citrus spray to distract myself from the smoke. Thanks for the encouragement ---
**Author:** ![ellen2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/df788c/32.png) [@ellen2](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ellen2)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2008, 1:27am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-do-i-get-the-strong-smell-of-cigarette-smoke-out-of-a-used-car/10898/58 "2008-02-25T01:27:20Z")
Bill, what has to be taken apart? ---
**Author:** ![Triedaq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/65b543/32.png) [@Triedaq](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Triedaq)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2008, 1:27am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-do-i-get-the-strong-smell-of-cigarette-smoke-out-of-a-used-car/10898/59 "2008-02-25T01:27:29Z")
I’ve found the steam cleaner useful for all kinds of jobs around the house. When our dog was alive, I could clean my favorite chair and remove the dog odor. I clean the carpets and the fabric upholstery in my car every year. It’s also useful to clean up a little place on the carpet in the house if something gets spilled. I’m certain that it isn’t as powerful as the steam cleaner used by a detail shop, and you work rather hard to do the carpeting and upholstery in a car, but you do have an appliance that is useful if you spend the $100. ---
**Author:** ![ellen2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/df788c/32.png) [@ellen2](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ellen2)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2008, 1:28am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-do-i-get-the-strong-smell-of-cigarette-smoke-out-of-a-used-car/10898/60 "2008-02-25T01:28:58Z")
I hate cigarette smoke more than dog smell too. It’s the worst. [Previous page](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-do-i-get-the-strong-smell-of-cigarette-smoke-out-of-a-used-car/10898.md?page=2) [Next page](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-do-i-get-the-strong-smell-of-cigarette-smoke-out-of-a-used-car/10898.md?page=4)