I think so, I’m going to try everything that’s been suggested. Plus.
There might be something to that coffee ground idea. My late uncle moved from Kentucky to Indonesia and had his refrigerator and othe household items shipped. The movers threw coffee grounds into the refrigerator my aunt had meticulously cleaned. The claim was that the coffee grounds would prevent odors from building up in the refrigerator while it was being shipped overseas.
It’s in a garage and open every night. Will start with the cleaning. I don’t know that particular psycho guy. Wonder how I missed him.
I think the cleaning will work better than the coffee beans, eventuallly…I’m using citrus spray for the time being.
Hi Mike, Elbow grease has been the number 1 suggestion.
I realized that when I opened the trunk and took a deep breath. Whew.
No, you’re the first one. I might as well try. Thanks.
I’ve sent you an e-mail. I don’t live near you. Any suggestions on finding someone near me who does the same thing? But thank you for the offer. I’d take you up on it if I were anywhere in Illinois.
Nothing smells worse than stale smoke. Odors from smoke can be removed from fabrics and porous materials by exposing them to ozone. This is how they salvage furniture and such from home fires. You may try to contact fire/water restoration companies in your area for more info. Good Luck.
Not sure if anyone mentioned this, but replace your cabin air filter … smoke odor is not only in upholstery, but in the are ducts and most importantly, the filter system that will absorb the smoke, especially if AC system was set on recirculate.
The way I’ve gotten rid of it is to park the car in the garage with the windows rolled down. It takes a lot of time, but the intensity decreases markedly rather quickly.
Recently, I’ve used an enzyme product to remove animal smells from carpet; it’s the ONLY thing that has worked, and it removed the odor completely! The name is “It’s Alive”, and seems available only through commercial janitorial supply companies (my tenant owns such a company, and gave me a gallon.) It would certainly be worth a try.
I know it seems like a real long shot, but my vote is to go back to the dealer and do whatever it takes to get them to take the car back. I just don’t think you should get stuck this way. I don’t know exactly the best way to do that, but I’d think that you need to appeal to their sense of ethics and fairness. If you do it thoughtfully you should be able to convince them that being fair with you is really the honorable thing to do. Ask them if they want you to be telling everyone you know exactly what car dealer refused to treat you fairly. Do they really NOT CARE if their customers are dissatisfied? Wouldn’t they rather have you tell your friends that XYZ dealer really came around to understanding your perspective and agreed to take the car back and let you use the value on another choice? Every business depends on good PR, it would do them a lot more good in the long run to treat you so well that you say good things about them, rather than to have you express your dissatisfaction to everyone you know.
I know exactly nothing about cleaning the car, but I’m sure there’s nothing good about breathing all the heavy duty chemicals you are using (or considering). I’d bet they are probably more dangerous than the residual cigarette smell, you don’t want to be breathing them either. Especially not the ozone! That’s a terribly dangerous gas.
I think you should be able to get the dealer to see that they win by taking this stinky car off your hands and applying that credit to another vehicle of your choice. You have, after all, actually increased the worth of the car by cleaning it as you have. Good luck!
A vacuum cleaner nozzle can’t get into all the nooks and crannies; pressured air, as with a hose supplying air for tires, can. Repair shops use pressurized air to blow out cars. When you see it done, you’ll note that there is a LOT of stuff that gets blown out (use a dust mask, and goggles). Then, vacuum.
Sorry to say…‘You will not be able to do that’ That nasty smell is there for good!
There is a product available called Ozium. I bought a used pickup with the cigarette smoke problem as described. The product is an aerosol that you spray in small bursts. It may take several applications but it seemed to have done the trick. It has a scent that remains but it is not strong or offensive. I am not sure where I bought it but I believe it is readily availble at the large chains.
You may need to take the seats out of the car and take the carpet out also. If you want to do this then take the seats and set them aside. Once the carpet is out than you need to apply some deodorizer to the padding underneath. This is probably where the smell is coming from that the detailers from the dealership couldnt reach with their products and machines. Once you do that let the carpet hang for a couple days and put everything back together. I just had to do this to a 2005 Subaru Outback. Seemed to do the trick
white vinegar placed in a bowl will absorb oder’s in a clothes closet of a smoker so you might try placeing a hugh bowl on the floor overnight for awhile,it might be a hassel putting it in and out of the car in the a.m and p.m but it’s worth a try good luck!
I have a rental car that is so smokey it’s making me sick. I empathize. BUT… I have some advice. I have been AMAZED at this discovery: White vinegar completely obliterates any mildew or sweat or urine smell from fabric. I mean 100%… and those are things that usually don’t come out. Not if they have been sitting in a bag for a week. So, if I were you, I would wash the upholstry, because that actually pulls some of the suit out, then I would SOAK the upholstry in white vinegar and leave the windows open to let it air dry. When that’s done, heavily dust the upholstry with baking soda mixed with powdered soap, rub it in vigorously and leave it in for24 hours, windows open, then vacuum it all out with stong suction. Let us know if this works, I bet it will!
I don’t know about just placing a dish in the car, but as I just posted… I have been amazed by my simple discovery of white vinegar’s uncanny ability to totaly obliterate odors. No experience with smoke… but I’m a mom… and it gets out festering urine, sweat and mildew stench - makes things smell brand new again. Nothing else has been able to do that.
I’ve not tried this myself, but I’m told if you put a Bounce dryer sheets under each seat and leave it there for several days it will absorb the odors of smoke over time. Supposedly this advice came from a used car salesman, so I figured it might just work. I figured I share it as its worth a try.