# Removing the tobacco smell from a car **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [May 27, 2008, 10:09pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/removing-the-tobacco-smell-from-a-car/14538 "2008-05-27T22:09:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![cpicard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9e8a1a/32.png) [@cpicard](https://community.cartalk.com/u/cpicard)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2008, 10:09pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/removing-the-tobacco-smell-from-a-car/14538/1 "2008-05-27T22:09:51Z")
Any suggestions for removing the smell of tobacco from a car? I had the car detailed – seats and carpeting shampooed – but there is a faint remaining odor of cigarettes. What can I do to eliminate the smell? ---
**Author:** ![Skipper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/839c29/32.png) [@Skipper](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Skipper)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2008, 1:17am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/removing-the-tobacco-smell-from-a-car/14538/2 "2008-05-28T01:17:16Z")
Rent an ozone machine and run it in the car for a day. Skip ---
**Author:** ![Tree\_Hugger](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tree_hugger/32/53_2.png) [@Tree\_Hugger](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tree_Hugger)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2008, 2:34am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/removing-the-tobacco-smell-from-a-car/14538/3 "2008-05-28T02:34:12Z")
Spray every soft surface with Febreze or a generic equivalent. ---
**Author:** ![Roadrunner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d2c977/32.png) [@Roadrunner](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Roadrunner)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2008, 2:44am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/removing-the-tobacco-smell-from-a-car/14538/4 "2008-05-28T02:44:12Z")
Don’t forget to clean the headliner and behind the dash plus the air ducts too. How about the exposed bottom of the seats? Hint: check with your local fire department as to their methods of smoke smell elimination. ---
**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:** [May 28, 2008, 2:51am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/removing-the-tobacco-smell-from-a-car/14538/5 "2008-05-28T02:51:11Z")
Save yourself a little bit of trouble and needless expense. Simply remove the ash tray - the entire assembly - and check the immediate area of the ash tray area for missed butts. I gurantee you will find a butt or two. Former smokers, and never smokers are very sensitive to the smell of tobacco. Even with all the windows rolled up in my car I can smell a cigarette being smoked outside of the car. You absolutely will smell an overlooked butt that is in your car. ---
**Author:** ![meaneyedcatz](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/meaneyedcatz/32/692_2.png) [@meaneyedcatz](https://community.cartalk.com/u/meaneyedcatz)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2008, 2:52am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/removing-the-tobacco-smell-from-a-car/14538/6 "2008-05-28T02:52:17Z")
The ozone machine is a good idea but if you are poor or cheap or both like me, open a box of baking soda and secure it so it won’t spill, it will soak up some of the stench. ---
**Author:** ![galaxybeing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/6bbea6/32.png) [@galaxybeing](https://community.cartalk.com/u/galaxybeing)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2008, 2:15pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/removing-the-tobacco-smell-from-a-car/14538/7 "2008-05-29T14:15:26Z")
Probably have to change the carpeting and headliner (esp the headliner) as well as have seats reupholstered. My friend got a great deal on an Accord because of tobacco stench and when he had the seats reupholstered he had them done in leather. Cost him about $1600 for the head liner and leather seat covers but it was worth it. Looks great and the stench is GONE!