How To Get Rid of Smoke Smell In Your Car

According to research, vehicles sold by smokers sell for 7% to 9% less than vehicles sold by nonsmokers. It’s not a coincidence, either, as 87% of surveyed shoppers indicated that they wouldn’t even think twice about buying a smoker’s vehicle. If you do the math, that means only 13% of shoppers would purchase a car that smells like cigarettes. So, if you’re a smoker who’s trying to sell your vehicle, it only makes sense to remove smoke odors from your car’s interior before putting it on the market.

Easier said than done, right? Getting smoke smells out of a car is notoriously difficult, if not impossible. Upholstery, carpets, seats, ceiling liners, and porous plastic surfaces all trap secondhand cigarette smoke pollutants that produce the infamous stale nicotine odor. While air fresheners, standard cleaning chemicals, and special car odor eliminators temporarily disguise smoke smells in a vehicle, they don’t remove those bad car smells completely. So, you’re probably always going to have a stinky car, unfortunately.

To deodorize that vehicle as thoroughly as possible, you’ll have to bring out the big guns. Here are some tactics to try and clean the smoke smell from your car.

Tips & Tricks to Deodorize Smoke in a Vehicle

Auto Detailing

The best way to remove the smoke smell from a car is to get a full-service, top-to-bottom auto detail. This should include a thorough vacuuming of the carpets, followed by a deep shampooing of all carpets, seats, and upholstery, as well as deep cleaning every inch of plastic and leather surfaces. Car seats should even be pulled out to ensure all the carpeting and underneath the seat cushions are cleaned. Steam cleaning is an option as well.

Unfortunately, auto detailing doesn’t really cover car smoke in the headliner. This is because headliners are much more delicate than your typical vehicle carpeting or upholstery. Cleaning cigarette odors and shampooing usually destroy headliners, so it might be best to get a quote for a ceiling liner replacement.

Even with a full car detail, odors may remain, depending on the concentration level of smoke (i.e., how many and how often cigarettes were smoked inside the car).

Baking Soda

Baking soda can be used as an odor neutralizer for lots of things – that’s why people put an open box in their fridge – including inside litter boxes, trash cans, and smelly cars.

Sprinkle a lot of baking soda on your car’s upholstered and carpeted surfaces. Spread it out until it’s saturated everywhere. Let it sit, ideally overnight, then vacuum it up.

If you smoke inside your car for several years, repeat this process until the odors fade or the grocery store questions why you’ve bought up their entire supply of baking soda. (“For science projects.”)

Clean Floormats

Remove your floor mats and clean them outside with a brush, soap/shampoo, and hot water. Vinegar can also be used for tough, stubborn stains and smells. Let them dry au naturale.

Ozone-Treatment Car Deodorizers

Do car deodorizers work? In some instances, they can help.

You can try to leave a bag of unused coffee grinds in the car to soak up the smell. Fresh cinnamon sticks, citrus peels, or even vanilla may also help mask odors, but they won’t remove the smells.

Auto detailers have reportedly had good success with special car smoke deodorizers, like the Ozium odor eliminator, but only after a full detail. Either way, keep your expectations to a minimum.

Replace the Air Filter

When you visit your service center for your pre-sale inspection and maintenance, have them remove and replace your air filter. These filters can hold a lot of pollutants (and odors) and continue circling them through the cabin.

You can even spray a car smoke odor eliminator or deodorizer straight through your HVAC system. Find your HVAC intake, which is usually near where the windshield meets the hood, and turn the car engine on. Set your AC to recirculate cabin air. Spray the car smoke deodorizer straight into the HVAC intake. Keep the windows up and let the deodorizer do its thing. After a few minutes, the windows should be rolled down to air out the car.

If the car smoke smells are extra odorous, you may even want to ask if your auto service technicians are able to remove and replace the vent piping. It’s a difficult and time-consuming job, so request this only if necessary.

Should You Buy a Smoker’s Car?

Are you a nonsmoker who’s not opposed to buying a used BMW or vehicle that’s been smoked in? Since no one really wants a stinky car, you can get a great price on a smoker’s vehicle, but you’ll also have to deal with those odors and any potential health risks associated with third-hand smoke. Weigh the pros and cons well, and look out for these warning signs that the car’s been smoked in:

• Check the ashtray for burn marks or ash stains.
• Check the cigarette lighter (if there is one) for ash. Most people don’t attempt to clean these lighters before selling a vehicle.
• Get your nose in the fabric to see if there are any harsh chemicals or cigarette odors. Chemical or cleaning smells could be a little sus, so ask the seller what the deal is.
• Smell the air vents and be on the lookout for any musty, stale nicotine odors. Even with new filters and chemical flushes, old cigarette odors can cling to air conditioning and ventilation systems’ pipes.
• Peel back the driver-side floor mat and compare the colors underneath to the headliner and seats. If the headliner or seats are yellow-brown, and the carpet underneath the floormat is not discolored, that’s a good indication that the car has cigarette smoke stains.

At Braman BMW Miami, we have great alternatives to smokers’ cars. Check out our used BMW vehicles for sale in Miami or browse our selection of other luxury cars for sale at our South Florida used car lot. Give us a call at 786-235-9765  to schedule a test drive today!