Five most effective ways to remove cigarette smell from cars

To experience a more relaxing drive or trip, your car’s cabin should remain comfortable and fresh. However, keeping the cabin pristine could be a challenge when the driver or its occupants engage in some habits or vices, which include smoking tobacco or cigarettes.

Now, if you think your car needs to be refreshed but don’t know what to do to get rid of the smell of cigarette, here are some tips that you could use.

1. Get rid of the source of the smell

Ash trays are the most common bins for cigarette ashes and butts. It is important to always empty and clean this source to make sure that the smell won’t spread to the rest of the cabin.

However, there are occupants who dispose of their cigarette ashes and butts on the cup holders, so you might want to check these areas too. In addition, the floor mats and carpets as well as the seat cushions might be littered with ashes. You can use a vacuum cleaner for these places.

2. Sprinkle some baking soda

Aside from just using a vacuum to suck out cigarette ashes and butts, you might want to sprinkle some baking soda or any powdered smell remover on the soft surfaces of your car.

Leave them for several hours to allow them to properly cleanse and remove the unwanted cigarette odors on the seat cushions, carpets and other soft surfaces. Then, use the vacuum cleaner to remove the baking soda or the powdered smell remover.

3. Car shampoo

Cigarette ashes and smell could also stick on hard surfaces inside the car. In this case, you could use a car shampoo or related cleaning materials to clean the hard surfaces in the cabin.

However, be mindful that some chemical cleaners could cause unwanted reactions when used on some hard materials in the cabin. For a more natural solution, you could use vinegar or just water to clean the hard surfaces in your car.

4. Ventilation system

The ventilation system of your car could be checked and cleaned to further freshen up your ride. Check the air filter on the system and make sure that it remains clean. But if the air filter has become dirty, it would be advisable to replace it.

5. Deodorizing agents

Use effective deodorizing agents to make sure your car stays fresh even though you haven’t cleaned it. Commercial air fresheners are easy to get access to as well as use. However, you can also use other deodorizing agents to ensure a fresh ride.

These agents include charcoal, coffee grounds, cinnamon sticks, cat litter and citrus peels. There is also the ever reliable vinegar – you can pour white vinegar into a cup and place it on the holder. You might also want to use fabric fresheners for your car seats.