How to Remove Cigarette Smell from Car


The odor of cigarettes can be very unpleasant and also quite difficult to remove, because tobacco consists of a number of chemicals. It can also be a source of irritant for people suffering from asthma and respiratory infections. Removing cigarette smell from cars can be a bit tricky as air fresheners only help in masking the smell and does not eliminate them completely.

Steps for Removing Cigarette Smell from Car

These are some ways by which you can remove cigarette smell from car.

  • Clean the Car Interiors: The first thing you do when you set about removing cigarette smell from car is to clean the car interiors thoroughly. Throw out cigarette butts, and sweep the floor of the car. Remove ash and if possible vacuum the interiors with a small hand held vacuum cleaner. Scrub everything with a strong household disinfecting cleaner.
  • Leave a Bowl of Vinegar: Pour some white vinegar in a small bowl and place it inside the car and keep it overnight. If the smoky odor does not go in the morning, you will need to repeat this procedure for a few more days.
  • Place a Bowl of Charcoal: Place some containers that have charcoal in them, open to the air inside your vehicle overnight. It will take about a week, for the charcoal to effectively absorb the smoke odor from the interior of the car. This method is sure to remove cigarette smells and result in an improvement in the odor of the car.
  • Place a Piece of Cut Apple: Another good idea to remove cigarette smell from car is to keep a piece of cut apple inside the car and let it sit until it shrivels up. The apple will absorb all the smoky odor from the interiors of the car.
  • Place Ground Coffee Beans: Coarsely ground coffee beans is another ingredient that can help in absorbing the odor of cigarette smoke. You can take some used coffee beans and place them inside small fabric pouches and leave them in the car. Your vehicle will smell as good as new after a few days.
  • Leave a Cup of Ammonia: You can also place a cup of ammonia inside the car overnight for a week or so to get rid of smoke odor from cigarettes.
  • Sprinkle Baking Powder: Sprinkle baking soda on your car seats and carpet and leave it overnight. Next day vacuum the carpet as well as the seats. This will significantly remove the odor and eliminate all traces of cigarette odor.
  • Place Vanilla Extract: An expensive way to remove cigarette smell is to use vanilla extract. Remove the vanilla from the bean by splitting in half lengthwise and apply it on a cotton ball. Place this inside the car to get rid of any smoky smell. Do not use synthetic vanilla essence as it is not useful in removing cigarette smell.
  • Place Cat Litter: You might find the next solution a little odd, but it works. Place cat litter in a pie pan and leave it inside the car for a week to get rid of the odor of cigarettes.
  • Use Mixture of Applesauce and Cinnamon: Combine some apple sauce with ground cinnamon and mix them together until you have a really thick paste. It will take about cup apple sauce and cup cinnamon powder. Put it in an empty plastic container and place it under the seat of your car.
Some preventive measures should be taken so that you do not suffer from this problem again. Refrain from smoking inside the car, and even if you do so, roll down the windows. Remember to use an astray and avoid flinging cigarette ash all over the interiors of the car. Since it is pretty difficult and time-consuming to remove cigarette smell from a car, the best option is to make a rule to refrain from smoking inside the car.

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