Saab 92 Forum : Saab92x.com / Smoke smell

dotmaster206 · 2012-04-09 22:59:40

So, my car smelled like a smoker's car a little bit because, well, it was a smoker's car. I don't think he smoked in it because its not terrible, but probably often smoked and then got in it. So it smelled like smoke.

I read about all the remedies from leaving cut apples in there to baking soda to vinegar to an $800 ozone generator. I opted for vinegar as I had some on hand and requires no cleanup.

I left a glass casserole pan in there overnight with a nice layer of vinegar in it last night.

This morning, I walked out to my car to take out the pan and see what it smelled like.

Guess what? IT SMELLED LIKE VINEGAR.

Holy shit it smelled like vinegar.

The vinegar did seem to have absorbed some stuff as there was a rainbow-y oily sheen on the top of it.

I couldn't leave my windows down all day at work because there were rain showers predicted. I left them cracked. It didn't help much.

Did I do it wrong? Was I pranked? "Hey! You should leave open vinegar in your car over night to FIX the bad smell in it hahahah"

Is it like that? Is it gonna go away? It makes my throat hurt when I sit in it. sadbanana

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-B- · 2012-04-09 23:25:32

air it out. Get a can of coffee and stick it in there opened, it will help absorb some of the vinegar smell. Cleaning is the best solution. Using an extractor on the carpet and the seats if cloth. Wipe the entire interior (door panels, dash and all plastic trim) down with a wet soapy towel or cleaning wipes, same with leather seats. Scrub the headliner with a damp clean towel. Run the A/C on recirculate and spray Lysol or Febreeze steadily into the passenger footwell towards the front and let the product get through the system (it will start coming out the vents). After that run the fresh air vent and spray in the outside vent near the windshield wipers so the product gets through the system that way. After all that Febreeze the carpet, seats and headliner and put some dryer sheets under your seats. If it still stinks after that find a detail shop with an ozone machine. If you don't clean it though the ozone wont work as well.

anaya661 · 2012-04-10 02:21:54

I can't imagine the poisonous/fresh/vinegar/coffee funk concoction that will permeate your interior if this doesn't work! Good luck hope it works out for ya smile

mcalistr · 2012-04-10 07:28:36

Febreeze the crap out of it big_smile

Linear Man · 2012-04-10 07:52:34

The vinegar should air out fairly soon, but if the smoke smell is still there, I think -B- is on the right track as far as cleaning the heck out of it. checkmark

I have an inherited '01 Corolla in my driveway that I need to do something like this inside as well. I am going to sell it, but want the smell gone before I do.

Augie · 2012-04-10 11:17:15

The reason vinegar works to break down the smell is that it is doing exactly that, breaking it down. The smells(as I understand) are because of Proteins, Vinegar is a weak acid and breaks down the protein. I have a dog that rides in the car with me often, but I keep a old Windex bottle filled with strait vinegar around. Spray lightly over the upholstery and let sit over night, yes in the AM it will smell like vinegar, but over time(a day or so( that goes away and the smell is lessened or gone. I do this every time I clean the car out(every couple of weeks) =and the car smells great, Use it in the house too and you don't know I have a dog but for the toys laying around.

It will take some time but you will see results with vinegar.

dotmaster206 · 2012-04-10 17:57:38

Let the car air out today. It is indeed much better. Only a slight smell of vinegar. It's hard to tell whether the smoke smell is gone or not because I think I had started to get used to it. I'll have to get a second opinion. I think it may have actually worked though. Panic mode over.

riser39 · 2012-04-11 11:09:42

dotmaster206 wrote:
.

Guess what? IT SMELLED LIKE VINEGAR.

Holy shit it smelled like vinegar.

:

I'm happy to hear that it's working out, but i almost spit oatmeal all over my monitor when i read that. Thanks for the laugh.

Mrmulletmania · 2012-04-12 13:02:28

Try one of those O-zone machines, we used that to clear the smoke smell out of my grandpas house after he died. It worked pretty well after about a week.