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How to Eliminate Car Odors

Author: Lauren SwiftByLauren Swift
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How to Eliminate Car Odors

So much life happens in our cars. Commuting, errands, road trips, kid-chauffeuring, pet-chauffeuring, hard conversations, silly conversations, getting to and from big life events — it’s not so surprising that vehicles don’t hold onto that factory-fresh smell for long.

Smells can come from all kinds of sources, including food, drinks, mold, smoke, pet hair, and biological fluids. You can hang a pine tree air freshener from your mirror or clip fresh linen scents to your air vents to try to mask these smells, but they won’t fix the source. If you truly want to eliminate the odors of life from your car, you need to either have the vehicle professionally detailed or summon a little elbow grease.

But don’t worry: These tips can help you clear the air and get back to enjoying the drive.

causes of car odors
Graphic: Lauren Swift

Car Odor Elimination Instructions and Tips

Odor elimination should always start with a deep clean. In extreme circumstances such as flooding or rodent infestation, the source of the odor can be hidden. Removing the seats, trim panels, and carpet is necessary to ensure the safety of the car and the passengers. A thorough cleaning is often enough to treat the source of the smell. Use odor elimination products and equipment only after deep-cleaning all interior surfaces.

How to Eliminate Car Odors in 11 Steps

Deep clean first, then treat the smell. For best results, complete each step in order.

Phase 1: Clean the fabrics

  1. VacuumRemove loose dirt and debris from the carpet, floor mats, and seats.
  2. Brush and vacuum againLoosen embedded dirt with a drill brush and vacuum again.
  3. Apply fabric cleanerTreat the carpet, floor mats, and cloth upholstery.
  4. Agitate and waitWork the cleaner in with brushes and let it sit for a few minutes.
  5. ExtractRemove the cleaner with a hot water extractor.

Phase 2: Steam and dry

  1. Steam cleanHit the door panels, dashboard, headliner, leather seats, and tight spots.
  2. Dry it outUse a high-CFM air mover to prevent moisture buildup.

Phase 3: Finish and protect

  1. Clean the glassUse a dedicated glass cleaner or diluted isopropyl alcohol.
  2. Protect surfacesApply UV protectant to plastic, vinyl, and leather.
  3. Replace the cabin air filterA fresh filter keeps trapped odors from recirculating.

Phase 4: Eliminate the odor

  1. Treat the smellUse your chosen odor eliminator, such as baking soda, a fogger, or an HVAC cleaner, and follow the manufacturer’s instructions.

Pro tip: Air fresheners only mask odors. Remove the source first, or the smell will come back.

Graphic: Tawana Campbell

Sometimes the source of the foul smell isn’t actually inside the car. It could be coming from the car’s undercarriage or the engine compartment. Running over something on the road can deposit something odorous in the wheel well. Foul odors can linger there, especially if the fender liners are fabric.

Steam cleaning the engine is a safe and effective way to eliminate foul odors at the source. Vapor steamers can reach tight places that brushes cannot. Plus, high-temperature steam helps neutralize bad smells. Since the fresh air intake for a car’s cabin is located next to or inside the engine compartment, keeping the engine clean can help keep the interior odor-free.

MORE: Should I Clean My Car Before Trading or Selling It?

Is Professional Odor Elimination Worth It?

Suppose your car hasn’t been cleaned in a few years or has significant contamination from an unfortunate accident. In that case, it’s probably best to enlist the services of a professional car detailer. The cost to detail your car is a fraction of the cost of purchasing a commercial-grade vapor steam cleaner and hot water extractor.

An interior car detail will usually cost $100-$300 (potentially more for very large vehicles or cars with more serious issues). A professional detail is usually a better financial decision than buying $1,500 worth of car detailing equipment. A vehicle owner also needs to factor in the time and knowledge required to operate the equipment safely and if they’re comfortable with any potential damage that could occur during cleaning.

If you’re just dealing with a simple stain or two, definitely DIY; if you’re dealing with a smell that you can’t locate the source of, or one that’s just too extensive for you to handle with basic equipment, definitely consider calling a professional.

RELATED: Clean Your Car Interior at Home like a Pro

Tips for Preventing Car Odors

The first step to preventing car odors is to limit your exposure risk to the leading causes. For example, switch to a spillproof mug for your morning coffee. You can vacuum the interior more frequently to minimize pet hair buildup. Small amounts of preventative work can go a long way to keeping your car’s interior odor-free. On the other hand, some less common sources of odors are harder to anticipate or prevent, such as a passenger vomiting from motion sickness or floodwater entering the interior.

  • Regularly replace cabin air filters: In general, replace them every 12 to 24 months or 15,000 to 30,000 miles to keep the interior smelling fresh. Regularly replacing the filters reduces stress on the HVAC components caused by restricted airflow and increased back pressure.
  • Minimize eating and drinking: Limiting these is one of the easiest ways to keep a car’s interior odor-free. If spills occur, use a towel to blot the excess moisture immediately. Then vacuum the affected area as soon as possible. Using an insulated bag or cooler for groceries or takeout helps keep your car odor-free and maintains the freshness of the transported food.
  • No smoking: Avoiding smoking in a car should be relatively easy on short trips and wholly avoided if possible. If smoking inside the car is unavoidable, ensure that the window next to the smoker is slightly open and turn off the HVAC. The open window helps expel the smoke faster. Keeping the fumes out of the HVAC means one fewer section to deep-clean during an odor-elimination detail.
  • Minimize pet hair: Frequent pet grooming is the first step. Removing loose hair with a brush before transporting pets will significantly reduce the amount of hair that accumulates inside a car, truck, or SUV. Use a blanket or pet hammock to cover the upholstery and carpet. A waterproof pet hammock helps contain hair and any potential accidents. Vacuuming the car’s interior monthly is a good routine if you transport pets regularly. Cars smell nicer with frequent vacuuming. And the practice prevents you or a car detailer from spending hours removing months or years of pet hair in one cleaning session.
  • Prevent excessive moisture: Moisture can lead to mold and mildew, which can lead to even bigger health problems than a bad smell. Preventing excessive moisture can be as simple as not turning the car off when condensation is on the windows, or turning off the AC a few minutes before turning off the car, which allows air to continue flowing through the vents to help dry them out. Rubber floor mats can minimize excessive moisture buildup and are essential for anyone living in an area with frequent snowfall. Desiccants can help remove dampness from vehicles lacking climate-controlled space.
  • Avoid biohazards: Accidents happen. Vomit, blood, urine, feces, and spit-up can be hard to clean and are health hazards. Anything that comes from inside a human, pet, rodent, or insect requires caution when cleaning. Rodent urine and droppings can be deadly, and removing all traces can be expensive and involve disassembling the car’s interior. Spilled food and drink are notorious for attracting unwanted pests. You can kill two birds with one stone by not regularly eating or drinking in the car.

When it comes to car odors, a little prevention can go a long way. Regular vacuuming, removing trash immediately, and tending to any spills right away will help prevent odors from setting in and will keep you and your passengers in delightfully neutral nasal territory.

Editor’s Note: We have updated this article since its initial publication. Trevor Spedden contributed to the report.

FAQ

  • How do ozone generators work?

    Ozone generators work by splitting oxygen (O2) molecules and allowing them to bond to other oxygen molecules to create ozone (O3). Oxygen molecules can be split using electricity to complete a process known as silent corona discharge. Another method for generating ozone involves using ultraviolet radiation generated from UV lights to split the oxygen molecules.

  • Do car odor foggers work?

    Yes. Odor foggers are very effective at removing stubborn smells from a car. The fog can reach into all interior crevices and circulate through the HVAC system for maximum cleaning power. After the odor fogger has had time to fight the foul odors trapped inside the car, using an air mover will help minimize the scent left behind.

  • How to remove smoke from a car?

    Removing smoke from a car isn’t easy and requires extensive cleaning before using a dedicated smoke removal product. Steam cleaning the headliner and any touchpoints such as the steering wheel, shifter, seatbelt, door handles, etc., is a must to remove the smoke residue. After all applicable surfaces have been steam cleaned, it’s time to use the hot water extractor on the carpet, fabric floor mats, and cloth upholstery.

    After the interior has been thoroughly cleaned, it should start to smell a lot fresher. The problem with removing smoke odor from a car is that the residue often makes its way into areas that can’t easily be cleaned, like the HVAC vents and the foam of the headliner. Deep cleaning the moisture-sensitive and unreachable areas is where smoke odor elimination products come into the equation. After using a smoke odor eliminator, the car’s interior needs to be aired out before it’s safe to drive.

  • How to remove car AC odors?

    Some different odor elimination products are designed to clean a car’s air conditioner system. Foaming cleaners are designed to deep clean the AC evaporator and often require the removal of the blower motor to gain access. Sprayable cleaners can be applied directly to the vents to clean the air ducts. The third type of product designed to eliminate AC odors is a fogger intended to be used while the AC is set to the coldest temperature on recirculate.

    No matter which method of AC odor elimination is utilized, the cabin air filter should be changed. All the cleaning in the world won’t make the AC smell better if it’s pushing clean air through a dirty cabin air filter. Some cabin air filters are constructed using charcoal which helps to keep the car odor-free better than some less expensive filters.

  • Are ozone machines safe?

    Ozone machines pose a greater safety risk to humans and cars than other odor removal methods. People or pets should never be in close proximity to an ozone generator, and the amount of time the machine runs should be carefully calculated. Smaller ozone generators may need to operate for an hour or two inside a car, while large ozone generators might achieve the same results in a matter of minutes. One important thing to consider is that extended and repeated use of an ozone generator can degrade the materials inside a car.

Author: Lauren Swift

Lauren Swift

Lauren Swift is Senior Editor with Autotrader’s Digital Operations team, where she creates multimedia automotive content. Prior to her current role, she was a contributing writer and editor for national publications including U.S. News & World Report, USA Today Blueprint, and Consumer Affairs. Lauren began her career as a freelance writer and editor. She then transitioned into a role as a… Read more about Lauren Swift

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