Any car owner will tell you that unless you are exceptionally careful over time your car is likely to develop an odor. The good news is often bad smells can be cleared up with only a little bit of time and work.
How to Get Rid of That Smell in Your Car?
Take Out the Trash
This may seem overly obvious but your first line of attack to root out bad auto smells is to simply take out the trash in your car. Don’t forget to check under your seats and check any of your door or chair pockets for any items that may have been stowed there. Lastly clean out your glovebox.
Once you are done cleaning out the interior clean out the trunk of your car as well. Once you are done take a moment to identify any stains that might be the source of the bad smell and need to be cleaned up as well.
You may need to do a thorough cleaning of the interior or have the car detailed. Be sure to check your car’s manual before you use any detergents that they will be safe to use on your car.
Attack the Smell
Baking soda and charcoal are great natural ways to not only cover up a smell, but to absorb what’s causing it. Ride a bag of either item in the car for a while to remove even very stubborn smells. It may be as simple as letting a box of baking soda sit in your car for an afternoon.
Cigarette smoke can get trapped in the a/c system, stinking up the car even after you’ve thoroughly cleaned the interior. Spray a deodorizer in the air intake valve under the hood, or get a professional to do it for you.
Persistent or Dangerous Smells
When it comes to persistent odors or potentially hazardous smells like gas, you should take your auto in to be looked at by an auto technician rather than attempt to remove the odor yourself. Do it quickly. If gas is leaking into your car, it could start a fire.
