There are lots of reasons why a car’s interior smells bad, and it may not be your fault. It is possible that the car’s engine has a problem, and a mechanical failure can sometimes mean that a nasty smell is drifting through into your seats. If you suspect that there may be something wrong, you obviously need to take it to the garage and get it looked at immediately!
Other more common reasons for a smelly car interior is from cigarette smoke, or even messy children who like to throw their cola drink around in the back. However, no matter what the cause of the smell, there is an easy way to get rid of it!
For the ultimate cleaning tips to help you eliminate the bad smells from your cars interior, read on and find out how…
Always vacuum the interior as often as possible
Nasty smells occur when they get trapped in the fabric of your car seats, so the best way to prevent any lingering smells is to vacuum your car as often as possible – including the floor carpets.
Vacuuming the interior is also essential if you have children in the back seats quite often. It goes without saying that children are very messy creatures, and food and drink will easily get spilled all over the place. All of this mess will begin to build up and get trapped in your fabric, so a good vacuum now and again will help to prevent any smells from building up.
Pets are also a popular reason for car interiors producing a bad smell. Even more so than children! So consider vacuuming at least once a week, and use mats or covers for your pet to sit on to make it much easier to clean away any hairs.
The most effective way to use your vacuum is with a special upholstery attachment. This will help ensure you get into all the nooks and crannies, and in between the lines of the seats, and underneath them. Don’t also forget to vacuum the boot and all your foot wells and car mats.
Getting rid of that cigarette smell
Cigarette smoke is by far the most common reason for a cars interior to smell bad. Smoke literally gets everywhere, and there’s no stopping it! However, there is an easy way to eliminate the smell of smoke, and to also prevent it in future.
Start by spraying air freshener on your seats and foot wells. Another great way of clearing out the smell is to open the cars bonnet and spray the air freshener through your intake valve. This should help to remove the smoky smell from your system.
An even more effective way of getting rid of the smell of smoke is to use baking soda. Pour a small amount of baking soda into the ashtray, and this will help eradicate the smell straight from the source.
Baking soda is also great for sprinkling over your fabric seats and carpet foot wells if anything has been spilt. The baking soda absorbs nasty odours, and then you can vacuum it away once you’re happy it’s done the job.
Use charcoal to absorb nasty odours
You may be surprised to hear that charcoal is a fantastic substance for absorbing horrible smells. For this very reason you will often find that charcoal is utilised in various types of air and water filters.
All you need to do is place a reasonable amount of charcoal in the car, and leave it there for a few days. The charcoal will absorb lots of nasty odours and help restore your cars interior back to a nice neutral smell.
Consider a professional valet
If our top tips don’t completely remove any nasty smells, or you would rather just let the professionals sort it out; then take it to your local valet to have it professional cleaned.
Although it may prove a little expensive (depending on your car), it may be the last line of defense against these nasty odours. Sometimes, no matter how hard you try, you may not be able to get rid of the smell. So a professional clean may be the only solution.
These professional car cleaners know all the tricks of the trade and removing any stains or spillages, as well as the bad smells that accompany them. They will also be happy to put in the elbow work required to scrub them away.
Above all else, always try and keep on top of cleaning the car – inside and out. Don’t be afraid to get into a routine that you can easily stick to; otherwise you might find your car goes beyond help and may end up having that nasty smell for the rest of its life…