What is that smell??? Here are some great tips on vehicle odor removal.

Posted in Car Wash Industry News, Detailing Tips, Interior Detailing Tags: Interior Detail, Odor Removal, Shampoo Carpets

5 Tips for Removing Smells from Your Car

In many ways, our vehicles are like pure extensions of our homes. For some of us who have especially long commutes to and from work, it is a place where we eat our breakfast, take our lunch breaks and even manage to eat dinner on the way to or from home. It is also where we sit after going for a run at the park or gym, transporting kids to and from school and transferring groceries from the supermarket to the refrigerator. Therefore, it is inevitable that, at some point, there will be a spill to clean up or an odor to eliminate. The following are some quick tips to help keep your car smelling (and looking) clean. After all, no one likes a stinky car- especially if you’re the one driving!

 

Quick Tips to Prevent and Eliminate Odor in Your Car:

1. Restrict Eating and Drinking- One of the easiest ways to prevent odors from hanging around your car is to avoid eating or drinking anything in your vehicle (except for water). Most smells in cars tend to come from spilled food or beverages. If you do decide to eat in your car, make sure that you are careful not to drop anything, and always dispose of all trash in the proper receptacle outside of your vehicle. Leaving empty or partially filled bags of food in your car is a surefire way to add to the lingering ‘bouquet’.
2. Avoid Smoking- Smoking is one of the number one smells that not only lingers- but it can be extremely difficult to get rid of the smell. If you are a smoker, try to avoid smoking while in your car. If you notice a smell in your vehicle, try leaving the windows cracked a bit, and be sure to invest in some car upholstery cleaner or car shampoo to help get rid of the deep seated smell.
3. Use Seat Covers- Whether you are hopping in the car a run or a round at the gym, using seat covers that are waterproof/sweatproof is a great way to keep your vehicle smelling fresh. If you do know that you’re going for a run, however, you should take care to bring an extra pair of shorts and a t-shirt with you so that you can quickly change into some dry clothes post-run-particularly if you have to drive longer than 10-15 minutes to get home. Seat covers also come in handy for those of us who have pets. More than anything, seat covers act as a barrier between your vehicle’s upholstery and your pet’s fur/hair getting all over the seat.
4. Air the Car Out- Nothing works quite as well as simply rolling down the windows of your car and letting it air out naturally. If you’ve just worked at removing a particularly offensive stain or odor, you may want to leave a small bowl of vinegar and water in the area of the car where the accident took place. Another option is to leave an open container of baking soda in the car. In addition to this, there are any number of commercial car air fresheners out there. However, it should be noted that most commercial car air fresheners simply work to mask the odor rather than eliminate it.
5. Professional Detailing- If, after trying everything else, you still have an odor in your vehicle, you may want to consider taking your car in to have it professionally detailed.

Removing unpleasant or lingering odors from a car are not as easy. Car interiors typically have porous upholstery. Combine this with the fact that you are in an enclosed space, and you’ve suddenly got the perfect environment for unpleasant scents to thrive. Therefore, take care to prevent as much of the odor-causing problems as possible. It’ll be much easier for you in the long run!
About the Author: Jenna is a content writer for National Transport, one of the United States’ leading auto transport companies. You can also visit them on Facebook.

(from: http://autodetailingblog.thesocalway.com/car-odor-removal/)