How to Get the Smelliest of Smells Out of Your Car

This post is part of a sponsored automotive series. All opinions are mine. 

We spend a lot of time in our vehicles. Some of us more than others, but in either case, when you’re traveling in your vehicle you want it to feel comfortable and smell comfortable. So let’s say you have kids sports odors hanging out in their, or maybe an old vomit situation that won’t fly the coup, the list can go on and on. If you’ve got car smells that you want to get rid of, this New York Nissan dealer talked about the best ways to tackle those odors!

Investigate. Don’t know where the smell is coming from? It’s time to start searching. You can purchase air fresheners all day, but if you have a lingering cause of the odor then you want to start with that first. Look under the seats, between the seats, even under the floor mats. Something as small as spilled milk, rotten fruit, and other items like this can create some awful smells without ever being seen.

Baking Soda. This is one cure that seems to work for carpets, upholstery, and everything else. Just sprinkle baking soda on the odor-filled areas wherever they might be. Let it sit for a few hours, long enough to absorb the bad smell. Then vacuum up the baking soda and voila! A cheap and easy fix worth trying first.

Charcoal. Apparently charcoal is another great way to get odors absorbed. You can simply place a few coals in your vehicle for a few days to allow them to do their duty! Once a few days have passed, remove the charcoal and toss them. If you notice a difference but not a full removal of smell, try a few new pieces and give it a second round.

Steam Clean or Wet Vac. I’ve used this trick myself for stubborn stains and smells, using a steam cleaner or wet vac can help to get out extra dirt or bacteria that is trapped in the carpet or upholstery.

Vinegar. If you don’t mind the smell of vinegar more than you mind the actual smell itself, then consider rubbing any stains or vomit areas down with a 1:1 vinegar/water mixture. It will help to eliminate smells just like baking soda would.

Tips for addressing concerns when they happen:

1. Clean up a spill or incident the moment it happens. If you can’t address it immediately, do the best you can at the time. Then when you get home, scrape up what’s dry and then re-wet the area to clean it thoroughly with a wet-vac or water and vinegar mixture.
2. Keep a garbage bag in your vehicle to collect trash as it happens. This way it doesn’t get tossed aside or buried under the seat or trapped under other items.
3. Keep wet wipes in your vehicle to clean up messes at they happen as well. It’s very for helpful for spills of any sort.

Obviously it’s easier to prevent messes from happening than address them later. But of course there are going to be times when you can’t and that’s when being prepared can help save you some serious smells later. I hope these tips help clean up the current smells your vehicle has, and at the same time prevent future odors from lurking!

Til next time,
Sarah