The smell of cigarette smoke in a car is always unpleasant. It is sometimes very difficult to withdraw it, because it permeates almost all surfaces. To get rid of this trouble, it is necessary to do a thorough cleaning.
Initial cleaning
Remove the floor mats from the passenger compartment and clean them thoroughly. Rinse or at least vacuum them to remove dirt particles that could be a source of cigarette odor. Take out the ashtray and discard all of its contents. Rinse it, dry it, and then wipe it with tissue paper, after sprinkling it with some kind of freshener. Do not spray directly onto the ashtray, as it may be flammable. Open all doors of the car and thoroughly ventilate it, you can also use a special car air freshener for this. Replace the air filters if necessary. It is recommended to do this once a year or every 20,000 km.
Chemical cleaning
The most persistent smell of cigarette smoke can be found in: seat upholstery, seat belts and other fabric surfaces. To clean them, you must use special cleaners. For effective removal of odor from the seats, it is recommended to remove them from the passenger compartment first. This can be problematic, but this is the only way you can access hard-to-reach places. If the smell of cigarettes in the cabin is very strong, generously spray the air intakes with air freshener, this will help get rid of the stagnant smell. Finally, you can rinse the fabric surfaces thoroughly with upholstery car shampoo. Use a brush or rag when doing this.
Soda
If you don't want to use chemicals to remove unpleasant odors, you can use natural cleaners. For example, regular baking soda is a natural air freshener and is especially recommended for vehicles with a lot of fabric surfaces. It is very easy to use, just sprinkle baking soda on all odoriferous surfaces, then rub it with your hand or a brush. Leave the baking soda on the surface for about a day or more, the longer the baking soda is used, the stronger its cleansing properties will manifest. Then vacuum the interior of the car to completely remove any baking soda particles.
Water and vinegar
Another natural cleaning method is a mixture of water and vinegar. To prepare this solution, mix ¼ cup vinegar with 2 cups water. Pour it into a spray bottle and shake. Spray this mixture all over the vehicle interior by applying it directly to the surface. This solution gives a refreshing effect, but disappears quickly enough.
Activated carbon
Activated carbon can be used as a natural filter. Buy this substance in powder form, put it in a cup and leave it in the car for 1 - 2 days. During this time, coal will absorb all unpleasant odors. Instead of pure activated carbon, you can use products containing it, for example, some cat litter fillers.
