If You’re in an Auto Detailing Career, Here’s How to Get Rid of the Smell of Smoke in a Vehicle

The smell of cigarette smoke is very difficult to remove from a vehicle since it can remain within its upholstery for long periods of time. This issue sometimes arises in the purchase of used cars, where previous owners may have been smokers. While the smell of smoke tends to linger, using the correct tools and techniques to treat the vehicle can resolve the issue.

Once you begin an auto detailing career, you will learn how to effectively rid a car of lingering odours, including that of smoke, ensuring it looks and smells good as new. Read on for a brief guide.

Air Out The Vehicle As Much As Possible

Having the necessary equipment on hand to effectively complete the job is the first step. An auto detailing garage will have everything you need, including glass and interior cleaner, a vacuum, disinfectant spray, and microfibre towels. You’ll also need odour eliminator and a steam cleaner. Once you have all the necessary tools at your disposal, you’ll need to air the vehicle out. Roll down the windows and empty the car to make the cleaning process easier. If there are ashes or cigarette butts still present, remove them quickly to eliminate the source of the lingering odour problem.

Wipe Down All Surfaces and Vacuum Thoroughly

Those in an auto detailing career know that all surfaces will need to be thoroughly wiped and cleaned using a microfibre cloth. This includes the windows, the windshield, the dashboard, and the steering wheel. It’s important to replace the cloth often, as it will get dirty quickly.

Next, vacuum the car’s upholstery. Make sure you’ve removed parts like seat covers and floor mats in order to get as much of the vehicle vacuumed as possible. Depending on the odour’s strength, you may also need to deep-clean the car’s upholstery–such as the seats and carpets–using a steamer, an upholstery cleaner and a brush.

Auto Detailing Pros Know Not to Overlook The Vents

During your career, you will learn that odours, including those from cigarette smoke, tend to linger in a car’s air conditioning and heating system. That’s why you’ll want to make sure to air out the car’s duct systems. This can be done by turning the air conditioning on and setting it to its coolest temperature, ensuring the fan is on full blast. This is when you’ll typically use an odour eliminator, spraying it directly into the intake system’s ventilator, in order to minimize the odour released by the air conditioning unit.

After the air vents have been cleaned, replace the air filters so that the vents no longer emit lingering smoke odours. At this point in the process, professionals who have completed auto detailing training will treat the heating system as well–a step that tends to be overlooked by car owners trying to get rid of the odour themselves. To test the heating system, turn it up to its highest setting and spray the odour eliminator into the vents. With long-term measures such as these, you can ensure that the smell of smoke will be permanently removed.

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