How to Remove Smells from Car Upholstery
If you have just purchased a second-hand car to discover it has an unpleasant smoke, ‘wet dog’ or mould smell, it may affect your driving experience. Other times, unwanted odours can creep up on you, from a forgotten fast food wrapper to a sweaty sports kit. To keep your car in tip-top condition, hold its resale value and for an all-round pleasant driving experience, you will need an odour free vehicle.
Here are our top 5 tips on how to remove unpleasant smells and keep your car smelling fresh.
Professional Valeting Service
The easiest way to remove unwanted odours from your vehicle is to hire a professional. An expert automotive detailer can perform a full clean on the interior of your car. A professional can focus on the upholstery, as this is the area most likely to harbour odours.
The professional detailer will remove the specific odour with specialist products, from smoke smells to mould and ‘wet dog’.
While hiring a professional to deodorise your car is the easiest option, it is also the most expensive. The alternative to hiring a professional is to tackle the odour yourself.
Here are some DIY alternatives that won’t break the bank:
Baking Soda
Baking soda, or bicarbonate of soda is inexpensive and available in most supermarkets, baking soda has many cleaning benefits, including removing odours. Place a bowl of baking soda in the car overnight, the baking soda should work to absorb any unpleasant smells.
Tip: Remember to remove the bowl before driving away to avoid a spillage.
Tumble Dryer Sheets
Tumble dryer sheets are widely available in supermarkets and cleaning stores, costing around £1-£2 a pack. Place a few sheets in the pockets of the seats and doors to improve the smell of the car.
White Vinegar
White vinegar has a strong harsh smell; however, it is ideal for removing bad odours. Leave a small cup of white vinegar in the car overnight. The vinegar will absorb strong odours during its evaporation process. If you can locate the smell to one area, such as the passenger seat, you can use diluted vinegar and water to remove the smell with a wet cloth.
Tip: never use neat vinegar on the interior of your car, as it has a very strong potent smell.
Air Fresheners
You can’t go wrong with a good old-fashioned car air freshener, available from most supermarkets and auto shops. Air fresheners are usually inexpensive, starting from around £1. If you are looking for a quick temporary fix to an unwanted car smell, air fresheners are a good option. However, a car air freshener will likely only mask the smell, not permanently remove it.
How To Get Rid of Dog Smell in Car
Whether you are taking a long road trip, heading to the beach, nearby forest or just fancy a drive into town, there is nothing better than taking your furry friend with you. Having the freedom to explore your surroundings and be out and about together is just one of the perks of being a devoted pet owner. However, as we all know, these wonderful adventures may come at a small price: the smell of your car.
As much as we adore our dogs, it’s safe to say their odour at times isn’t always the most pleasant. No need to panic though, ChipsAway have put together a simple guide on how to obliterate those nasty smells. So, you can continue your car journeys with your dog but in a fresh smelling car.
Remove Car Odour with Fresh Air
First things first, the odour may seem worse if it’s contained in the vehicle with no fresh air circulating. As simple as it sounds, unwind all the windows in the car and take a drive. A fresh breeze from different directions may be all it takes to lift the odour and freshen up your car. Try this first and see how you get on, if the smell is still there, no problem, just keep on reading.
Removing Dog Smell from Car Upholstery
Car seats and upholstery are the worst culprits for having the scent embedded deep into the material, these may take a little longer to clean, however with the correct products it won’t be too difficult. Start off by giving everything a good vacuum to remove loose dirt and dog hair.
If you are looking to remove other odours such as smoke from your car upholstery, we have a full guide here.
Now time to clean. It’s wise to use a product that contains a bio-enzyme formula. Bio-enzyme products eliminate odours and digest dirt using natural bugs, once all of the mess has disappeared, the bugs that remove the dirt and smell will die off, leaving just water and carbon dioxide that will eliminate the smell entirely- just ensure you get the correct ratio of product to water. Please note these products are completely animal friendly and pose no threat or harm to your pooches. Using this product, scrub all of the seats and upholstery, once complete, open all of the doors to allow fresh air into the car, this will help dry it quicker. Return in a few hours and the smell is gone.
Using Bio enzyme products is a great way to remove odours completely, however there are alternative ways to get your car smelling gorgeous again without using any products, just natural ingredients:
Baking Soda to Remove Dog Smell
Why not try baking soda! Baking soda has a great reputation for absorbing unwanted odours without adding any of its own. All you need for this is baking soda and a bowl, it’s really that easy.
- Simply place ¼ cup of baking soda into your bowl and find a place to pop it in your car- try and find a central region.
- Ensure it is in a stable place, somewhere where it won’t spill over! A good place could be in the middle of the dashboard.
- All you have to do now is sit back and relax, leave the bowl inside the car undisturbed overnight and let it work its magic.
Over the course of the night, all the nasty odours will slowly absorb into the baking soda. Once you are up and ready to drive the next day, just remove the bowl and throw the baking soda away. Please note for extremely stubborn, strong-smelling dog odours you may have to leave the soda a couple of nights for all odours to be removed.
If you have tried all of these methods and the dog car odour remains, then you could call a professional valeter. These professionals use super strong products that will work on tough stubborn odours. To prevent future odours, it’s a good idea to use an old blanket for your pets to sit on whilst on the journey. You can then easily remove this and put it in the washing machine. This will help keep your car smelling fresher for longer. Other top tips include driving with the windows down if possible and investing in a good quality air freshener.
Supagard Fabric Protection
Supagard offer a professional internal protector, which protects the interior of your car from spills, mud, dirt and mucky pets! When professionally applied by a ChipsAway technician, each fibre of the seats and carpets are coated with a resin-based formula, which eases the removal of interior dirt and spillages. The Supagard protection prevents staining on the interior of your car, whilst also preserving the texture and appearance of the material.
How to Prevent Car Smells Reoccurring
Now you have removed the unwanted smell from your car, you want to keep it smelling fresh all year round. Investing in low cost items such as seat covers and air fresheners will work to prevent car smells reoccurring.
Here are our top tips for keeping your car clean.
- Car Seat Covers
Invest in seat covers for the front and rear bench of the vehicle. Seat covers a cost-effective purchase, as they will protect your seats from smells, stains and muddy paw prints!
- Car Air Fresheners
Keep a supply of car air fresheners in your glovebox, so you are ready if an unwanted smell strikes!
- Regular Car Cleaning
Regularly clean the interior of your vehicle to stop smells building up. Here are our top tips on how to valet your car at home.
- Avoid Smoking in the Car
If you are a smoker, avoid smoking in the car – even with the windows open. Smoking in a car can allow toxins to soak into the seats and other upholstery, making the smell hard to remove.
Cars that have an unpleasant smell are less enjoyable to drive – fact. Your car should be a place you feel comfortable and a nasty odour can make the car feel dirty and uncomfortable. Rather than dreading the thought of getting in the car, its best to remove the bad odour. Whether you hire a professional or decide to tackle the car odours yourself, removing the smell will benefit yourself and the resale value.
