Removing Cigarette Smell

[benzo]

I just got a ~2yr old E320cdi. It still smells of cigarettes from the previous owner even though it was given a full valet by Mercedes before I received it. Is there anything I can try to get rid of this smell permanently? As a non-smoker it is highly irritating.

Also can anyone recommend good cleaning /maintenance products for the (nappa) leather upholstery?

Thirdly, it has blue metallic paint. I plan to wash it myself for now (the "new car" effect will probably wear off for me in a few months). I use a foam pad and leather to wash and dry my other car respectively, is this OK or are there any more ideal materials to use? I recently saw a pack of "soft microfibre cloths" at my local costco -don't know if these are any good for the exterior - concerned about scratching the car. Replies thankfully awaited...

 

[Mounis]

"New Car Scent" Magic Tree???

Try the blue coloured 'New Car Scent' magic tree - My car smelt of smoke too to begin with and I popped in two new ones and although the smell of these was overpowering to begin with it soon neutralised the odour...
Alternatively, steam clean all of the carpets and roof - that normally works.

(DONT STEAM ANY LEATHER/VINYL DASH ARMRESTS DOORCARDS ETC AS THEY WILL NOT BE ABLE TO WITHSTAND THE HEAT!!)

 

[MercAl]

My better half bought a load of 'Meguiars' washing and drying materials. I'd never heard of it, but apparently it's one of the better quality materials. She got the micro fibre mit for washing, which allegedlley can't trap stones or grit like a sponge. It's excellent, although at £8.00, I would have been happy enough to take my chances with a sponge! She also got the microfibre drying cloth, which she swears by, but I'm afraid I prefer a chamois. It's fine when the cloth is bone dry, but the wetter it gets then the less effective it becomes, (IMHO). Personally, I think the chamois gives a much better finish. The Meguars Gold Shampoo is excellent. Can thoroughly recommend it. Not cheap, but well worth it, (IMHO). Great Finish. Halfords have quite a good range of their products.
You can check out Meguiars here:

http://www.meguiars.co.uk/

 

[124coupe]

Agreed on the microfibre mitt plus Meguiars wash (I use the NXT one). Also agreed re the chammy - the microfibre ones leave an irritating wet film that dries badly. If you can be bothered to wax, the synthetics (e.g. Meguiars NXT) last longer than traditional wax.

The 2 bucket method is good for the Winter - one with suds in and the other plain water to rise the muck off the mitt. Makes one bucket of suds do the whole car and keeps the grit off the paint.

Also use a wheel wax (the carplan nano one is spray on/leave to dry and works well) to make getting the brake dust off easy for 2 months or so.

 

[benzo]

Thanks all, was feeling too lazy to drive down to Halfords this am to get the meguiars stuff so washed it with microfibre cloth dried with leather and waxed with an old tin of Turtle wax I had lying around. Shouldn't have bothered with the wax - the car looked beter (imo) before an HOUR of waxing!

Wrt the ciggy smell, am going to try vinegar or a 'lemon steam'

 

[jibcl500]

Smoke several cigars in there that should take the ciggy smell away.

hope this helps

jib

 

[anyweb]

pour a less than fresh pint of milk on the carpet and leave to dry, i guarantee that will get rid of the cigarette smell, however, the resulting smell of sour milk will probably get on your nerves, oh, and it's a bitch to clean out too.

;-)

but seriously, as Mounis already said, try one of those magic tree's, or try a few of them, and drive with the windows open for a few days, it should clear it out

also consider wiping the insides out with a wet cloth dipped in one drop of fairy liquid plus a cupful of household vinegar.

cheers
anyweb

 

[Sanny]

Try leaving a bowl containing baking soda in the car overnight. This has helped me get rid of the smell of vomit (hazard of transporting young kids on long journeys) before. Also a spray of an odour neutralizer such as Dettol NeutraAir on a regular basis can work wonders.

You might need a couple of goes to get rid of the smell permanently.

Good luck

 

[davidsl500]

pour a less than fresh pint of milk on the carpet and leave to dry, i guarantee that will get rid of the cigarette smell, however, the resulting smell of sour milk will probably get on your nerves, oh, and it's a bitch to clean out too.

;-)


cheers
anyweb

Know what you mean ! Victim of a leaky carton of milk in my Passat estate a few years ago. Seeped everywhere and despite cleaning the carpet in the boot straight away (and again and again...) the smell was still there.

 

[3146bj]

Another one to get rid of the smoker stink is to soak a few pieces of absorbant material e.g. blotting paper, if you can still get some, in vanilla essence (the alcohol based one) and put one in each used ash tray and one in the car somewhere near a vent outlet. OK as long as you don't mind the smell of vanilla.

 

[maldon]

This may be a little extreme.

To get rid of the pong of fishmeal in a ship's holds, we would burn coffee beans.

Just put a saucer ull of fresh ground coffee beans in the car for a couple of days.

 

[Tel]

Simple-change the car!

 

[benzo]

Simple-change the car!

I find it's better not to post at all if there's nothing constructive to add....

Just put a saucer ull of fresh ground coffee beans in the car for a couple of days.

I actually tried this (coffee) the day before I started this post and I must say, about 4 days later, it IS working... the coffee seems to have gotten rid of the awful tobacco smell and the car has a pleasant 'aroma' which itself is clearing after a long drive with the windows open. I put the coffee beans in the ashtray and in the door pockets -no more ciggy smell! I had read a lot about vinegar, lemons et al but couldn't be bothered to start slicing and boiling lemons.
I hear activated charcoal works well also but I had easiest access to fresh coffee and it worked for me. Thanks all for the HELPFUL suggestions posted.

 

[124coupe]

Don't forget the cabin/pollen filter(s) if the smoker ever used recirc mode then they will be acting as a stink defuser now....

 

[benzo]

Re The cabin/pollen filters; the car had a B service before I picked it up. I think they were changed then. I'll double check, though I did notice the smell was less whenever I put the AC on.
All gone now.

 

[Slaphead]

a vanilla pod left on the front air vents works well too - you might need a bit of sellotape to stop it sliding around but it lasts for ages and becasue it's natural you don't get that overpowering chemical smell you can get from a lot of air fresheners.