Smoker smell in a 3 year old truck, latest approaches to getting rid of the smell?

Posted by Foxlen@reddit | askcarguys | View on Reddit | 45 comments

I bought a 2023 tacoma sight unseen, flew a 1 way plane ticket to get it after i lost my 2023 i bought new to a deer a while ago, it was the only one that popped up for sale nationwide so I jumped on it.. i needed a vehicle and I didnt want to settle on something else among a few issues a low km truck shouldn't have but doe.. it reeks of smoker Im realizing the smell bothers me more than I thought it would ive seen some people recommend ozone machine things, and some people say they dont work. smoke bombs? Ik nothing about what these do/intend to do what are some approaches i can take here to get rid of the stench? any new tactics come up recently? should I just go nuclear? replacing interior parts? if i could have gotten a clean truck, I would've... but that wasn't an option

Reply to Post

45 Comments

[-]

throwawayyourfun@reddit

Febreze the upholstery. Don't mist it in through the spray nozzle, open and pour. Leave it out in the sunshine to bake out. Hit every carpet, seat, or cloth surface.

[-]

CaptainGreyBeard72@reddit

Call/ talk to a company that does fire remediation, there are certain chemicals that can help lock the odors in the fabric. Steam cleaning might also help. I have heard that ozone can also attack rubber like the rubber door seals, so a little bit at a time. Good luck

[-]

jlwolford@reddit

The headliner is holding the odor too.

[-]

Foxlen@reddit (OP)

Imma try the cleaning route first, but I've priced out a new headliner so its definitely a fallback plan

[-]

Reasonable_Royal7083@reddit

biocide auto shocker ozone is garbage this product i swear by

[-]

YouWillHaveThat@reddit

Buy an ozone generator and BE CAREFUL.

[-]

Foxlen@reddit (OP)

Could you elaborate? If im being honest, I've been looking for a store in the cities nearest to me, haven't found anywhere to buy one yet Haven't got that far yet, but what do I need to know?

[-]

Tigermike10@reddit

You can rent them.

[-]

MiddleNotWestIsBad@reddit

Ozone is O3, three oxygen atoms. It is not stable because of the valence electrons and wants to revert to O2 like we breathe. It can bind to organic and inorganic material and oxidize them to get rid of the extra oxygen atoms. Great for getting rid of smells that it binds to, but can be deadly when it binds to lung tissue. Just don’t stay in it after you run the machine and air it out for a good amount of time. Ozone smells like electricity kinda that’s the best way I can describe it, if you smell that then don’t stay near. Won’t hurt for a few mins but depending on concentration and volume just use common sense and you’ll be all good. It can also bind to material in the car and degrade plastic and leather if you leave it for a super long time so go like 1 hour max and then air out and repeat.

[-]

Which_Initiative_882@reddit

Fun fact, ozone smells like electricity because electricity jumping air gaps is what creates it. Most of our ozone layer comes from lightning.

[-]

Foxlen@reddit (OP)

Is there an ideal outdoor temp (c) for doing this? Or doesn't matter?

[-]

MiddleNotWestIsBad@reddit

I have only used ozone inside of buildings where the temp was pretty stable. Not 100% but I believe the hotter the more efficient. Should still work if it’s cold however, just not as efficient.

[-]

Senappi@reddit

I've had great success with placing a few plates of distilled white vinegar on the car. Just be careful not to spill.

[-]

Ragnar-Wave9002@reddit

Fabreeze once the advice of others is done

[-]

Bitmover2000@reddit

Don’t do ozone. Use chlorine dioxide. https://a.co/d/08SzH8Fq. Dealing with this same issue. Follow safety precautions.

[-]

Bitmover2000@reddit

Forgot instruction. 20 tablets in 5 oz of water.

[-]

Bitmover2000@reddit

Chlorine dioxide is 100x smaller than smoke particle and leaves your car smelling like swimming pool instead of burnt plastic like ozone. Ozone also attacks plastic chlorine dioxide does not. I have both and prefer CLO2

[-]

thanksbutjustlooking@reddit

Fill clean sock with coffee beans, stash under seats, replace as needed.

[-]

Imtherealwaffle@reddit

activated charcoal in the trunk before you go full ozone

[-]

Foxlen@reddit (OP)

Its a truck

[-]

DryCollege9889@reddit

Try using ozium its a hospital grade air sanitizer. Spray it into the car vents and all over the car then with the doors closed and heat on full blast let it run for 5-10 min. Not to worry you but don't inhale while doing this you don't want to breath it in but I promise your car won't smell like smoke anymore

[-]

ethernetbite@reddit

We bought a car that had been owned by a smoker. I had to buy an ozone generator but it worked, about 12" x 12" x6". Still use that thing in the odd vehicle and occasionally in the house for a spill. Best 100 bucks ever spent and the only thing I've found that would actually get rid of the smoke smell in a car. Probably about 200 for one now.

[-]

bigtony8978@reddit

Upholstery cleaner, scrub, steam, extract, ozone in that order

[-]

your_mail_man@reddit

It's the smoke tar clinging to everything. Use a degreaser to break it down for removal. We use Castrol Super Clean (get it at Auto Zone, Advance, etc.) concentrate so we can mix it to a strength that is safe for the surface. It will remove it then you will need to re-rinse and then use an appropriate protectant on anything vinyl, plastic, etc. We also use it in the carpet cleaner, again, with a follow up water rinse.

[-]

NotMuch2@reddit

Replace the cabin air filter. Clean carpets and upholstery.

[-]

Foxlen@reddit (OP)

Thats been done, dealership did that lot cabin air filter is apparently new, but I've already ordered a new one anyway

[-]

FaithlessnessRich490@reddit

Take out the seats and carpet. Pressure wash, vacuum and allow to dry then reinstall. Your interior will be super clean.

[-]

2fishmanangry@reddit

well yeah you're flipping cars. if you actually own one a while, the smell goes away over time.

[-]

FaithlessnessRich490@reddit

You must be a smoker.

[-]

2fishmanangry@reddit

nah. i bought a highline \~$150k car with cigarette stench up the ass, a foreign exchange student smoked in it for a few years. lots of window down driving/parking and a few cans of ozium spray, and it went away over a period of 3-6 months. but also that was leather and alcantara, not fabric seats like OP. even then, it took a long ass time. but if ur owning the car in the long run its less of a big deal imo

[-]

Which_Initiative_882@reddit

Outside of the ozone machine, most auto parts stores and walmarts sell meguire's scent bombs that work pretty darn well. If not them, Chemical guys makes a leather scent and new car scent that do a pretty darn good job of covering it up.

[-]

milhauser@reddit

Go to a professional. Get it ozoned and deep cleaned. Change cabin air filter. Look thru every nook and crevice for cigarette butts. Thats about all you can do. I was in the same situation with my sedan with leather seats. Took almost 2 years for the smell to go away. I kept the windows cracked every single day in the garage

[-]

Gunk_Olgidar@reddit

Replace all fabrics in the interior, including carpets and pads under carpets. Likely a few grand at an automotive upholsterer. While the fabrics are out, do an ozone treatment.

[-]

FaithlessnessRich490@reddit

Have you ever done this?

[-]

Longjumping-Log1591@reddit

Run the Ozone machine with the truck recirculation air on , you need to get all the vent tubes cleaned, a seasoned detailer will be worth his fee if you really want it fixed.

[-]

Nice-Zombie356@reddit

I got a similar car with similar smell. Dealer shampoos upholstery and did ozone filter thing over a couple days. I bought a bunch of charcoal filters and rotated them over a few weeks per the instructions . I also drove with windows open and kept them open as much as reasonable for a few weeks. After all that, smell was gone.

[-]

Klutzy_Concept_1324@reddit

Try diluting essential oil of your choice and clean with it

[-]

2fishmanangry@reddit

Fabric interior or leather? Drive and commute with all the windows down, assuming weather allows. Also buy a $6 can of Ozium and spray it on your carpets/foot wells after you're done driving for the day. I bought the ultimate smoker car a while back, it took probably 3-6 months but now it smells like factory inside.

[-]

Foxlen@reddit (OP)

Its fabric, I definitely keep the windows down.. and will be as long a roads permit it since snow, cold and rain don't bother me

[-]

Dadofpsycho@reddit

Ozone generator from Amazon, run for an hour then vent your truck out overnight - open windows etc. you will probably need to do this a few times. Don’t bother with the bombs. I tried and it didn’t seem to do much except make the smoke smell more like chemicals.

[-]

Foxlen@reddit (OP)

Ive been trying to find a store that sells them (amazon isn't available for me, remote) Is there an ideal outdoor temp (C) range? People keep warning me about them, but are not telling me what for I can tell the dealership purged it with chemicals too, perhaps they smoke bombed it

[-]

BusinessBlackBear@reddit

Let's say you run the machine in your living room and you go to bed over night. If your room is upstairs and your close your door and put a towel under the door your perfectly fine. If you leave your pet downstairs all night with the machine they will die. I don't know the chemistry of how it kills, but it definitely can. I run my ozone overnight all the time though, I just use it in the basement or main floor while I'm upstairs closed door and towel.

[-]

AlphaDisconnect@reddit

Get the vinegar in. Let it sit a bit. Think carpet cleaner. Then get the vinegar smell out. Think a quality cleaner intended for cloth or leather. Final step wipe everything with the chemical guys new car smell. This is an old. But not pricey approach.

[-]

Crazy_Judgment_4186@reddit

Smoke smell can really linger, but there are ways to reduce it without tearing everything apart. Deep clean all fabrics, replace the cabin air filter and run an ozone generator or activated charcoal bags overnight, those help more than people think if done right. Baking soda on carpets/vinyl and a few good air purifiers can also make a noticeable difference before you go nuclear.

[-]

Several-Parfait9685@reddit

Get a handheld steamer and go to town on the upholstery. You can wipe away nicotine resin off/from the plastic trim work, but you'll need high temp to liquify and extra from the upholstery. And don't forget under the seats and floorboards. If you wait till summer when you're expecting a hot spell, you shouldn't have to worry about mold setting in. Just figure the trucks gonna be down for a few days while you clean it and it dries thoroughly, like maybe over a 3dy weekend or something.