How to remove cigarette smoke from interior?

[Hemi450hp]

As many of you know, we traded in our diesel last week on a 2011 Ram 1500. I love the truck, except the previous owner obviously smoked, and the cab smells terrible. I am not a smoker, so this smell really bothers me. Is there an easy way to get rid of the smell? I have already cleaned all the interior panels and will be steam cleaning the seats and carpet this weekend. Any other tips/tricks to get rid of the smoke smell?

 

[shipmasta]

May have to steam clean the head liner as well.

 

[parttimer]

I did this for a customer, she was a bad smoker. You pretty much need to clean the whole interior and vent system. Pull and scrub floor mats, shampoo seats, under seats, floors and scrub door panels, dash and anything else with all purpose cleaner. Set off one of thses Big D Fogger Odor Control Fogger Aerosol Cans BGD341 | Odor Control Aerosol Cans and let it sit for as long as you can. It works best if you run the AC on recirc as well. This usually fixes 99% of interior odors. You can mist the headliner with something like folex and vacuum that out as well. Don't soak the liner. Make sure you clean the visors as well.

 

[Hemi450hp]

Thanks for the tips guys. I'm going to try to get rid of it this weekend. The dealer I bought it from used some other kind of chemical to mask the smell while it was at the dealer, but that is fading off fast, and now the truck just smells like an ashtray.

 

[GotExhaust.com]

You could also use an Ozone generator and run it in the truck overnight. You can rent them at a hardware store.

 

[Hemi450hp]

Thanks. Ozone Generator was the next step. I figured it would still be best to clean the floors and carpets out first just to be safe. I haven't been able to find a hardware store that rents them around here though, so I'm still searching on that one.

 

[moparman]

The ozone generator does an ok job at removing the smell but the ozone smell will always be there. I deal with a lot of dirty nasty filthy used vehicles at work. I outfit vehicles for the handicap so most of the trade ins come with *****, feces, vomit and all around disgusting. some vehicles the ozone couldnt cut it and customers were picking up on the smell and questioning why we used it. I switched over to this stuff called biocide. Its basically a chlorine based bomb for your vehicle. Comes in a small container, add water and let it sit 24hrs. Any smell that was preivously there will be gone and there wont be any leftover smell from the chemical. Ive done 8 vehicles so far and not one has had a smell come back.


http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00B3XUAQ2


Sent from my Galaxy S3 using Tapatalk 2

 

[GotExhaust.com]

Thanks. Ozone Generator was the next step. I figured it would still be best to clean the floors and carpets out first just to be safe. I haven't been able to find a hardware store that rents them around here though, so I'm still searching on that one.

Due to the health hazards associated with the ozone, not all hardware stores rent them. If you come up empty I recommend calling ServPro (or a local disaster cleanup company) and ask them if they rent their equipment.

 

[smurfs_of_war]

The ozone generator does an ok job at removing the smell but the ozone smell will always be there. I deal with a lot of dirty nasty filthy used vehicles at work. I outfit vehicles for the handicap so most of the trade ins come with *****, feces, vomit and all around disgusting. some vehicles the ozone couldnt cut it and customers were picking up on the smell and questioning why we used it. I switched over to this stuff called biocide. Its basically a chlorine based bomb for your vehicle. Comes in a small container, add water and let it sit 24hrs. Any smell that was preivously there will be gone and there wont be any leftover smell from the chemical. Ive done 8 vehicles so far and not one has had a smell come back.


http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00B3XUAQ2


Sent from my Galaxy S3 using Tapatalk 2

As a smoker- I concur. These work awesome. I use a similar product (different brand name) on my truck every spring to get the winter stank out.

Sent from my SGH-I337M using Tapatalk

 

[Hemi450hp]

Thanks guys.

Moparman, I went ahead and bought that Biocide to try out. It should be here tomorrow, so I will give that a try on Sunday after I steam clean everything else. Hopefully this works so I can start enjoying the drive. Right now I have 2 air fresheners on the front vents, 2 hanging on the close hanger hooks in the back window, 1 in the rear cupholder, and a baking soda disk stuck to the back window...haha. I tried all the easy stuff before going in to scrub seats and carpets, but it didn't make any difference.

 

[Casper]

Thanks for the tips guys. I'm going to try to get rid of it this weekend. The dealer I bought it from used some other kind of chemical to mask the smell while it was at the dealer, but that is fading off fast, and now the truck just smells like an ashtray.

This is why most rental car companies have gone non-smoking and charge a $150 fee if they catch someone polluting their cars.

There are a lot of products but time in the warm sun with the windows down if the best one I remember from when I worked a rental counter.

Let me add, there is nothing on earth nastier than climbing into a rental that has been treated like an ash tray--except maybe doing roto-rooter work.

Sorry you have to go through this--do you know anyone who owns a lemon lot?
They'll likely have some wiz-bang stuff in a spray bottle--kinda like Moparman is referring to above.

 

[JohnD72]

Any fire/water damage restoration company and many carpet cleaning companies rent ozone generators.

 

[Brearlymason]

You could also use an Ozone generator and run it in the truck overnight. You can rent them at a hardware store.

This will work! I am a real estate broker and have done this to probably 50 houses or more over the last ten years. An ozone machine will get rid of all smells in the truck. The ozone will smell bad too though, but it's only temporary and will completely disappear after a couple days.

 

[quietpeen]

i know its been said, but the headliner is a big culprit of the smell

 

[inkdwheels]

i see its a little late and the problem has probably been fixed but febreeze dryer sheets placed around the cab help to absorb as well as mask some of the smell after you have done your best to wash the smell out

 

[Andy578]

not sure if the rams have a interior air filter but if so that's also a big thing to change. a cat somehow got locked into my car and pissed all over. i had it professionally cleaned twice and the smell kept coming back no matter how much crap i sprayed then i found out there's an air filter for the fan behind the glove box. as soon as i opened the cover for it i could smell it then after i changed it i had the car cleaned once more and it never came back

 

[DavidRam]

Or start smoking and you won't notice the smell anymore.

"This message was brought to you by the tobacco industry"

 

[Ocelot]

not sure if the rams have a interior air filter but if so that's also a big thing to change. a cat somehow got locked into my car and pissed all over. i had it professionally cleaned twice and the smell kept coming back no matter how much crap i sprayed then i found out there's an air filter for the fan behind the glove box. as soon as i opened the cover for it i could smell it then after i changed it i had the car cleaned once more and it never came back

Rams don't have the filters stock, but many of us have done the mod to add one. It's pretty simple and cheap.

In fact it's a sticky....Here's the thread:
http://www.ramforum.com/f75/cabin_air_filter_mod-12200/

 

[UneasyJmitchell]

Pour some bong water in there and youll forget all about smoke smell, LOL. Theres a new cleaner company called ******. Its pretty new I think and suppossed to be the newest infomercial thing with clearners. One of my friends was trying to sell me some the other day. It may have a website, not sure. Ill get with him and get back.

 

[gofishn]

Bounty dryer sheets. Place under the seats and above sun visors. Let the vehicle sit, outside in the summers months. Smell will be gone within a week.

Old Car Dealer taught me that trick and never failed me yet.

Dave