What is your plan of action to remove scent smell from a used car?

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Maestro Sam

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A client just bought a Lexus ls460 used and is having trouble with the odor left by one of those pine tree scents you hang on the rear mirror. He stated that he aired out the vehicle for couple of weeks and changed his air filter to remove the odor. Removing the air filter reduce the odor substantially, but still lingers a scent smell. He wants to get rid of the scent smell completely so what is your plan of action/chemical use to tackle this? I was going to extract and vapor steam the whole car and use a ozone generator? I am also looking for a ozone generator for cars so what would be the best one economically out there that works?
 
I would bomb the car with a odor bomber,with the car on and ac on as well.ozone machines are the biggest scam since believing in Santa Claus.I think if you wet the fabric it will be more pronounced.ozone machines are dangerous and emit toxic gas.Bombing the car may take 2 cans and sometime for it to devour the pine scent.If it were me I would use 4 cans all at once.
 
Oh really damn got to do some more research on ozone generators. I looked up odor bomer by dakota with mixed reviews on amazon. I guess this product can also damage the interior due to the reviews I read online?
 
The Dakota bomb is good used it on several cars.The promblem with Dakota is your replacing a scent from another.you have to get a neutral product like ozium aerosol.more than likely it will take some time to get rid of.If you are charging for this service,this can be one of those deals where you are gonna loose.Tell him to buy a product at ag or retail and send him on his way and don't get involved.Been down that road many times not worth the headache .
 
Maestro Sam said:
Oh really damn got to do some more research on ozone generators. I looked up odor bomer by dakota with mixed reviews on amazon. I guess this product can also damage the interior due to the reviews I read online?[/QUOTEDeosnt harm the interior,just have to clean the glass after.
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I had this same issue when I bought my 4runner used 4 years ago. Previous owner was a smoker. I initially tried all kinds of odor bombs and had the ozone treatment done but didnt work like I wanted. The main two things that basically eliminated the smell were changing the cabin filter and having all of the cloth inside the cabin steam cleaned and extracted.

I wipe down the rest of the interior every chance I get and haven't smelled smoke in a long time.
 
Time is the cure along with multiple cleanings and neutralizer spray.Hard to achieve excellent results with one visit to a detailing shop.The owner will have to play a part in this to remove.I can't count how many cig smelled cars we tried to fix.There is a spray that a lot of dealers use and it's very effective.cant mention forum rules.
 
Joe@NextLevelDetail said:
While shampooing a little bit of fabric softner makes the carpets smell amazing
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Im gonna have to try that fabric softener one of these days. I was considering an ozone generator but after reading GSKr's comment I gonna lay off of it.
 
That's a good idea for your personal taste,but at the end of the day they will complain about that.just abort these kind of jobs or get the $$$ to do a interior detail,but don't under any circumstances guarantee the smell will come out that's were the promblems occur.you will find yourself cleaning that interior pro bono 2 or 3 times if you commit to them on the scent or smell.I got a friend who owns a corvette dealer in town and will not buy any car even if it's way under book value at auction pertaining to cig smell.
 
GSKR said:
That's a good idea for your personal taste,but at the end of the day they will complain about that.just abort these kind of jobs or get the $$$ to do a interior detail,but don't under any circumstances guarantee the smell will come out that's were the promblems occur.you will find yourself cleaning that interior pro bono 2 or 3 times if you commit to them on the scent or smell.I got a friend who owns a corvette dealer in town and will not buy any car even if it's way under book value at auction pertaining to cig smell.
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Hes right, some smells are just embedded and can be masked at the start. But almost always come back, Then you have a un-satisfied customer.

Interior jobs are hard, Espicially when its not just dirt but worn, You have to feel the customer out if he/she thinks everything is going to come out. If im getting that vibe i just give a high price to avoid the situation.
 
Joe@NextLevelDetail said:
Hes right, some smells are just embedded and can be masked at the start. But almost always come back, Then you have a un-satisfied customer.

Interior jobs are hard, Espicially when its not just dirt but worn, You have to feel the customer out if he/she thinks everything is going to come out. If im getting that vibe i just give a high price to avoid the situation.
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Very nice and true answer.
 
It's mostly the carpeting, isn't it... Somehow the material just loves absorbing scents and odors.

Just about every time I help a friend or family member switch out the rug, whatever the permeating smell practically disappeared for good, let it be cloth or leather interior.
 
SKorch630 said:
This is what I use.

Meguiars Car Odor Eliminator is a quick spray solution to interior car odors. Meguiars Car Odor Eliminator does not mask odors - it eliminates them!

Smoke is GONE. I had a Ford Expedition that was SATURATED in old, musty, smoke. I sprayed the entire carpet, and the seats in this, let it set. Continued to clean the exterior, and came back through with another light spritzing of this again. Smoke was gone. and I mean GONE. The client was extremely satisfied.
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I tried that stuff and had mediocre results. Maybe the odor was too strong. My ozone machine will make cigarette ash not even smell. It's amazing but doesn't always work the first go around. They do get a bad rap from those that don't understand how they work resulting in operator error, and would rather mask odors than permanently remove them. Hey, more work for me. Right tools for the job.
 
I recently used my ozone on a vehicle that had been smoked in for years, built up tar and ash everywhere, I first did the usual steam cleanup and wipe down,ran the ozone 2 separate cycles, running the vehicle and airing out after both cycles, a final wipe down and the customers and previous owners were blown away! Ozone machine are awesome!
 
Dereksdtail said:
I recently used my ozone on a vehicle that had been smoked in for years, built up tar and ash everywhere, I first did the usual steam cleanup and wipe down,ran the ozone 2 separate cycles, running the vehicle and airing out after both cycles, a final wipe down and the customers and previous owners were blown away! Ozone machine are awesome!
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This. Did a nieghbors SUV that had milk spilled in it while parked in the sun. It cleanes up well and the car looked great but still seamed to smell a bit. Treated it twice and it's good as new.
 
CarPro So2Pure. Just make sure you read the directions...
Handled a car where a previous owner was a heavy smoker, new owner needed the odor gone!
Second time using it, cat urinated all over cloth back seats....

Both cases, removed the odor and checked back with the owners weeks, months later, odor was still gone.
 
My wifes van had a gallon on milk under the front seat. Nobody notice it until arter 2 weeks. I tried everthing to get rid of the smell.I took the van to a detail shop, and they got rid of the smell.What they did is take out the carpet and power washed it and they replaced the padding . when I got the car back the bad smell was gone.
 
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