I have a client asking about smoke odor removal and I honestly have no idea what is the best method for removing this. He wants it done soon, so I really don't want to have to order anything to tackle this. Here's the stuff I have at my disposal right now, but I'm also willing to pick up anything I can find locally. Hot Water Extractor Several Chemical Guys Stain cleaners and odor removers Folex Carpet Cleaner Adam's Carpet Cleaner Zep High Traffic Carpet Cleaner for HWEs Zep Citrus Febreze Tuff Stuff Foaming Carpet Cleaner Thanks for the input guys!
Vacuum and scrub every surface Change cabin air filter Use Odo-Ban I have considerably improved interiors with this method. The worst area to clean is the headliner. I would use folex and a damp rag, but don't get it too wet because the glue might separate from the fabric.
Is this the Odo-Ban you're talking about? http://www.odoban.com/home.php I just ask because they don't list smoke odor removal on the website. edit: Jk, they do.
Ozium is a product that works specifically at removing the smoke smell and leaves a nice lemon scent. You jest spray it in the car, close all the windows and doors and let it sit in the car for a while, then air it out. Very effective. It's about $6 a can at Walgreen's.
As has already been said, you really have to clean everything in the vehicle. Just think about where smoke would go if a person was smoking in the front seat and say, opened the window -- right, smoke goes to the back of that side of the vehicle first, so, you have the seatbelt (all of it that has nicotine will be a different color and will smell), the headrests front and back, the headliner and the very back of the package tray and the inside glass, will all have a film on it. And that is just for starters.. You will need to of course do everything very well, until you dont smell it. Its in all the carpets, mats, everything. Take your time, divide into sections, do a section thoroughly, then move to the next section. This way you dont get overwhelmed, if its all really bad. See if you can find Meguiars Odor Eliminator, a spray bottle. Its another of those products that spray a type of enzyme that is supposed to eliminate odors, not cover them up. Cover ups are epic failures and sometimes leave an odor so bad in a vehicle that it makes the occupants sick. I had an M5 last year that the owner had purchased at a high end reseller of exotics here in Bellevue, WA. They didnt tell him the M5 was a "smoker" car, but had their Detailing shop go over the inside and they laid down some kind of smoke odor cover up. This cover up odor made the new owner so sick he didnt drive the car for a year; he got really sick when he got in that car only, and not one of his other cars.. Please dont forget the seatbelts, they can totally absorb all kinds of dirt, grime, and stuff, and retain smells really good. I see them all the time, and use my VX5000 with white towels on a triangular brush and Meguiars APC+, scrub the soap in, let it sit, and then steam both sides until the towels are no longer brown from all the grime I am removing.. Good luck with this ! Dan F
Cleaning the.seatbelts needs to be done with care as well. Woolite is your friend here, unless you can find a product specifically made for that purpose.
i did a 3500 chevy for smoke odors last summer ....i cleaned all carpet with the folex and adams carpet cleaner .i used clean water with odoban mixed with the water. all plastics vinyl and leather cleaned with opt apc, and then wiped with clean water with odoban in it. as said you have to clean every surface in the car seatbelts and make sure you clean the carpet on the back of the seats if its a truck. the rear seat in this truck was gray and the parts of the carpet the smoke could get too was brown from the smoke. i also use 1z klimaclean and odoban in the vents....1 year later the smoke smell is still gone
