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How can I get the smell out of the car?

I'm getting a new car on Monday. Well, a new used car. It's in great condition, minus a little bit of a smell that I'm not used to. Nothing bad. What's the best way to get this smell OUT before I start using air fresheners. Driving with the windows down on the test drive helped, but it's Florida... and therefore Summer weather... and it's HOT. Ideas?

Hey!
I used to have this problem in an old car. Here is what I did:
1. Put Baking Soda in a shallow round bowl and put it under the seats. Tape it to the carpet if you drive crazy. Fill the bowl about half way so you don't spill when you bounce. The baking soda absorbs smells! Also, when you know you aren't going to have any company in your car you can move them out from under the seats so they absorb more smells.
2. Shampoo the carpet, floor mats, and seats.
3. Check your air filter and AC. I don't know anything about cars, but I know that sometimes, things can get into your AC and Vents and you'll never find the smell.
4. Use a gel air freshener in the summer. You can get small gel discs at Walmart. Don't get "pine fresh" or flowers if you want it to go unnoticed. You can also hide these under the seats and they will work great! They even have a "new car smell". I usually use that, but in the summer I will use Coconut because it smells like sunscreen/summer.
5. Wipe everything down once a week. If you have leather, use Armor All treatments. Armor All also makes general car cleaners that are packaged like baby wipes so it is really easy to use!

If you still have a bad smell after all of that... wipe off your top lip! HAHA! Just kidding... If you still have a scent after all of that you might want to talk to a car reupholster, but I think that all of that should fix it. It worked in my car!

Good luck!

Smoking cigarettes used to be a symbol of sophistication and style. Classic black and white films featured glamorous movie stars enveloped in a dreamy haze of smoke, which created an aura of mystery and seduction. Now that we know about the health risks involved, world opinion has turned on this past time, and smoking bans are popping up in restaurants and bars around the nation. Despite the dangers, many people still choose to light up. For some, it is a pleasant way to unwind at the end of the day, while for others it is a raging addiction that can't be controlled.

While smoking is certainly bad for your health, it can also be a drain on your property value. The smell and the stains penetrate every surface, and are very tough to get rid of. Buyers don't want to live with your tobacco fumes, and will either nix your house completely, or take thousands of your asking price.

Smoking inside is a terrible, yet totally preventable mistake that homeowners make. The smell of cigarette smoke is not only present for an hour or two after you light up, but affixes itself to the furniture, carpets, and walls. Ceilings are also vulnerable, as the smoke rises and is absorbed in the paint and wood. This odor is unmistakable, and no matter how many cans of air freshener you use, the stench refuses to leave.

If you plan on selling your home, the first thing you need to do is attack the smell head on, and get rid of it as much as possible before potential buyers walk through the door. If they enter the property and are hit with the remnants of cigarettes, chances are very good that they will immediately take your home off their radar. No one wants to move into a stinky house, especially one in which the smell is so toxic and hard to remove.

To reduce the odor, you need to air the rooms out. Keep windows open as much as possible, and get all upholstery, window coverings, and rugs steam cleaned. Anything made of fabric needs to be washed thoroughly, or else the scent will return.

Smells and stains also stick to hard surfaces like cupboards and walls. Traditional cleaners including ammonia or bleach can help to some degree, but the results are often temporary. Take Agnes' situation, for instance. When she bought her current home, she knew that the previous owner was a smoker, but thought that a little ammonia and a lot of elbow grease would solve the problem. Five years later, Agnes can still clearly smell cigarettes on her kitchen cupboards. No amount of cleaning has made the residue of old tobacco budge.

For hard surfaces like walls, the most effective method is to clean the area with Tri-Sodium Phosphate, which is a heavy duty cleaner. After cleaning, apply a thick primer, which prevents stains and smells from seeping through. Once you've cleaned and primed, you can go ahead and paint. Whatever you do, don't simply paint the walls without cleaning and priming first. Otherwise you'll end up with ugly yellow stains that emerge right after the paint is dry. The odor also returns with a vengeance.

After fabrics, walls, and ceilings have been taken care of, look for little things like light bulbs and paintings, which absorb scents as well. Clean everything, down to the smallest detail! To sweeten the room, you can burn scented candles, or spray perfume on the light bulbs. When they heat up, the aroma will fill the room.

One other word of caution: if you have every smoked in the bathroom, you will need to scrub everything with TSP. Steam can release cigarette smoke that has been lying dormant in grout and walls. Your buyers will not be impressed if every time they take a hot bath, they're assaulted with the stench of tobacco. They may even try to come after you legally for creating a potential health hazard in the home.

No one wants to deal with the aftermath that comes with years of smoking in a home, especially prospective buyers. If you haven't been able to remove the odor, then be prepared to knock a fair amount off of your asking price. Otherwise, you will be hard pressed to find buyers interested in taking on your home.

Calum MacKenzie is a professional Tampa Florida real estate agent, who makes client satisfaction his top priority. Calum has the expertise needed to find you your dream home in the Wesley Chapel real estate market.

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