How to remove odor from truck?

Sylvia
by Sylvia

My son inherited a nice truck from a very very heavy smoker, he cannot get rid of the odor, can anyone help find a way to do that?

  7 answers
  • Linda Linda on Aug 05, 2018

    Febreeze

  • Oliva Oliva on Aug 05, 2018

    Sylvia, sprinkle baking soda liberally on the rugs and upholstery. Leave it for 24-48 hours, then vacuum. Make a paste of baking soda and water and use it to scrub all windows. Use a diluted form of it to wipe dashboards, then sprinkle the dash with baking soda. Vacuum after 24 hours. If the smell lingers, try a container of Odo Ban (available at Sam's Club) for a few days, or a container of vinegar left in place 48 hours.

    You son may need to further scrub the upholstery with Resolve, and leave the windows down, to air dry.

  • Redcatcec Redcatcec on Aug 05, 2018

    Oh Sylvia what a mess. To begin with the nicotine has permeated everywhere, literally everywhere. It is in the seats and anything cloth including the headliner if there is one. It is inside the dashboard. It coats everything.

    Ok, remove and replace the seats and carpeting if there is carpeting.

    The interior has to be washed down and cleaned thoroughly. Leave the windows open to let it air out.

    When you have done all that, it will be somewhat better but never smoke smell free. You can try to put containers of baking soda to absorb the odor and that will help.

    If you are in a humid area, that will make it worse. Rainy days are the pits with this.

    Bottom line is the price was right, if you try sprays like Febreeze the effect is temporary at best.

    Even car sales people will tell you, do not buy a smoker's car if you are a non smoker, the smell never fully goes away.

  • Sherri Sherri on Aug 05, 2018

    I know this might sound silly, Sylvia, but have you tried Febreeze? If you wash everything non-fabric down really well then spray the fabric really well with Febreeze, you might be surprised. You may have to do it a couple of times. I'm a non-smoker that lives with a smoker and it's done a good job for me. Hope it helps.

  • Lori Niemi Laksonen Lori Niemi Laksonen on Aug 06, 2018

    There's some pretty good charcoal air filters out there that may help. Or if you have a good household air purifier put that inside the truck for awhile.

  • Jwoodard Jwoodard on Aug 06, 2018

    Go to the pet store and get charcoal used in fish tanks. It is granular. Put in bowls and leave closed up and it will take the smell out.

  • Cindy McDaniel Cindy McDaniel on Aug 06, 2018

    The previous answers sound great, but I take laundry fragrance crystals, like Downy, and put some in a small burlap bag, like used at weddings, and tie them to the rear view mirror. Be careful though, the first few days they are really strong, and give me a headache; so I lay them under the seat until the scent fades a little bit. They work better than any car fresheners I have ever bought, and a whole lot cheaper !