Martynn Randall is technical editor at Haynes and has been with us for 30 years. He's written more than 60 Haynes publications and has owned more than 85 cars and 60 motorbikes... so far!
A friend offers you a lift, so you leap into the passenger seat with joy. And before they’ve even reached second gear, your nose is telling you that all is not entirely well in the confines of the cabin. Yup, there’s a distinct scent – and it isn’t heaven sent.
But wait, your own car’s interior contains a similar amount of fast-food wrappers, evidence of spilled drinks, mud, grime – and of course, when you’re in the car on your own, you can break wind with abandon. There’s a good chance your motor has developed a certain fragrance.
So, what do you do about it? Well, here are my tips to get rid of nasty aromas from your vehicle’s interior.
1 Cure the cause, not the symptom
Yes, an air-freshener will make your car smell nice – but only for a little while. If the underlying cause of the smell remains untreated, then the air-freshener will eventually fade and the bad odour will return. Better to get to the bottom of the smell, sort it, then add an air freshener to make all the hard work seem worth it.
A good way to clean plastics and in tricky-to-reach places is to use a steam cleaner.
2 Suck it up
No, I’m not saying ‘live with it’, I’m saying give the entire car a thorough vacuum.
So, not just the footwells, but also in all the crevices between the seats, under the seats, in all the dashboard nooks and crannies, and in the door pockets.
And the boot – whatever you do, don’t forget the boot, because that’s where a lot of smelly stuff tends to get carried.
3 Apply the right cure for the issue
There are loads of different ways in which a smell can develop in your car.
For example, perhaps you’ve spilt milk or a coffee. Maybe the car smells damp, in which case you might have mould developing somewhere.
Or maybe the cause of the smell is a four-legged friend.
Each cause has its own cure, so if you’ve spilt milk, spread baking soda over the affected area and leave it overnight. Vacuum it up the next day, and the smell should be gone. If it isn’t, repeat the process.
If the car smells damp, investigation will be needed to find out where the dampness is getting in, be that from a window seal or a block drain. The use a combination of baking soda and white distilled vinegar on the area, and you’ll get rid of the damp odour.
And if your car smells of Muttley, then you need to vacuum it out regularly and use a multipurpose cleaning spray on every bit your best friend touches.
4 Condition the air-con
It pays to use your car’s air-conditioning system every so often, because when you don’t, mould and bacteria can build up in it, causing it to smell when turned on. However, if it already emits an odour, it’s time for a sterilising spray.
There are many out there, and they mostly work in a similar way. In short, you start the car, put the aircon on full cold with a medium fan speed, and recirculation on. After that, you press the top of the aerosol to activate it, shut the doors and leave it for the time specified on the can (usually between five and 10 minutes).
Once the time is up, your air-con should be clean and devoid of bacteria.
5 Act now!
Of course, the best way to stop smells developing in the car is to remedy the situation as it occurs.
So, it pays to carry around some antiseptic wipes and paper towels, so you can mop up and clean any spillage as soon as it happens. And if that spillage is on the carpet, get it mopped up as soon as you get home, and use one of the cleaning measures already mentioned.
