Is Your Car Driving People Away?
As much as we love our vehicles, they’re hot spots for strange odors, fast food bags, and pet hair. We can either live with the smelly upholstery or get cracking to remove those odors once and for all!
1. Regular Maintenance
The first preventative measure is regular maintenance. From vacuuming floor mats and upholstery to wiping down the console, your diligence is the key to a clean car! For optimal freshness, it’s recommended that you give it a good scrub every two weeks.
2. Air Fresheners
When in doubt, break out the ol’ air freshener. The good news is that dozens of options exist, which means even the most sensitive noses can find the perfect scent. Most plug-ins last for several weeks too, so you can just pop it in and go.
3. Refresh That Upholstery
It doesn’t matter if you have leather seats or fabric ones—they deserve a thorough cleaning. You’d be surprised (and probably disgusted) how much debris collects between the seats, so don’t be afraid to get in there with the vacuum nozzle.
4. Keep Garbage to a Minimum
Portable trash cans are handy but they’re also a prime suspect for odor. We know it’s annoying to take out the trash, but letting it pile up won’t do your vehicle any favors. It’s actually best practice to empty it before it’s completely full.
5. Clean Out Your Car
Messy cars are breeding grounds for unpleasant smells and mysterious spills. Avoid treating your car like a storage unit—keeping it free of clutter ensures you and your nose have the best ride possible.
6. Essential Oils are Your Friends
Did you know that you can use essential oils in your car? You can! Some diffusers plug into the vents while others sit right in the cupholder. You don’t have to worry about overwhelming scents either; the diffusers are often small enough to provide a comfortable aroma.
7. Tackle the Air Vents
While we’re on the subject of vents, we all know that ours circulate air throughout the car. However, if they’re plugged with debris, all you’re doing is letting that musk hang around. Air vents should be cleaned at least once every week or so, and it doesn’t take more than a small brush to get the job done.
8. Consider Charcoal
Activated charcoal is a godsend against odors. If there’s a particularly gnarly smell, simply stash charcoal bags between the seats or in the cupholder. It eliminates anything from pet odor to cigarette smoke and doesn’t require any work on your end.
9. Open the Windows
Sometimes the best thing to do is open the windows. That blast of fresh air can sweep unpleasant odors from your car, all with minimal effort. Open windows are especially effective against any musty or stale smell.
10. Don’t Eat While Driving
We can’t always avoid this one, but eating in the car doesn’t help with any lingering odors. It also runs the risk of spills and crumbs, two major contributors to unpleasant smells. (On the bright side, food smells don't last very long and you can usually clear them out by opening a window.)
11. Avoid Smoking in the Car
Come on, guys. It isn’t the ‘80s. Smoking in the car is not only dangerous, but it leaves behind that awful smoky smell. It’s not easily gotten rid of either—cigarette smoke clings to everything from air vents to upholstery, so keep the windows down when you light up.
12. Invest in Dryer Sheets
Do you know what simple household product every car needs? Dryer sheets! By stuffing a couple under the seats, you keep everything nice and fresh for at least a week or two. It’s also less pungent than some plug-in fresheners, which is great for sensitive noses.
13. Clean Out the Trunk
Trunks are a big part of car maintenance, so don’t forget about them! We often toss a handful of miscellaneous items back there, never to be thought of again—until we smell something funky. A clean trunk is a clean car, and both make noses happy.
14. Sprinkle Some Baking Soda
We trust baking soda to clean our fridges, so why not our cars? It’s a powerful agent in eliminating odors; simply sprinkle some inside your car, leave it overnight, and then vacuum the remains. Those odors won’t know what hit ‘em.
15. Don’t Leave Any Spills
It’s tempting to leave small spills or wet items in the car, especially when we can get to them later. But that’s how bad habits start! So long as it’s safe to do so, wipe up any spills immediately to avoid future odor. Cleaning spills also protects the interior.
16. Keep Pets Contained
We love having Fido in the car, but let’s admit it—buddy needs a bath. While you don’t have to keep out pets entirely, it’s better to keep them in the back. They’re not only safer, but you can also use removable seat covers to protect the upholstery.
17. Avoid Stinky Items
Remember how we talked about items in the trunk? Well, our back seat is just as susceptible to smellier items like running shoes or gym equipment. If you need to transport pungent items, try to keep them sealed in gym bags.
18. Break Out the Coffee
We’ve learned about baking soda and activated charcoal—but coffee grounds are just as effective at eliminating odors! They’re especially great for stubborn smells, so feel free to a cupful in your car overnight. Come morning, your car will smell like a coffee shop instead of a shoebox.
19. Seal Your Food and Drink
Eating in the car is bad enough, but unsealed food and drink is a recipe for disaster. Keep a lid on anything you bring into the car. The last thing you need is a rogue spill on the highway or loose fries on the seat.
20. Professional Detailing
Once you’ve exhausted all other options, remember that professional detailing gets the job done. It’ll cost some money, but you can rest easy knowing that your car’s in good hands.
