It’s fairly easy to tell if a car has an unwanted smell before you buy it. But other times, odors can creep up on you as you drive your vehicle. To get your ride in top shape for a road trip, keep its resale price high, and all sorts of other goals, you’ll need an odor-free cabin. Here are five durable ways to keep your car smelling fresh with relatively little time or effort.
Charcoal
This old home remedy is like nature’s toxin absorber. Therefore, it’s no wonder that the same thing used in water filters can also filter your air. All you have to do is leave an open bag of charcoal briquettes in your car overnight. Activated charcoal is extremely porous and absorbs anything floating around in the air. Best of all, it doesn’t use up the charcoal in any way.
Baking Soda
Few products have as many uses as sodium carbonate, or baking soda. Moreover, if you’re dealing with vomit, it should be your first choice. This abrasive and alkaline powder consumes odors and can help blanch stains. It’s simple to use: Just clean and wet down the stinky area, liberally sprinkle the baking soda on, and let it dry. Then vacuum the dried powder at least a few hours later. Similar to the charcoal treatment, you can keep some baking soda in a sealed container with a few holes in the top, which acts as a natural air deodorizer.
Vinegar
This harsh but clean-smelling liquid is ideal against overpowering smells. You can leave it in a small cup or bowl inside your car overnight. The evaporation process will greatly limit even the strongest of odors. You can also try spraying and rubbing a stinky area with a mix of vinegar and water and a wet cloth. Just be sure to never pour pure vinegar anywhere in your car, because it’s strong enough to damage materials such as carpet or leather.
Carpet Cleaner
Almost any spill or mess in a car will eventually find its way to the carpet. When you find a problem area, it’s best to try and attack it at the source with a specialized product, so use a carpet cleaner like those you’d find at an auto parts or a department store. There are many types, so be sure you are using the type that works best for your odor and that you follow the usage directions. Some cleaners are as harsh or harsher than vinegar, requiring dilution before use.
Air Fresheners
Air fresheners, fragrances, and other things that add a certain smell to your car are a final step to enjoy that clean air after you deodorized it. Never use pleasant smells merely to cover up the bad ones. You can use one of these once you’re sure the bad smell is gone, but no sooner. It’s a lot better than smelling a bizarre combination of old cigarette smoke and lemon zest.
The next time you have to battle against a fierce car odor, run straight to the tools that work. Follow these guidelines and you’ll have your cabin back to normal as soon as possible.
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