Ever found yourself in the mood to plan a nice afternoon drive, only to enter your vehicle and be welcomed by an unpleasant odour after opening the door – not the best feeling, is it?
According to the car cleaning manufacturing brand Turtle Wax, although it may be embarrassing to admit, a lot of the unpleasant smells that enter our nostrils when entering our vehicles are impacted by our lifestyles.
“We spend so much of our lives locked in our cars; unpleasant odors tend to follow us there. A bad smell could come from something as simple as road trip trash, the bag leftover from a drive-thru breakfast, the bite of food that fell under the seat three weeks ago, or the remnants of the last trip to the local dog park,” explains the above-mentioned source.
Turtle Wax further explains that this ultimately worsens after we exit the vehicle. This is because many people find themselves rolling up the windows which causes air to remain trapped in it and encourages these stinky smells to penetrate the fabric and interior of the car.
Meanwhile, data and insights solutions company J.D Power further highlights that the above-mentioned reasons may not always be the cause. According to them, other influencing factors may include a problem with the catalytic converter, fuel pressure regulator, fuel filter, or even the old transmission fluid.
The car cleaning company Expresso Car Wash highlights that smells commonly get trapped in the following places:
- Upholstery and Carpeting
- Air Vents and HVAC System
- Boot and Cargo Areas
- Underneath Seats and Between Cushions
- Dashboard and Interior Panels
- Floor Mats and Floorboard
Here are some hacks to remove these odours as highlighted by Expresso Car Wash:
Baking soda & Vinegar: According to the above-mentioned source these two combine as odour neutralising compounds. It is explained that one needs damp the affected area with a cloth and add baking soda to the area. Thereafter, allow to sit overnight. For a more powerful solution combine it with vinegar.
Charcoal: Place an open bag of charcoal in your car overnight. “Charcoal is highly porous, effectively trapping and neutralising a wide range of odours, leaving your car smelling clean and fresh.”
Ozone generator: This is known to penetrate through fabrics and upholstery and reach all those hard-to-reach places, as a result, kills bacteria and viruses.
Vacuum: Whether wet or dry, this is considered a useful way of sucking out dust and grime, freeing your car of bad smells.
Take it to the professionals: When all else fails, it is best to get a professional to clean it. In most cases they have an array of options that cater to your budget.
Also see: Manual vs Automatic transmission, which is better?
