How to Quickly Remove Odors From a Car

Besides maintaining engine performance to have a good driving experience, you must also pay attention to the cleanliness of the car. A dirty and musty-smelling car could certainly interfere with comfort while traveling.

Generally, an unpleasant odor in a car is caused by several things, ranging from poor air circulation, cigarette smoke, food residue that is not cleaned properly, or damp car carpets. In fact, the cause of odor in the car can come from damaged car components, such as broken exhaust filter, a failed fuel system, or worn brakes.

If the source of the odors in the car comes from a damaged component, then you need to get help from a technician in the car repair shop. However, if the source of the unpleasant odor in the car's cabin doesn’t come from a damaged component, you could check the following tips.

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Using simple ingredients you have at home, here's how to get rid of the odors in your car.

1. Find the source of the bad odor in the car

Eliminating odors in the car needs to start from the root of the problem. Unable to find the source of the odors will bring you discomfort as the problem will continue to exist and interfere with your driving.

You need to inspect the area under the car seat, car carpet, trunk, door panels, cup holders, dashboard, and the other parts. You should also pay attention to the shoes you wear when entering the car. Shoes or other items that are not clean can carry dirt into the car and cause odor.

2. Clean with a vacuum cleaner

Leftover food, cigarette ashes, dust, and other small impurities can not only be a nuisance but also a health hazard. Clean the dust and dirt in the car using a vacuum cleaner. You can use a vacuum cleaner with a narrow tip to suck dirt and dust into the corners of the car. Clean starting from car carpets, upholstery, cloth interior, and footwear.

3. Use deodorizers to get rid of odors

Another effective way to deal with odors in a car is to use a car freshener. As the name implies, deodorizer works by spreading pleasant aroma in the car cabin. To avoid a strong scent that disturbs your comfort, look for a mild scent car perfume. After spraying with deodorizer, don't close the car door immediately. Leave the door and glass of the car open and let it sit for about 30 minutes so that the air circulation runs optimally.

4. Dry the car carpet

One of the triggers for bad odors in the car is damp and even wet car carpets due to mold. To get rid of odors, you can clean all the upholstery carpets in the car. Dry in the sun and make sure the carpet is completely dry before reinstalling.

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5. Use air purifiers

Having an air purifier in the car can help neutralize the air in the cabin. The air purifier is able to absorb dust and musty odors in the cabin and then filter and replace them with fresh air. Not only that, the air purifier can also kill bacteria and fungi in the car cabin so that the air you live in is fresher.

6. Dry the car in the sun

Clean the plastic, wood, windshield and metal surfaces of your car. After that, take advantage of the heat of the sun as a way to get rid of the odors in the car. Sun exposure to the car cabin can help eliminate the causes of bad odors, especially odors caused by damp mold.

7. Clean the smell of cigarette smoke in the car

If you are used to smoking in the car, be sure to clean the ashtrays regularly. Cigarette ashtrays that stick to the car cabin not only will make the car dirty, but the residues can get stuck in the AC evaporator, leaving an unpleasant odor.

In addition, cigarette smoke can also leave tar on the car interior. Therefore, you need to routinely clean the AC evaporator to the workshop. Meanwhile, to get rid of the odors of cigarette smoke that sticks to the interior, you can use a mixture of water and vinegar with a 50:50 combination, then wipe the interior surfaces dry.

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Eliminate odors in the car with natural ingredients

Not only the methods above can get rid of the bad odors in the car. You can also omit the odor with natural ingredients that are easily available at affordable prices. You can take natural ingredients that are often available in the following kitchens.

1. Coffee powder

It's no secret that many people use coffee grounds to get rid of bad odors in cars. Coffee containing caffeine is believed to be able to absorb sulfuric acid which causes odor. You can put coffee grounds without sugar or other mixtures into a bowl or small container. Place it under a seat or in a smelly area and leave it overnight.

2. Vinegar

Another natural ingredient that can be used to get rid of car odor is vinegar. Not only serves as a food flavoring, vinegar which contains acetic acid is able to absorb the surrounding water molecules. Place vinegar under car seats, carpets, or other sources of odor overnight for best results. If necessary, you can spray vinegar on the source of the odor.

3. Cinnamon powder

The next alternative to get rid of odor in a car with natural ingredients is cinnamon powder. Cinnamon powder is believed to be able to remove various types of pungent odors such as fishy and cigarette odors. You can mix a quarter cup of cinnamon powder and add half a cup of apple cider vinegar in a container. After the cinnamon powder and apple cider vinegar are mixed, close the container tightly after previously making holes in the lid for air circulation, then store it in the car.

You can try some of the tips above to prevent your car from smelling bad. Make sure to always take care of car components and maintain cleanliness on every side of the car so that it is always comfortable to use.

Thus the information about how to get rid of odors in the car easily and at affordable prices. For those of you who plan to rent a car for office operational needs or personal needs, trust MPM Rent. MPM Rent is a car rental company that has more than 13,000 fleet options ranging from luxury cars, passenger cars, heavy duty vehicles, and logistics vehicles.

MPM Rent always makes sure the cars they rent are clean and smell good so they are comfortable to drive. MPM Rent also has quality workforce services, such as driver services, cleaning services, security services, and other support services. Rent a car at the best price only at MPM Rent.