Purchased a nice 2011 Honda Accord last spring. When I test drove it I noticed the overwhelming smell of perfume. I thought I could use some various means to get rid of the odor. Boy was I wrong. We are now 11+ months on and the smell is as bad as day one. I've tried baking soda, coffee beans, cleaning the carpets, even an odor iodizer. Most of these will mask the odor for a day or two but thats about it. At first, I thought the previous owner either wore too much perfume or sprayed the car with it because she liked the scent. I now think she spilled or poured it somewhere in the car. Any help would be appreciated. I'm tired of smelling like a little old lady when I get out of the car.
Getting rid of interior odor
- Thread starter cwing6
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Do you have cloth or leather seats?
Zorbx will eliminate perfume smells, not just mask them with more perfume. It's non-toxic and has no smell of its own. It breaks down the molecular structure of the odor-causing chemicals. Also works great on pet urine, smoke and skunk.
I have extreme perfume sensitivity, and had the same problem with a used car I bought. It was fine when I looked at it, but when I came back the next day to buy it, they had taken it to a car wash and apparently dipped it in a vat of "Cherry Car Smell." Nothing got it out. I could smell it across a parking lot.
After trying everything, including professional detailing and ozone gas, I got some Zorbx from Lowe's. Sprayed it on every surface, worked it into the upholstery, carpet and headliner. The smell was gone in five minutes.
I have extreme perfume sensitivity, and had the same problem with a used car I bought. It was fine when I looked at it, but when I came back the next day to buy it, they had taken it to a car wash and apparently dipped it in a vat of "Cherry Car Smell." Nothing got it out. I could smell it across a parking lot.
After trying everything, including professional detailing and ozone gas, I got some Zorbx from Lowe's. Sprayed it on every surface, worked it into the upholstery, carpet and headliner. The smell was gone in five minutes.
Start by shampooing the carpet and mats. Do you have leather or cloth seats? If the stuff is in the air vents then I’m not sure and hopefully a expert will chime in. Perfume is a aromatic oil so it is not going to be easy. Look for odor neutralizing products.
Fabreze?
I don't know about the O/P, but the perfume in my car was immune to repeated ozone treatments, soap and shampoo. I'm telling you guys, that Zorbx stuff is just amazing. I wish I owned stock in that company.
Originally Posted By: Wolf359
Don't forget to pull out the seat belt and clean all the seat belt. You basically have to clean every surface of the vehicle. Also look for bits of hidden air fresheners that may be hidden under the seat or in the sides.
Kinda what I was thinking, only there may be an open bottle/vial jammed in somewhere that is constantly feeding the air?
From experience, perfumes and all scent products eventually wear off if no new ones are added. If rolling the windows down and doing what has already been done didn't eliminate it, then something is still feeding it into the air.
Don't forget to pull out the seat belt and clean all the seat belt. You basically have to clean every surface of the vehicle. Also look for bits of hidden air fresheners that may be hidden under the seat or in the sides.
Kinda what I was thinking, only there may be an open bottle/vial jammed in somewhere that is constantly feeding the air?
From experience, perfumes and all scent products eventually wear off if no new ones are added. If rolling the windows down and doing what has already been done didn't eliminate it, then something is still feeding it into the air.
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I wonder if it's saturated in the headliner?
Try vinegar.
I had a similar problem with a used car. The bottom line was the AC evaporator core had mold on it. After the evaporator core got damp and the car sat for a day or two, the mold activated and made the inside of the car smell putrid for an hour or two - and then this cycle repeated itself. Imagine the smell of vomit, cat urine, and dirty gym clothes at the same time. Ugh. The previous owner could not pinpoint the cause of those odors so to overwhelm the odors they sprinkled perfume/cologne in random places, which created a second odor problem. During the test drive I wrongly guessed the owner had just showered and went nuts with perfume/cologne and it was the seller that I was smelling. Nope.
Over the course of 1 to 1.5 years I repeatedly cleaned the inside of the car including the air vent system trying every product you can name. Febreze, Lysol, vinegar, odor absorbers, ozone generator, carpet cleaner, leather cleaner, and so on. Nothing really worked. It was really frustrating, time consuming, and getting expensive.
Eventually spraying a few cans of home AC coil cleaner from Home Depot into the small area where the car's evaporator core was located killed the mold, and the source of the putrid odor stopped. The last product I used to clean up the smell of the perfume/cologne was something I got at Amazon called Dakota Odor Bomb Car Odor Eliminator with neutral air "scent." The scent temporarily made the inside of the car smell like a hotel room with freshly shampooed carpet or something, and after a month or two that faded and finally the long odor nightmare was over.
Over the course of 1 to 1.5 years I repeatedly cleaned the inside of the car including the air vent system trying every product you can name. Febreze, Lysol, vinegar, odor absorbers, ozone generator, carpet cleaner, leather cleaner, and so on. Nothing really worked. It was really frustrating, time consuming, and getting expensive.
Eventually spraying a few cans of home AC coil cleaner from Home Depot into the small area where the car's evaporator core was located killed the mold, and the source of the putrid odor stopped. The last product I used to clean up the smell of the perfume/cologne was something I got at Amazon called Dakota Odor Bomb Car Odor Eliminator with neutral air "scent." The scent temporarily made the inside of the car smell like a hotel room with freshly shampooed carpet or something, and after a month or two that faded and finally the long odor nightmare was over.
The Zorbyx suggestion is a good one. While we do have a detailing subforum here, the op might consider posting on a detailing forum to see if other suggestions come up.
Also, believe it or not,charcoal briquettes can help. Pour them into a container and leave for a day or two. They will still be good for grilling later on so they pull double duty.
Also, believe it or not,charcoal briquettes can help. Pour them into a container and leave for a day or two. They will still be good for grilling later on so they pull double duty.
Originally Posted By: PimTac
The Zorbyx suggestion is a good one. While we do have a detailing subforum here, the op might consider posting on a detailing forum to see if other suggestions come up.
Also, believe it or not,charcoal briquettes can help. Pour them into a container and leave for a day or two. They will still be good for grilling later on so they pull double duty.
Just don't use the Match-light charcoal that contains lighter fluid.
The Zorbyx suggestion is a good one. While we do have a detailing subforum here, the op might consider posting on a detailing forum to see if other suggestions come up.
Also, believe it or not,charcoal briquettes can help. Pour them into a container and leave for a day or two. They will still be good for grilling later on so they pull double duty.
Just don't use the Match-light charcoal that contains lighter fluid.
Originally Posted By: cwing6
Thanks for all the suggestions. BTW, tried Fabreze and it didnt touch it. I will try the zorbx and also search better for open containers, etc. under the seat or hidden around the car.
Just think of every surface that could be touched by hands. That includes visors, over head light switches, dash, seats, all the glass (glass cleaner like windex), stereo, screen. steering wheel, the stalks, storage compartment, etc. Also don't forget to try baking soda, put it in some large pans so it has lots of surface area to absorb odors and leave it in the car for a few days.
You could also take it to a detail shop and ask them to get rid of the smell. There's one around me that offers a deep interior cleaning for $35.
Thanks for all the suggestions. BTW, tried Fabreze and it didnt touch it. I will try the zorbx and also search better for open containers, etc. under the seat or hidden around the car.
Just think of every surface that could be touched by hands. That includes visors, over head light switches, dash, seats, all the glass (glass cleaner like windex), stereo, screen. steering wheel, the stalks, storage compartment, etc. Also don't forget to try baking soda, put it in some large pans so it has lots of surface area to absorb odors and leave it in the car for a few days.
You could also take it to a detail shop and ask them to get rid of the smell. There's one around me that offers a deep interior cleaning for $35.
Get a HVAC foaming spray from Lubegard. Get the vents de-funked from whatever was left over from the blue hair convention. I also think a fresh cabin filter and use that ozone cleaner will help. Or just get me 3 steak chipotle burritos with guacamole and 3 coronas and 30 minutes later and 40 dollars lighter that old lady smell will be a wish from the past.
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