How to Get Rid of Car Smells

If something smells off about your car, then you might have a problem that needs some immediate attention.

From exhaust fumes to rotten eggs, the smells produced by your car can tell you a lot about your vehicle’s health.

Read on and learn how to get rid of car smells, as well as some distinct car smells and their potential causes.

Our Top Tips to Get Rid of Common Car Smells

Fix the Underlying Issue

If you suspect that something is wrong with your car, it’s important that you have it checked by a professional mechanic.

A replacement part may be required, or a leak could be causing issues that needs to be repaired.

That way you can find a solution to the problem, rather than just masking a persistent odour.

Note that if you smell fuel, then you could have a leak which needs to be addressed right away for your safety.

You can smell petrol or burning because something is leaking into the engine or near the exhaust, so you need to stop driving and have your car checked by a professional as soon as possible.

Give Your Car a Good Clean

Once you’ve had the relevant component replaced or offending leak repaired, you can get to cleaning your car.

Tackle plastics and tight spots with a steam cleaner – this is good for removing food and mildew smells which can get trapped fabrics.

If you know that a part wasn't to blame, check all areas of your car's interior - including the glove compartment - for anything that could be causing the smell, and have gloves and a bin bag at the ready to dispose of it.

Go over the seats, footwells and boot with a hand hoover to get any crumbs or dirt –and don’t forget to clean the dashboard and door pockets, too.

For harder to reach spots, you can use a wet cloth to wipe down any surfaces - you may also wish to use a carpet cleaning spray on the floor mats.

How you choose to clean your car will depend on what’s causing the smell, but there are a range of home remedies you can use.

If you know that the smell relates to your dog, the approach you take will be different to cleaning up a spill, for instance.

A multi-purpose cleaning spray can be useful for the former, whilst a mixture of baking soda and distilled white vinegar can help you get rid of the smells in damp areas.

You can also leave baking soda on overnight on the interior carpet and cloth seats and hoover it the next day - this can work if you've spilled milk in your car.

If a smoke smell is lingering, you can use a mixture of white distilled vinegar and water on a microfibre cloth to wipe down the surfaces.

Condition Your Car's AC

You should be using your air con throughout the year so that bacteria doesn’t get a chance to build up.

If you do start to smell something, you can spray an air conditioning odour eliminator into the air vents to help with the smell and remove bacteria.

It's important that you ventilate your car by rolling down the windows and turning on the air con.

Your air conditioning can smell musty or stale over time - something you might notice if you've not used the system as much during the winter months.

Dirty air filters and low refrigerant could also be to blame - so you may want to invest in an air con regas if your vents smell bad.

Know When It's Time to Call in a Professional

If the smell is really bad, you may need a professional detailer to take a look at your vehicle.

They’ll have the right tools, equipment and knowledge to get your car looking and smelling good again.

Once your car is clean - whether you get rid of the smell yourself or with some help - you can use a car air freshener to help your vehicle smell fresher.

What Is Causing My Car to Smell?

Take a look at some common car smells and their potential causes.

Burning = Overheating air con, worn out brake pads

Rotten eggs = Clogged catalytic converter, leaking battery, engine problems

Burning rubber = Slipping belt, worn out clutch, worn out brakes

Fuel = Fuel leak

Exhaust Fumes = Exhaust system leak

Chemicals = Heater core problem, leaking refrigerant

Sweet = Coolant leak

Burning fur = Dead animal

Stale air = Leak, poor ventilation

Are There Any Harmless Car Smells?

There are some car smells which are usually not cause for concern, like ‘new car’ smell.

As a rule of thumb, if the smell is faint and goes away quickly – or has an obvious cause like a musty smell after rain or heating use producing a slightly dusty smell – you probably don’t have to worry.

However, any smells that enter the cabin while driving, come with warning lights, smoke or leaks could all point to more serious problems.

Now that you've read this article, you should have a better idea of what could be causing the smell in your vehicle - and what you need to do about it.

If you suspect that a faulty component or leak is to blame, don't hesitate to book a repair.

Stay in control of your vehicle's future and put your mind at ease by making a booking in just a few clicks today.

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