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There’s nothing worse than getting into a stinky car every morning. Sometimes it can seem like there’s no way of getting rid of those lingering odors from the car seats. 

Luckily, there are a few ways to get your car smelling as fresh as when you got it from the dealership. There are several tried-and-tested home remedies that may help. If those fail, you may want to invest in some new specialty products.

Try out these methods to keep the air in your car smelling fresh for your next road trip.

Common Car Odors

It’s easy for cars to accumulate bad odors as they go through daily wear-and-tear. These are some of the most common causes of odors in cars.

Smoke

Cigarette smoke can be one of the most persistent smells in a car. The sticky residue from tar can get everywhere in the cabin, including on the windows, in air vents, and deep in the car seat fabric. Old ash can also be found lining the underside of car mats and in the crevices between the seats. 

Forgotten cigarette butts in ashtrays are a common culprit of stubborn odors. Make sure to empty them out regularly, and check backseats to see if there are any that passengers left behind.

Mildew

You’ve probably smelled mildew when you forgot to roll all the windows up on your car before a rainstorm hit. It can be recognized by the unmistakable odor of sweaty gym socks.

The contained, humid environment of the inside of a car on a rainy day is the perfect breeding ground for fungus to release reproductive spores into the air, which cause the stink. Open windows are usually the culprit, but sometimes moisture can get in through a small leak somewhere in the car. 

Car Sickness

Having a carsick passenger who’s throwing up in the car is definitely not a fun experience. Unfortunately, the smell of vomit can linger in the air despite cleaning up the mess immediately.

The inside of a car is not the most well-ventilated space, so it can trap the odors of a recent accident for several days. Just smelling the scent of vomit can make you feel nauseous while driving, so it may be necessary to do a deep clean of your car.

Removing Car Odors with Household Products

Try out these home remedies using products you can find in your kitchen or garage. You’d never guess these common items could work as powerful deodorizers.

Charcoal

This traditional method of odor removal is extremely easy and effective. Charcoal is a highly porous natural toxin absorber, and is actually used in water filters to absorb impurities. 

Just leave an open bag of charcoal briquettes in your car overnight. The charcoal will absorb all the floating particles in the air that are causing the bad smell. The next day, your car should smell fresh, and the good news is, you can still use it to fire up the grill at your next summer barbecue.

Baking Soda

Baking soda is incredibly useful for a myriad of purposes. As a powerful air deodorizer, it is the go-to for a tough case like vomit. The alkaline base will absorb the odors and leave no trace of the stain.

Simply sprinkle plenty of baking soda on the affected surface after cleaning up the mess. Leave it there for a few hours (preferably overnight), and then vacuum it up. Your car should be free from any more nauseating smells.

Vinegar

The harsh but clean smell of vinegar can be strong enough to absorb even the most overpowering smells. Use this natural deodorizer for the most heavy-duty cases.

Place a cup of vinegar in your car overnight to absorb very strong odors. You can also use a mixture of vinegar and water and dab it lightly on a stinky surface. But be careful not to apply pure vinegar anywhere in your car. It will be too harsh and can burn through upholstery and carpet.

Carpet Cleaner

Carpet cleaner will come in handy for messes that make it to the floor of your car. The harsh chemicals are even stronger than the ones in vinegar, so make sure to follow instructions on the label and dilute the liquid accordingly, and handle with care.

Air Freshener

You can use air freshener to add an extra pop of fresh smell to the car once you’ve done a deep clean. However, an air freshener is not likely to deodorize your car as effectively as one of the above methods, so you should see it as a supplement, not a solution. The scent of forest pine won’t fully mask the odors of cigarette smoke or vomit in a car.

Specialty Products

In addition to these tried-and-true methods of deep-cleaning your car, you can purchase products made especially for these sticky situations. 

Vent Clips

Is there a musty odor coming from your air vents? Try attaching a vent clip to your vent to freshen up the circulating air. Inexpensive and simple to use, they come in different scents such as fresh linen or zesty lemon. 

Odor Removing Gel

You can purchase special odor removing gels to soak up the bad odors in your car. This is the same idea as leaving a cup of vinegar in your car to absorb toxins. Simply place an open jar of odor removing gel on your dashboard to replace bad smells with a fresh scent.

Febreze Fabric Spray

To tackle smelly stains on leather seats and carpets, try spraying with Febreze fabric spray. It’s an easy way to keep surfaces clean and freshen the air.

Mini Air Purifier and Filter

Without proper ventilation, smoke, and other allergens can easily clog up the air in your car. You can treat the air quality in your car with a mini air purifier/filter that will clean out impurities in the atmosphere. Many of them actually use natural ingredients such as charcoal to absorb pollutants.

Fabric Cleaner

For tougher stains, try a fabric cleaner made for car seats. A specially made fabric cleaner can penetrate through thick leather or vinyl upholstery to lift out contaminants.

Odor Bomb

For a unique solution, try out a one-time odor bomb. The odor bomb will release a cleansing fog that will absorb unwanted odors and leave behind a pleasant smell. Leave it in your car for a few hours so it can deodorize your car once and for all.