When you’re away from your car for a few days or longer, it can seem like an alien space. When you come home from work, the scent of your perfume mingles with the lingering odors of greasy takeout and cigarette smoke. You haven’t had the chance to really clean up since you left for vacation, so rather than drive across town to do so when everyone else is home, you make the most of it by leaving your car alone. Well-meaning friends have offered to come over and let their pets use it while they’re gone. But now that they’re back and you need your car again, those same friends have decided not to rent it out after all. The question is: Is there anything we can do? Fortunately, the answer is yes. Even if you don’t have time to scrub all the dirt and grime under the hood or replace parts that smell musty or look dingy, there are things you can do to ameliorate the smell in your car until you can get it professionally cleaned again.
Get in the habit of regularly cleaning your car.
The interior of your car is exposed to the same bacteria, dust, and other allergens as your home, so it’s no wonder that it smells like something crawled in there. The more often you clean it, the less often you’ll have to get it professionally cleaned. Start by filling the tank with water and a dish soap. If you have a bucket, that’s even better, as it will allow you to wash the outer edges of the car where dirt and dust gather. Use a microfiber cloth to gently wipe down all of the windows, steering wheel, door handles, dashboard, and center console. Then, use the same cloth to wipe down the seating surface, steering column, and under the hood. Finally, use a clean cloth to wipe down the ceiling, door jambs, and the trunk. Try to do a better job of cleaning your car than you do of cleaning yourself. If you’re constantly taking a shower, for example, try to take the time to scrub the grime off of your car as well.
Put on clean clothes before getting into your car.
If you’re like most people, you don’t always put on clean clothes before getting into your car. If you do, however, the scent of your perfume mingles with the lingering odors of your perfume, your clothes, and the musty smell of your car. That’s a lot of competing scents, some of which might not be pleasant. If you take a few minutes to put on clean clothes before driving off, you can minimize the impact of the musty smell in your car. Dress in clean, freshly pressed clothes, or at least put on clean clothes that haven’t been worn for a couple of days. That will help to minimize the scent of your clothes and perfume, as well as give you a fresh start when you get into your car.
Make sure your car is fully aired out before driving off.
The air in your car isn’t just for smelling nice. It’s also a critical part of keeping your car running properly and minimizing pollution. If your car is filled with stale air, it could potentially damage parts and cause your car to consume more fuel than it should, due to inefficiency. That’s why it’s important to regularly get your car fully aired out. If you’re short on time, open all the windows and doors and let the air in your car escape. It’s not ideal, but it’s better than letting stale air build up in your car.
Don’t forget to do an odor neutralizing soak before you get into the car.
While washing your car can get rid of some of the odors in your car, it won’t get rid of all of them. If you don’t do an odor neutralizing soak, smells will just come back even stronger once you get back into your car. To neutralize odors, you need to allow the air in your car to dry out. That’s why it’s important to let your car fully air out before getting back into it. You can also help neutralize odors by doing something as simple as opening a window or two and letting the air flow in your car. You can also use an odor neutralizing soak. An odor neutralizing soak is a spray that you apply to the carpets and upholstery in your car to neutralize odors. You can find odor neutralizing sprays in most auto parts stores.
Use these 3 tips to make your car smell like brand new again.
If you want your car to smell nice, clean, and fresh, here are 3 tips you can follow to make it happen. – Regularly clean your car – Let the air in your car escape when it’s too thick – Use an odor neutralizing soak.