There’s nothing quite like a new car smell. But over time, the clean showroom scent naturally fades. Fortunately, with the right cleaning methods and products, you can restore that good-as-new smell and keep your vehicle fresh between car interior detailing service appointments. Here’s how.
If you’re interested in expert green car care, including odor removal, download our Eco Wash Benefit Guide:
What is New Car Smell?
The distinctive “new car” smell is a mix of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) released by materials such as leather, plastics, adhesives, and carpeting in brand-new vehicles. These VOCs break down over time when exposed to light, heat, and air, which is why the intensity of the new car smell fades.
How to Get New Car Smell – Steps and Procedures
Breathing in VOCs isn’t the healthiest of experiences, so we bring you the greener alternative when you follow these car interior detailing steps:
Remove Trash From Car
First, get rid of the garbage inside your car. Leftover bits of food attract odor-causing microbes such as bacteria and molds. Also, remove personal belongings and car mats to make it easier to access all areas of the car when vacuuming and cleaning.
Vacuum Your Car Interior
Next, vacuum every corner and crevice of your clutter-free car. The professionals use the best car vacuum with upholstery attachments to achieve superior cleaning. Here are the key steps:
- Begin by vacuuming the ceiling, headliner, and upper areas of the car’s interior with a soft brush attachment to remove dust, lint, and any loose particles.
- Vacuum the seats thoroughly, starting from the top and working down to the seat cushions and crevices. Pay special attention to seams, folds, and pockets where dirt and debris can gather.
- Vacuum the carpeted areas of the car, including the footwells. Start from the front and work your way towards the back, overlapping your strokes for thorough coverage.
- Use a crevice tool attachment to reach tight spaces along the edges of the carpet and around the pedals. Pay attention to corners, edges, and underneath seats. See tips on how to detail a car interior like a professional.
Banish Bad Odors
The trick to restoring a new car smell is to get rid of all the bad smells first! Food spills, pet odors, or smoke can create strong, unpleasant smells in a confined space. See our tips on how to get bad smell out of car.
Remove Stains
As well as eliminating bad smells, you need to remove stains from car seats and carpets as soon as possible. If you see a mark on seats or carpets, do the following:
- Blot up liquid spills with a microfiber car cloth.
- Use the best car interior detailing products to clean car seats and carpets.
- Rinse and repeat as necessary.
- Dry the car thoroughly to prevent a mildew smell.
If your carpets need extra attention, use a carpet stain remover to achieve a clean and fresh-smelling finish.
Wipe Down Surfaces and Restore Shine
Use the best car interior cleaner to remove dust, dirt, and grime from interior surfaces like the steering wheel, dashboard, door panels, and center console. For example, Meguiar’s Ultimate Interior Detailer’s spray on, buff off formula gives your car interior a like-new polished appearance. It is suitable for plastic, vinyl, and leather.
Use Steam to Sanitize Car Interior
If you want to know how to get new car smell in an older vehicle, or if you haven’t cleaned your car regularly, we recommend steam cleaning for odor removal. Steam is the best way to detail a car interior. The hot vapor sanitizes surfaces, killing bacteria, mold, and other microorganisms that may contribute to odors. The result is a fresher-smelling and healthier space inside your car. See our tips on how to steam clean car interior.
Moreover, steam uses minimal water compared to traditional methods like shampooing and wet vacuuming. This means you leave less moisture behind on seats and surfaces. Also, drying time is shorter, which helps prevent the growth of mold, mildew and bacteria that thrive in moist environments and lead to odors.
Best New Car Smell Products
Once your car is clean, you can enhance the interior with a high-quality car scent product. These work best on a clean interior, rather than masking exisiting odors. Choose from sprays, hanging air fresheners, vent clips, or scented sachets. For example:
Showroom Scent
Chemical Guys New Car Smell is a new car smell spray that makes your vehicle smell like you’ve just driven away from the showroom. It is an air freshener and odor neutralizer in one.
Added UV Protection
Meguiar’s New Car Scent Protector is another new car smell spray but with UV protection included.
Plant-Based Option
Grow Fragrance Car Freshener is a hanging 100% plant-based non-toxic air freshener, perfect if you love an eco-friendly product.
Fragrance-Free
Moso Natural Air Purifying Bag absorbs and neutralizes odors. Each fragrance-free bag can last up to 2 years.
And if you overdo the scent, we even have a quick fix for overpowering perfumes. See how to get air freshener smell out of car.
How To Make Your New Car Smell Last Longer
To maintain the new car smell for as long as possible, you can follow these tips:
Keep the Interior Dry
Moisture trapped inside your car can lead to musty odors and mildew. Dry or remove wet mats, umbrellas, or damp sports gear promptly to help keep your interior smelling fresh.
Replace Old Air Filters
A dirty cabin air filter can circulate unpleasant smells throughout your vehicle. Check your owner’s manual for the recommended replacement interval.
Save the Snacks for Home
If you can help it, don’t eat in your car, especially if you are a messy eater! Furthermore, some fast foods have pungent odors, which cling to your car upholstery.
Don’t Smoke in Your Car
Politely remind passengers to smoke somewhere else because thick cigarette smoke gets into upholstery and headliner, even after 5 minutes in the car.
Remove Stains Promptly
Deal with stains as soon as possible to prevent odors between car details. For example, see our tips on how to remove stains from cloth seats.
Vacuum Often
Dust and grime buildup can cause your car to smell stale and musty. So, regularly vacuum your car’s interior to prevent dirt and debris from building up. Aim to vacuum at least once a week, or more often if you frequently transport pets or children.
Keep Your Car Mats Clean
If you live in an area that is dry and dusty, shake out your car mats at the end of the day. Also, inspect the car mats for any smelly substances that may stick to them. Wash if necessary.
Clean and Shine Windows Regularly
Be sure to clean the car windows regularly. Stains and odors can cling to glass, so clean the inside part of the windows, too. See how to wax car windows.
Air Your Car
Whenever possible, park your car in a well-ventilated area and open the windows and doors to allow fresh air to circulate through the interior. This can help keep your interior fresh and free from stale odors.
Conclusion
Knowing how to get new car smell isn’t about masking odors with a stronger fragrance. It is important to clean and sanitize your car first. Once you’ve removed the dirt, bacteria, stains and lingering odors, the right products can help recreate that showroom-fresh experience.
Steam cleaning is the most effective, time-saving method. However, if you prefer to leave this job to the professionals, we can help. Our trained team uses eco-friendly methods to eliminate odors and restore the fresh new car smell you’ll love.
For more details on our greener clean, download our Eco Wash Benefit Guide:
