How to get weed smell out of car? If you’ve bought a second-hand car with a lingering weed (marijuana) smell, you’ll want to do something about it fast. Similarly, if you’re a car rental manager and one of your cars has started smelling like weed, it becomes a problem. Nothing puts customers off more than a whiff of someone else’s smoking habit. The good news is you can take steps to get rid of this strong odor.
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How to Get Weed Smell out of Car
An essential part of car interior detailing is odor removal. A clean, fresh-smelling car makes your driving experience more enjoyable. But it usually takes more than a quick spritz of air freshener to get to the root of the problem. For example, marijuana smoke gets into upholstery and clings to car surfaces. So, it’s a good idea to deep clean car interior. Here’s how to get weed smell out of car.
Roll Down the Windows
First, get some fresh air into the car. Open the doors and roll down the windows to help disperse the odor. It won’t fix the problem, but it is a start.
Vacuum the Interior
Remove any cigarette ends, ash, and clutter from the car. Then use a car vacuum to thoroughly clean the headliner, seats, carpets and floor mats.
Always start at the top of the car and work your way down. This way, you’ll catch dirt and crumbs that fall from seats onto the floor. Remember, smoke gets everywhere. So, other places to clean the inside of your car include:
- Door panels and pockets
- Creases between seats
- Under seats
- Dashboard and console
- Trunk area
Wipe Surfaces
Even after smoking weed, residual smoke can continue to release odor-causing particles into the air for some time. This lingering smoke can further contribute to the strong weed smell that settles on surfaces inside your car.
To help eliminate the odor, wipe down all surfaces with the best car interior cleaner or a mixture of water and a few drops of mild dish soap. Note, if someone has been smoking weed, their fingers will smell of smoke. So, pay special attention to high touch points like the steering wheel and controls.
Deep Clean Car Seats
Fabric seats and carpets readily absorb smoke smells. Moreover, if someone has frequently been smoking weed in your car, you’re going to get a more intense and lasting odor. Therefore, it’s useful to know how to steam clean car seats.
You will need a steam cleaner for cars and a couple of good-quality microfiber cloths. Then do the following:
- Move the steam cleaner nozzle over the fabric or upholstery (without touching it).
- Use overlapping passes to ensure thorough cleaning. The high-temperature steam will help break down dirt, stains, and bacteria.
- Immediately after steam cleaning each section of the car seat, use a clean microfiber cloth to wipe and blot the area.
Using a microfiber cloth helps during and after steam cleaning because it ensures that the cleaned surfaces are thoroughly dried and free from residue. Microfiber cloths are highly absorbent, lint-free, and gentle on fabrics, making them an excellent choice for the best way to detail car interior.
How to Get Weed Smell out of Car Vent
The question of how to get weed smell out of car vent is trickier. Smoke can go all through your car’s HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) system, including the AC vents. This happens when smoke particles make their way into the ventilation system when your fan or AC is running.
Once inside, these smoke particles can settle on various components of the HVAC system, including the air filter, evaporator coil, and air ducts. Over time, this can result in a persistent smell of weed whenever the HVAC system is in use. Here’s what to do:
- Start by cleaning the car vents with a car wash brush type that fits easily inside the vents.
- Or, you can use compressed air to blow out dirt or any cigarette ash particles.
- Next, steam clean car interior AC vents to sanitize the surfaces. This helps neutralize the smell of weed.
- Ask an auto technician to replace the air filter if you’re unsure how to go about it. A dirty or old filter can leave bad smells in your car.
How to get rid of weed smell in car may take a couple of attempts to eliminate the smell from the HVAC system for good. It’s often best to consult a professional car interior detailing service specializing in odor removal for the most effective results.
How to Get Rid of Weed Smell in Car Carpets
Cigarette ash on carpets can leave a smell even after vacuuming. So, you might have to shampoo the carpets. This job is made easier with the correct car interior detailing tools, such as a wet-dry vacuum.
The “wet” function extracts moisture effectively and helps reduce drying time. Allow the carpet to dry completely to prevent mold and mildew growth. If this becomes a problem, see how to remove mold from car interior.
Also, steam cleaning carpets is another way how to get rid of weed smell in car. Steam penetrates deep into the carpet fibers to remove odors like smoke. Moreover, this method has a faster drying time compared to traditional methods using car shampoo and water. If you have a lot of rental cars to clean, fleet services will save you time.
Car Odor Eliminators
Your car should smell fresher after you’ve vacuumed and cleaned it. But if you still get a faint whiff of weed, see our tips on how to get bad smell out of car. Home remedies include leaving activated charcoal or coffee grounds in a bowl overnight in the car. These can help absorb and neutralize odors.
Baking soda is also handy if you want to know how to get smoke smell out of car from weed or cigarettes. Sprinkle baking soda over seats and carpets, then leave overnight. The vacuum the area until it is clean and odor-free.
Conclusion
How to get weed smell out of car? The obvious answer is don’t let anyone smoke weed in your vehicle in the first place, no matter how nicely they ask! But sometimes the matter is out of your hands, especially if you have bought or rented a car with a lingering weed smell.
However, if you follow our steps and tips, you should eventually get rid of the smell. It may take a couple of goes, but you can do it with thorough cleaning and persistence. Alternatively, leave the job to the experts. We have the tools and techniques to achieve that new car smell.