How do I get that musty old car smell out of my car WITHOUT using air-freshers?

Answer 1

Try looking through the yellow pages at carpet cleaning services, and automobile detailing services and see which ones offer ozone treatments for the interior.

A few years back I purchased a used vehicle which was afoul with the odor of cigarette smoke. I took it in for an ozone treatment and it was as if no one had ever even lit a match in the car. It's expensive but well worth it.

Answer 2

Musty smells will disappear when there is no longer any damp so try leave the car open and in the sun on a hot day for a few hours.

Answer 3

The distasteful odour within a car is generally due to a combination of factors. Old spillages, crumbs from food, tobacco ash, etc. combine with moisture from condensation, dampness from wet clothes in rainy weather, humidity from people breathing, etc. This results in moulds forming and bacteria growing - none of this is generally visible to the naked eye, but nevertheless you can 'smell' it - what you actually smell are the decomposition products from moulds and bacteria consuming the spillage and food residues.
The proper cure is a little drastic and involves treating all of the fabric materials in the car, including the foam in the upholstery, carpets (and underlay if fitted), door padding and headlining. A biocide should be used that will kill both moulds and bacteria. After cleaning, all parts must be totally dry before re-fitting. Note, that in older cars, the base of the back bench seat is easily removed and soaked in a solution in a bath - this seat is often the main culprit, especially if you have children.
Spraying the interior with Febreze will remove odours in the short term, but a deep-clean is the best and most permanent cure. Taxi drivers are pretty well-experienced with interior cleaning of their cabs, as of anyone, they have the highest risk of interior spillages, vomit, etc.. - try asking one how he deals with it!

Answer 4

£15 for a full valet? Blimey, they ain't gonna make much money. The chemicals to clean a car properly, and without damaging anything would cost £15. Use an upholsery cleaner that has biocidal action and clean everything, hard-and-soft surfaces. If the upholstery is leather, feed it with Liquid Leather, ventilate the car frequently, hoover it regularly. Don't smoke in the car, that makes them stink.

Answer 5

I'm having the exact same problem, and spent some time studying it on the net and car equipment stores.

There are (very cheap) odor eliminator products designed just for that, for example, 'Meguiar’s Car Odor Eliminator' is quite common, there are also others.

Another tip I found out myself (applied for me, maybe for you) , is that although the odor seems to have conquered the entire car it does have a source.

Just sniff different places in the car and see if you can find source or sources. (your neighbours will probably think you're nuts but it's worth it :-) ).

I intend to use these materials on the source I found (a stinking rotton wooden tray behind the back seat)

Hope it helps

Answer 6

Air fresheners merely cover it up anyway. Find a good detail shop, and ask them to clean up the interior. They will do the seats, carpets and headliner. It will cost you a bit, but you will have a clean and sweet smelling ride.

Answer 7

Check with your local dealer, they should have some stuff they can spray in your vents and under the seats to eliminate odors without adding a scent to your car. It doesn't cover the odors up it just removes them.

Answer 8

Cover the seats etc with bicarbonate of soda (dry- just sprinkle on) , leave for as long as possible (ie a few days) then hoover off.

Answer 9

Give it a good hoover using some shake n vac, then spray some fabreeze on the seats .

Answer 10

try shampooing your car with autoglym interior cleaner ,mix with water & add zoflora disenfectant.clean everything ,carpets,seats headlining,door panels& boot mat as well as the floor mats.clean windows,dress all vinyls with meguiars vinyl dressing then put car heaters on hot & dry it out thouroughly.failing that give it to me that's what i do for a living