How to Deodorize a Car
- Spray down vents with an AC cleaner. With time, a car's air conditioner vents build up dirt and debris that can cause an unpleasant smell in your car. Make sure to treat the AC while deodorizing your car. Buy an AC cleaner made for cars at a local hardware store. Spritz down the vents of the car's air conditioning system with the cleaner. This will help reduce bad smells.
- Place a container of dryer sheets in the car. Simply fill a container with dryer sheets and place it somewhere in your car. Dryer sheets can help absorb unwanted odor and also give off a pleasant scent. After cleaning your car, placing dryer sheets in the car can help eliminate lingering odors.
- Treat your car with white vinegar. Mix equal parts white vinegar and water. Spritz this mixture onto any areas in your car that are producing a bad smell. Saturate the area and let the vinegar absorb into the car. Then, use a scrub brush or other cleaning tool to scrub out the vinegar mixture. This should leave the car smelling significantly fresher.
Use a pet deodorizer on pet smells. Pet deodorizers are made with specific enzymes that are designed to lift and eliminate pet odors. Brands of pet deodorizers vary in how they are used, but most of them are spritzed onto a stain and left to sit for a specific time period. You then rinse the pet deodorizer out.
Make sure to test any pet deodorizer you're using on a small, unnoticeable area in your car first to make sure it doesn't cause a stain or damage your car.
- Sprinkle baking soda on seats and carpeting. Baking soda can work for a wide variety odors as it naturally lifts scents. All you have to do is sprinkle baking soda over areas in your car that smell. Let the baking soda sit for a few hours or overnight and then vacuum it up.
- Leave a container of coffee beans in your car. Place seven ounces of coffee beans in a container and leave the container in your car. If you let the beans sit in your car, they should absorb some odor. You can also use coffee grounds, but these may spill and cause mess.