While a funky smelling car may not necessarily impede your ability to drive it, it most certainly makes your drive much less enjoyable. Not to forget the embarrassment when it comes to giving rides to friends. And unlike other odors that are easier to eliminates, cigarette smoke is the gift that keeps giving.

If not handled properly, the cigarette smell can make your car smell like a tobacco testing facility for weeks on end. These are the fastest ways to get rid of the cigarette smell in your car.

Home Remedies to Get Rid of Cigarette Smell in a Car

Here are some easy ways and readily available ingredients that you can use to remove cigarette smell from your car;

1. Baking soda

This works by absorbing the smell instead of masking it. Sprinkle the baking soda on your car seat and other parts of the car interior that are easy to clean. Then let it sit for a couple of hours or longer if you can. Then use a hand-held vacuum cleaner to clean up afterward. You should be able to notice a change in an hour or two.

2. Dryer sheets

Dryer sheets absorb odors and moisture, which is a double win in one as you get to eliminate cigarette smell and latent humidity that can lead to mold growth in your car simultaneously. Place two or three dryer sheets in the car and leave them overnight. Your car will be smelling like fresh laundry come the next day.

3. Vinegar

Place a couple of small bowls with regular vinegar in your car and leave them overnight. You can also put the vinegar in bottles with perforated lids if you fear the vinegar may spill. Vinegar is an affordable and highly effective cigarette smoke odor eliminator.

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4. Ground coffee

Coffee is high in nitrogen, which helps to neutralize odors in the air. This is why you are made to smell coffee beans in between sniffing perfumes to denote different fragrance notes at the perfume store. Leave a bowl of coffee grounds in your car overnight, and the cigarette smell will have dissipated by morning.

5. Charcoal

Activated charcoal can absorb a lot more odor molecules than any other compound. It comprises millions of tine micro-pores that act as suction holes that absorb foul odors and toxins in the air like a vacuum.

The absorbed toxins or odors then stay trapped in the charcoal pores until it becomes active and you activate it by heating the charcoal with sunlight. Place activated charcoal pads in your car and leave it overnight to absorb the cigarette smell. You can also leave it infinitely if you wish to eliminate future cigarette smoke.

6. Hydrogen peroxide

When hydrogen peroxide oxidizes, it breaks down odors, including strong unpleasant odors such as fish and rotten smells. For faster results, mix it with baking soda and place it near the source of the odor.

7. Old Newspapers

Crinkle old newspaper and dip them in vinegar to enable them to absorb the cigarette smell. You can also absorb the smell by using the newspaper with other odor absorbing agents such as hydrogen peroxide.

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8. Onions

Onions contain a compound called Syn-propane diol-S-oxide that reacts with aldehydes and neutralizes them. Place freshly sliced pieces of onions in your car and leave them overnight. The cigarette smell should be eliminated by the next day.

9. Cat litter deodorizer

You can use a cat litter deodorizer to eliminate cigarette smell from your car. You can also use cat litter deodorant sand. Place the deodorizer or the deodorant sand in your car and leave it overnight to absorb the smell.

10. Citrus peels

Orange peels are great for eliminating odors. You can also use other citrus peels such as lemons and limes. Citrus peels contain linalool and limonene, which are commonly used as fragrances in beauty products. You can place the peels in your car to absorb the cigarette smell, or you can fill an orange peel with salt and leave it overnight to absorb the cigarette smell.

11. Vacuum cleaning

You can vacuum your car seats to absorb cigarette odor in your car. To absorb odors while vacuuming, place vacuum deodorizer beads to eliminate the smell. You can also use the opportunity to clean your car mats and other parts to remove all sources of different odors.

12. Air purifier

You can also use a portable air purifier to filter the air in your car. In turn, this will help to absorb other agents in the air, such as the cigarette smell. You can also use other agents designed to purify the air, such as odor bombs and odor eliminators.

13. House cleaning agents

You can use cleaning agents designed home use to remove cigarette smell from your car. These include air freshener, upholstery cleaner, and nicotine remover. You can also use the diluted universal cleaner in a spray bottle to spray your car and clean it to remove the cigarette smell.

How long does cigarette smell last in a car?

Depending on the odor eliminator being used, it can take a day or two to eliminate cigarette smells from your car. However, you can also fast track the process by leaving your car windows open to facilitate air circulation.