Ventilation Odors In Your New Used Car

Searching for a used car to buy can be a lengthy and aggravating process. Once you find the right car, you expect it to run well, look great and even smell clean when you drive it. Unfortunately, there is one issue that can drive you crazy and is not covered by any type of warranty – unpleasant odors from the ventilation system. Here, you will learn how to eliminate those nasty smells and help yourself enjoy driving the car that you have recently bought.

Two Common Odors

Tobacco Odors - Cigarette and cigar smoke fills the car's cabin and settles on everything. Used car dealers typically do a great job of cleaning the interior to eliminate the smoke odor from within, but the smoke that has settled in the ventilation system is oftentimes overlooked. So, as you drive your car in the hot summer weather and kick on the air conditioning, your car begins to fill with the stale odor of smoke.

Note: For future reference, ask a professional used car dealer, like J & J Auto Sales, their process for cleaning vents and removing odors.

Mold Odors - The odor of mold coming through the ventilation system may not quickly be noticed. It happens because moisture has been introduced to the system at one point and was not thoroughly dried quickly enough. Not only is this a stinky problem, but it could cause problems for those who suffer from allergies, asthma or other breathing disorders.

Remove the Smell Quickly

To quickly remove the smell from the ventilation system is to fill the system with the pleasant smells of your favorite dryer sheets. This is quick and easy to do. All you need is a few dryer sheets, an empty toilet paper roll, a rubber band and an air compressor.

  • Ball up a couple of dryer sheets and stuff them in the toilet paper roll.
  • Cover one end of the roll with another dryer sheet and use a rubber band to hold it in place.
  • Now, place the roll on a vent and stick the air compressor nozzle inside the uncovered end of the roll and blow air through it for a minute or two. Do this to each vent in the car and your problem may be resolved.

Note: This will not eliminate the mold spores, so if allergies, asthma or breathing disorders are something that you or passengers suffer from, use the process below to clean the ventilation system.

Thoroughly Remove the Odor

To thoroughly remove the odor, you will need to clean the ventilation system. To do this you will need a bucket, water, white vinegar, a wire drain cleaner, duct tape and a clean cloth.

  • Mix a half cup of white vinegar with about two cups of water in a bucket.
  • Attach the clean cloth to the wire drain cleaner with some duct tape.
  • Remove the vent covers from inside the car.
  • Wet the cloth on the wire drain cleaner
  • Send it through the ventilation system several times.
  • Run the heater to expedite the drying process.

This process should get the smell out of your new used car ventilation system. It may take a little time and you may have to do it a few times before the smell is completely gone, but eventually, these odors will be a thing of the past.


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