Just picked up my first Mini, an R53. Previous owner was a smoker Anyone got any good tips on how to remove the smell before i die? They are the cloth seats, not leather. Thanks

 

Make sure that ALL ashtrays are PRISTINE!!!

 

The one removable ashtray that I had is actually out of the car. The interior is actually spotless

 

The problem with the ashtray is that it tends to have ashes mixed with tobacco tars. The tar is really concentrated. I read a number of years ago that a LOT of the smell is in the ashtray, therefore they have to be totally clean. As far as upholstery, rugs and headliners go, I don't have a clue as I never had to deal with it. Both vehicles that I bought after I quit smoking (22 years ago) have been new.

 

contact a company called Service Pro...see if they do auto's.
Had them get smell out of a house and an apartment with smoke
smell..It was an ozone machine...IT WORKED....

 

Were they expensive? I would rather a homemade solution than having to drop the money on a professional cleaning service

 

A couple of old remedies for smoke smells are:

1) Wad up old newspapers and put them under the seats or on the seats...whever you can stand it...even if just when not in use. They will help absorb/remove the smell.

2) Cut an apple or apples in half or quarters and put them in the car. They also naturally absorb odors without introducing new odors to the mix.

3) Wipe down the dash, door-panels, and all hard-surfaces with a good mixture of water and cleanser.

One thing I warn against is fragrance air-fresheners. They simply try to out-stink the stink. Good luck!

 

Get some stuff from Autozone to clean the aircon vents and ducts. I think it is some kind of aerosol can with a long hose. Then change the cabin filter. Use Febreze on every cloth surface, carpet, and headliner. Then wipe all interior panels with some kind of mild cleaner. Finally clean the interior glass. You may have to go back over the cloth, etc with Febreze again.

 

Thanks DooBahDoo and nabeshin. I will try the apple trick tonight.

 

Learned this from a used car dealer. It worked unbelievably well.

Put fresh ground coffee in a tray in your car. Close the windows and doors overnight or longer if you can. Remove coffee. Open windows. Drive car.

 

I don't know about the Coffee Ground idea, but here is a 'Sure Fire' Solution...I did this with our '01 Dodge Durango that I just had to have, 'cause it was Black...Put a Cup of White Vinegar in a Bowl, leave the Bowl in the MINI overnight, in the morning the Smoker's Smell will be gone!!

 

... or place big skunk inside car, close door... then scare him. it will drown out all previous smoke smell.

warning: big side effect.

 

Years ago on NAM there was thread where an owner left a beef roast by mistake in her Mini for 3 days in the summer . Needless to say she was thinking of replacing the entire interior and was also asking for suggestions to get rid of the smell befor changin out the interior. I suggested renting an ozone machine based my experience with refurbed corporate aircraft. She rented the machine, left it in the car for 24 hours and it did the trick. FWIW. Good luck.

 

All of those are short term solutions.........it will come back, especially if they were a heavy smoker.

There's nothing you can do that will get rid of it permanently, but any/all of those may help it some. Once it's in the upolstery material, the headliner, interiors of the doors, trunk mat, carpets, soft parts of the inside of the dash and so on and so on, it's there forever.......

My wife has smoked since she was a young teen ager, every car she's owned till the last one stunk, and I tried everything to get rid of the smell before I sold them. The last car we bought her I convinced her not to smoke in and so far she hasn't.

And she knows better than to light up in my MINI or Jag - she'd be walking from there on!

Good luck, but I'd either find another car if you're sensitive to it like I am, or get used to it. It will fade over time, but it will never be completely gone. Anyone sensitive to it will notice it right away. In fact, I can tell smoker's cars when I get behind them on the road - I generally pass them immediately - to me they smell as bad as diesel pickups!