How to get rid of unwanted odors in your car

When buying a used car, one of the biggest problems you will face is unwanted smells in the cabin. Odors can be difficult to get rid of, especially if the odor has been absorbed into the fabric. You can try shampooing...

When buying a used car, one of the biggest problems you will face is unwanted smells in the cabin. Odors can be difficult to get rid of, especially if the odor has been absorbed into the fabric. You can try shampooing the fabric, but that won't always work, as it may not penetrate deep enough to get to the source of the smell.

This is where an ozone generator can help. The ozone generator pumps O3 into the car, where it can saturate fabric and other interior components and kill odor-causing bacteria. Performing a shock treatment can get rid of human/animal odors, cigarette smoke, and even mildew odor from water damage.

We will be running the engine for 30 minutes for this job, so make sure the car is outside where it can get enough fresh air. Make sure you also have enough gas so that the car doesn't stall. The ozone generator is also installed outside the car, so make sure the weather is good as we don't want rain to damage the generator.

Part 1 of 1: Ozone shock treatment

Necessary materials

• cardboard
• ozone generator

• Artist's ribbon

• Attention: Ozone generators are expensive, but fortunately there are services where you can rent them for a few days. They vary in how much ozone they can produce, but you want to get one that is rated at least 3500mg/h. 12,000 7000 mg/h is the maximum you would want for a typical passenger car, no longer needed. The optimal value is around XNUMX mg/h. Smaller units can be attached to the window, or you can use a tube to direct the gas into the car.

Step 1: Prepare the car. In order for the ozone to do its job, the car must be completely washed. Ozone can't kill bacteria it can't get to, so make sure seats are vacuumed and all hard surfaces thoroughly wiped down.

Make sure all documents in the glove box are removed, and if your spare tire is inside the car, be sure to take it out so the ozone doesn't affect anything.

Raise the carpets and put them in the trunk so air can circulate around them.

Step 2: Set up the generator. Close all windows except drivers. Hold the generator by the top of the door frame and lift the window to secure the generator in place. If your device has a tube, simply insert one end of the tube into the window and lock it in place by tucking the window halfway.

Step 3: Block the Rest of the Open Window. Use cardboard and cut out the remaining window. We want to block the window so the air from outside doesn't get in and interfere with the ozone. Use duct tape to secure the cardboard and tube, if applicable.

• Attention: We don't need cardboard to block all the air, just most of it. Ozone works best when it can get inside the car and saturate everything around. The incoming fresh air will push the ozone out of the car, and we don't want that.

• Functions: masking tape leaves no residue and can be easily removed. We don't need this to last long, so save yourself some time in the end by using masking tape.

Step 4. Install fans to circulate air in the cabin.. A little-known fact about climate control is that you can control where the air comes from. You can get air from outside or you can circulate air inside the cabin.

For this job, we will set them up to circulate air around the cabin. In this way, ozone will be sucked into the vents to clean them. Also set the fans to maximum speed.

Step 5: Start the engine and start the generator.. We will run the generator for 30 minutes at a time. Set a timer and let the ozone take effect.

• A warning: O3 is harmful to people and animals, so make sure no one is near the machine while the generator is running. In addition, some generators may have high and low power. Make sure it's set to the correct rating.

Step 6: Sniffing. After 30 minutes, turn off the generator and open all doors to air out the car for a few minutes. There may be a slight ozone smell that will dissipate after a few days, but the smell should be gone, or at least much better.

If the smell is still present, you can run the generator for another 30 minutes. However, if you need to do this more than 3 times, you can get a higher rated generator.

• Attention: Because O3 is heavier than air, smaller generators may not be powerful enough to push the ozone all the way down the pipe into the car. If you are using a small block with a hose, you can place it on the roof of the car so gravity will also help push the O3 into the car. This can help make sure you are getting enough ozone into your car.

After one or two 30 minute runs of the generator, your car should smell as fresh as a daisy. If the results are not as tested, there may be a problem with a fluid leak causing an odor inside the vehicle, so it should be further tested to determine the source. As always, if you encounter any issues or issues with this job, our certified technicians will help you identify the issue.