To worry about third-hand smoke in my second-hand car

[SaraKatie]

Bought a car today and when I was driving it home I realised there’s a smell of cigarette smoke. I’d taken it for a test drive and did notice it then, but for some reason I didn’t think much of it at the time, I guess I thought it would air out, but now I’m really worrying all of a sudden. It has been valeted and I can’t smell it when I sniff the seats, it’s just sort of in the air. I tried putting a bowl of vinegar in the footwell overnight to see if it helps, but I’m worried about the bad effects of third-hand smoke. I have a 17 month old and am currently trying for a baby (on the two week wait) so I’m extra paranoid. I don’t know if I should try and get it deep cleaned (even though it was valeted), try and return it (don’t know if the dealer will allow that) or sell it. I really love the car otherwise and it was affordable for us.

You can't be harmed by "third hand smoke", there is no smoke, only the smell of old smoke in the upholstery.

Get the car professionally cleaned and you could try pouring a lot of bicarbonate of soda over all the fabric then leaving overnight and hoovering up.

It won't do you any harm, though I wouldn't have bought a car with the slightest hint of cigarette smoke - I can't stand the smell.

Hopefully no one else can smell it and it’s a super sensitive pregnancy nose 🤞🤞🤞

Thanks. I read online that third hand smoke can be harmful, and I think I’m extra cautious at the moment because I had a chemical pregnancy three weeks ago and I’m terrified of it happening again. 😭

I think it can be harmful? I think it's worse than if you actually smoked yourself.
If I were you I'd get a steam fabric cleaner thing and go over the car using that.

A valeting wont deal with the stench of a smokers car. It needs a deep clean of carpets and fabrics.

I'd have it professionally deep cleaned. Specify that you'd like all seats and carpets shampooed, seat belts, the lot. Tell them to clean it like it's got Covid.

You need a full valet (including steam clean of all interior not just seats)

Not sure if the chems will be safer than any third hand smoke so ask what they use.

It's clinging to the ceiling, it's in all the fabric.

But no, it won't be harmful. Just too irritating to live with, so get it deep cleaned.

I've had a car with a smoky smell. I used two entire spray bottles of febreeze on all the soft bits, inc the roof. It stunk of febreeze for a few days (I drove with the windows open) then when the febreeze smell had gone, it had taken the smoky smell with it.

I’ll try and find a company that does the proper cleaning. I don’t want to just mask the fumes... tbh I’m also hoping that my severe aversion to the smell is an early pregnancy sign. 🤞 Definitely takes some of the shine off the purchase though! 😑

It's less of a danger than what the tailpipe of the car is emitting...

I bought a car with the same problem and neve managed to get rid of the smell, despite many costly treatments. I ended up selling it on at a big loss because it made anything left in the car smell too (costs and such). If you can return it, then I would.

@Horehound

I think it can be harmful? I think it's worse than if you actually smoked yourself. If I were you I'd get a steam fabric cleaner thing and go over the car using that.

How on earth can the vague smell of old smoke in fabric be worse than smoking yourself?

Third hand smoke has recently been found to be toxic, although I think scientists are still working out to what degree it's harmful

www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/expert-answers/third-hand-smoke/faq-20057791

Agree that a deep clean is in order, find someone who specialises in cleaning up cigarette smells.

@Horehound

I think it can be harmful? I think it's worse than if you actually smoked yourself. If I were you I'd get a steam fabric cleaner thing and go over the car using that.

FFS. How is the residual smell of old fags worse than actually chuffing away on them? Get a grip. 🙄

Try a few bowls of bi-carb soda overnight.

@PerveenMistry

It's less of a danger than what the tailpipe of the car is emitting...

Yes! It will do you no harm whatsoever, OP. Certainly no more dangerous than walking down a street with traffic on it. It may be unpleasant but it's not hurting you.

Any harm it may do is infinitesimal. However it will never come out. A full valet and steam clean will briefly hide it, but it will slowly seep back again. Especially on days when the sun has heated the interior of the car up.

@Briarshollow fucking calm down. I got mixed up that's all. I just read a study it said third hand smoke is just as toxic as first and second hand smoke. Third hand smoke is toxic nicotine deposits which are very difficult to remove and can take years to go and they won't be removed by just opening windows etc. Those deposits are carcinogenic and will not be good for anyone to breathe on let alone a baby, so op is doing the right thing trying to get it removed.
It's not just a smell, it's actual toxic chemicals..

But yeh, spot the smokers on this thread

Yeah, I don’t smoke. But I have magical powers of critical thought that mean I can realise that the stench of an old fag on a car seat while potentially not risk free, is not the same as tooting on a Benson and Hedges.

Driving your children around in a car is much more dangerous than the vague smell of third hand smoke in said car. You sound very neurotic.

Before paying for another clean try putting tea tree oil in the air vents and driving the car with them on full.
That's what kept putting the smell of smoke back in my car regardless of how much cleaning I did.

There are no proven harms from "3rd hand smoke" to humans. Any research paper will mention "may, might,could" cause "something" but no definitive explanation of what any harms might be.
It's an area ripe for grifters to exploit, California excels at it. Then again everything causes cancer there, even Disney World.

Chance of car accident and the exhaust fumes are much more dangerous than old smoke. So don’t worry about it being harmful. That said it’s grim and of course you want to get rid of it. I’d sprinkle bi carb of soda over the seats, leave for an hour and vacuum. Then for good measure empty a can of febreeze all over the interior and drive it down the motorway with all the windows open (without DS in the back obvs). I’ve never smoked but it does the trick for various other car smells delightfully emitted by small children, namely wee or puke.