Get Rid Of

How to Get Rid of a Bad Smell in Your Car

Updated · 5 min read

Front seats and footwell of a small car with the driver's door open
Photo: Natalka Ukraine, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Short answer

Most car smells come from one of four places: spilled food or drink, a wet carpet, pets, or the air vents. Find which one it is, clean or dry that spot, swap the cabin air filter if the smell comes from the vents, then leave activated charcoal in the car to soak up what's left. Air fresheners only cover the smell for a while.

Quick steps

  1. Take everything out and check under the seats, in the seat rails, and in the trunk.
  2. Press the carpet with a dry paper towel. If it comes up damp, dry it fully before anything else.
  3. Vacuum, then treat any food, milk, or pet stain with an enzyme cleaner.
  4. If the smell gets worse when the fan is on, replace the cabin air filter.
  5. Leave activated charcoal bags in the car for a few days to absorb what remains.

Need supplies? Jump to what to buy

1. Find the source

Take everything out of the car: mats, car seats, bags, and whatever is in the door pockets. Then check the usual hiding places:

  • Under and between the seats. Spilled milk, a lost fries bag, or a juice box is the most common cause of a sour smell.
  • The trunk and spare-wheel well. Water collects here, and so do groceries that rolled out of a bag.
  • The carpet. Press a dry paper towel into it in a few spots, especially the footwells. Damp carpet is the main cause of a musty smell.
  • The vents. Turn the fan on high. If the smell gets stronger, the problem is in the air system, not the cabin.

2. Dry anything that’s wet

A wet carpet or padding will grow mildew, and the smell will keep coming back no matter what you spray. The EPA advises drying wet materials within 24 to 48 hours to stop mold growing.

Park in the sun with the windows open, or use a wet/dry vacuum and a fan. Lift the mats and let air get under them. If water keeps appearing after rain, find and fix the leak first, usually a door seal, sunroof drain, or window seal.

A wet carpet also makes the windows fog up. See how to stop condensation inside car windows.

3. Clean the stain, don’t cover it

Vacuum everything, including the seat rails. For food, vomit, or pet accidents, use an enzyme cleaner. It breaks down the material that causes the smell. Soak the spot, leave it as long as the label says, then blot it dry.

Avoid steam cleaning urine or milk. Heat can set both the stain and the smell into synthetic fibers.

4. Change the cabin air filter

If the smell comes from the vents, the cabin air filter is the first thing to check. A clogged, damp filter smells musty and dusty. Most are behind the glovebox and take a few minutes to swap. Buy the part that matches your make, model, and year.

To help keep the AC smell from coming back, turn off the AC and run the fan for a few minutes before you park. That helps dry the system.

5. Absorb what’s left

Once the source is gone, leave a couple of activated charcoal bags in the car for a few days. They soak up what’s left of the smell without adding a new scent. Air fresheners and sprays only cover a smell and wear off.

Skip ozone generators unless the car is empty and aired out well afterward. The EPA says ozone can irritate the lungs and does little to remove odors at safe levels.

If it’s cigarette smoke, see how to get cigarette smell out of a car. If a dog brought skunk smell in, see how to get rid of skunk smell.

What to buy

We may earn a commission if you buy through these links, at no extra cost to you. How this works

Enzyme pet odor cleaner

Rocco & Roxie Enzyme Stain & Odor Eliminator, 32 oz

Urine, vomit, and other organic stains in carpet, upholstery, and car seats. The enzymes break down what causes the smell instead of covering it.

Good to know: Test on a hidden spot first and keep pets away until it has dried. It needs time to work, so don't rinse it off early.

Check price on Amazon

Activated charcoal odor bags

Moso Natural Air Purifying Bag, 200 g (4 pack)

Soaking up leftover smell in cars, closets, shoes, and small rooms once the source is gone. Unscented, so they don't mask one smell with another.

Good to know: Charcoal absorbs smell; it won't fix an ongoing source like a damp carpet or a spill under a seat.

Check price on Amazon

Common questions

Why does my car smell musty when it rains?

Water is probably getting in through a door seal, sunroof drain, or window seal and soaking the carpet or padding. Check under the floor mats after rain. The smell will keep coming back until the leak is fixed and the padding is fully dry.

Should I use an ozone generator in my car?

Don't use one while anyone is in the car. The EPA says ozone can irritate the lungs, and that at safe levels ozone does little to remove odors. Removing the source works better.

How long does it take to get rid of a car smell?

A spill or trash smell can clear in a day once the source is gone. Wet carpet padding and old pet urine can take several days of drying and treatment.

What do car detailers use to remove odors?

Mostly deep cleaning: extraction cleaning of the carpet and seats, enzyme cleaners on organic stains, and a new cabin air filter. Some use ozone machines in an empty car, but the EPA warns ozone can harm the lungs, so the car has to be aired out fully afterward.

How do I get the previous owner's smell out of a used car?

Smoke and pet smells are the most common. Clean every surface, including the headliner and seat belts, shampoo the carpet and seats, replace the cabin air filter, and leave charcoal bags in the car. Smoke residue behaves the same way as in a house.

Do car odor bombs work?

They help after you clean, not instead of it. The mist reaches vents and fabric you can't scrub, but the smell comes back if the source is still there. Stay out of the car while it works and air it out afterward. See [are ozone generators and odor bombs safe?](/odors/ozone-generator/)

Sources