{"id":8190,"date":"2023-03-20T19:17:27","date_gmt":"2023-03-20T19:17:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/knowledge-center\/?p=8190"},"modified":"2023-05-23T17:51:06","modified_gmt":"2023-05-23T17:51:06","slug":"remove-fast-food-odor-from-your-car","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/knowledge-center\/auto\/remove-fast-food-odor-from-your-car\/","title":{"rendered":"Getting the Smell of Fast Food Out of Your Car"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Yesterday was a good day because you had no idea your car smelled bad. You took your dogs to the park. You were able to make it to the gym and later, you and your friends went out and had some great hamburgers and fries while stargazing.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unfortunately, when you got into your car to go to work today you noticed a strong odor. You wondered… could it be pet odors from playtime in the park? Is it possibly a sweaty gym odor? Or how about an unseen spill from a friend\u2019s fast food? Whatever it is, it\u2019s leaving a stench that has to go! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We all spend more time in our cars than almost anywhere else. It\u2019s only natural that after a certain number of years, that new car smell is going to fade away and be replaced by the odors that come from living our lives. But don\u2019t despair \u2013 there are plenty of tried-and-true methods for ridding your ride of any unpleasant smells. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Find the Source of the Odor <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The source of the smell will have a direct impact on the nature of the odor. And it could be that there are different sources contributing to an overall bad odor.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Musty Smells <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Finding the source of a musty smell can be tricky. Car mold<\/a> and mildew combine with humidity to produce that earthy odor we call \u201cmusty\u201d. If you live in a humid environment and you leave anything in your car (like sweaty gym clothes), you may end up with a musty smell.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, even though the gym clothes have long been sent off to washing machine heaven, the smell may have permeated your car interior, especially soft surfaces such as car seats, upholstery and carpet. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additionally, if you turn on your air conditioner and a musty smell blows forth, it may be due to water condensation inside the HVAC system. You can fix this with a DIY can of AC disinfectant found at your local auto parts store. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mildew Smells <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

That lovely waft of mildew you get when you open your car (especially if it\u2019s been sitting in the hot sun) is a result of mold caused by humidity and moisture. So that friend\u2019s spilled fast food? If it sits long enough, it can start to generate mold spores<\/a>, producing that tell-tale odor that says you need to take action. Those mold spores may have moved around to various locations in your car\u2019s interior, even sticking to hard surfaces like door panels. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If your windows leak or do not hold a good seal, moisture may be getting in that way and it could be breeding a mold colony inside the door panels. Mold spores will produce an odor that permeates fabric, like your carpet and seats. If you are looking at a car to buy and you smell mold, always keep in mind it could be a flood-damaged vehicle<\/a> a sneaky seller is trying to unload. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pet Smells <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

We love our pets and we want to spend time with them. Most of us don\u2019t really even care if they get back in our vehicle a little muddy or dirty, panting and grinning like a fool. In the long run, however, those lovable goofballs are contributing their own special odor to the inside of our auto. You may not know it, but that particular pet odor is caused by yeast and bacteria found in your pet\u2019s fur. This icky combo shoots little molecules of foul odor right into the soft surfaces of your interior. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fast Food <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Pity the poor fast food delivery person. If our car smells bad after one trip to the fast food joint, can you even imagine what someone who delivers food for a living must be facing every time they open their car door?  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Obviously, if you leave fast food containers in your auto, the smell will be more pronounced. But even if you don\u2019t, we tend to smell the particulates that fast food sends up into the air for longer than we think is reasonable. Again, these little odor bombs settle into the surfaces of our interiors and greet us like an unwelcome friend the next day. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cigarette Smoke <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If you are the second (or third) owner of a car that belonged to a smoker, you may feel like you are battling the smell of smoke for infinity. Like with the other smells we\u2019ve mentioned, cigarette smoke tends to infiltrate all the soft surfaces in the car \u2013 the seats, carpet and other upholstery. Unfortunately, cigarette smoke<\/a> also gets into the air system, which can make it really hard to dispel. It may seem like every time you turn on the air conditioner, a nasty cigarette smell comes blowing out of the vents and filling the car cabin. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mechanical Problems <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

There are certain odors associated with mechanical and other problems<\/a> with an automobile. Most of these will need some attention from your favorite mechanic. <\/p>\n\n\n\n