The “new car” smell you get when you drive off the lot is exciting. Can you keep your car smelling that way? You can if you follow some of the tips, we have for you. Of course, some of that smell comes from the adhesives used to keep parts of your car together, which means some of it will disappear, but that doesn’t mean you can’t keep the scents you love in your vehicle and allow it to look and feel clean wherever you go.
Check out these tips to give your car the best smell possible.
If You Love Essential Oils, Use Them
You can buy some air fresheners for your car that smell like your favorite essential oils. If you can’t find the right smell in an air freshener, but have some oils you want to enjoy, make your own item for the car. All you need is a clothespin, glue, and cotton balls. Attach the cotton balls to the clothespin with the glue, put a few drops of oil in the cotton ball, and attach this homemade contraption to the air vent in your car.
Clean Your Mats Thoroughly
Your car can’t smell its best unless your floor mats are clean. By cleaning off the dirt, mud, and other ground-level debris you collect on your feet, you’ll keep your car smelling fresh and new much longer. If you have rubber mats, you’re doing a good job of protecting the carpet underneath, which gives you the clean feeling you want when you drive. The best way to clean these mats is with dishwashing detergent mixed with water. Use a scrub brush and get the mats as clean as when they were new.
Get a Boost of Energy from Coffee Beans
If your local store doesn’t sell car air fresheners that smell like coffee, you can make your own. This smell is one of the most energizing scents you can have in your car. These beans make great deodorizers and absorb smells in the car as well. Put a small mesh bag of ground beans in a small bag and leave them under your seats to allow the smell to permeate your car. You’ll want to change them out every few days to keep the coffee smell in your car.
Change Your Habits to be Much Cleaner
Your habits in your car make a huge difference in how your car smells. If you want to keep your car smelling its best, don’t smoke in your car, dispose of trash quickly, and clean spills right away. You want to avoid eating and drinking in your car as often as you can, but if you do eat or drink, make sure you don’t get anything on the seats or drop items down the cracks and crevasse of your car.
Schedule a Detailed Cleaning
If you know how to detail your car, regularly spend some time doing this. If not, you will want to take your vehicle to a professional once every six months to have the detailed cleaning completed. This means every area of the car is cleaned and wiped down for you. Between these detailed cleanings, you’ll want to clean the interior of your vehicle regularly to keep it looking and smelling its best.
Dryer Sheets Can Give You a Wonderful Smell
Attach dryer sheets to your air vents to get a quick refreshed smell in your vehicle. If you want to keep your car smelling great longer, use a box of dryer sheets under the seat. All you’ve got to do is put some puncture holes in the corners of the box to allow the smell to permeate the vehicle. This is a great way to have the smell you love from your laundry room in the car that you enjoy driving every day.
Put Baking Soda to Work for Your Car
One of the greatest deodorizers in existence is baking soda. This product helps you keep the right smell in your car and remove unwanted foul odors. You can sprinkle some on the mats, floor, car seats, and anywhere there’s fabric. You want to put it in the car and leave it for a few hours before vacuuming the interior of your vehicle. Some carpet powders have baking soda, which can be even more enjoyable when you drive.
Fight Stains with Some Strong Cleaners
Regular vacuuming helps keep away the dirt and dust, but you could have stains in your car. One way to handle these stains is to use club soda, baking soda mixed with water, white vinegar with water, dishwashing soap, or laundry detergent to clean stained areas. A stain pen used on laundry might help remove any blemishes you find on the fabrics of your vehicle as well. Don’t let the stains set in; keep your car smelling great and looking its best.
Don’t Forget the Air Vents
Many times, the air conditioning system is what brings a bad smell into your car. This can happen because the air vents are dirty and have odors that you haven’t addressed. Use a small, thin sponge or cotton swabs to clean these vents and make sure the air from the outside smells as good as possible. You’ll be glad to have the fresh and clean smell offered by clean air vents. If you have a cabin air filter in your vehicle, you need to change this item regularly to keep the air cleaner in your car.
Add Remnants of Scented Candles to Your Vehicle
If you have a smell you love in your home; you can also have this smell in your car. When you’re done using the scented candles you love to have leftover wax. You’re not going to light the candle in your car but allow the exposed wax to bring the smell where you want it. This is a great want to make sure your car stays smelling the way you want for a long time.
Use these ten tips to keep your car smelling great. You might not want all the combinations of smells at one time, try one smell at a time, but use all the cleaning tips to keep your vehicle looking and smelling its best.
