Nothing ruins a drive faster than a lingering bad smell in your car. Whether it’s from food spills, pets, smoke, or mildew, foul odors can make your vehicle an unpleasant space.
At San Diego select, we specialize in premium car detailing and odor removal services, ensuring your vehicle smells as good as new. In this guide, we’ll explore expert cleaning techniques, odor-removal products, and preventative measures to help you enjoy a clean, fresh-smelling ride.
Before tackling the odor, pinpoint its source. Here are some common culprits:
Once you’ve identified the source, you can take targeted steps to remove it.
Start by deep cleaning your car's interior. Remove all trash and debris, then vacuum the seats, carpets, and floor mats. Pay special attention to hard-to-reach areas like under the seats and between crevices.
Pro Tip: Consider taking your car to a professional with specialized car cleaning services for a detailed interior cleaning.
Baking soda is an excellent natural deodorizer. Sprinkle it on carpets and seats, let it sit for a few hours, and vacuum it up. You can also place an open box of baking soda in your car overnight to absorb lingering smells.
Activated charcoal is another powerful odor absorber. Place a small bag of activated charcoal in your car for a few days to neutralize persistent smells.
White vinegar is great for eliminating odors. Mix equal parts vinegar and water in a spray bottle and lightly mist your car’s upholstery and carpets. Leave the windows open to allow fresh air to circulate and dissipate the vinegar smell.
For deep-set odors, use a carpet cleaner or upholstery shampoo. Scrub the seats and carpets thoroughly and allow them to dry completely.
A dirty cabin air filter can circulate bad smells inside your car. Replacing it regularly ensures clean airflow and helps eliminate odors from your ventilation system.
Commercial odor eliminators, like enzyme-based sprays or air fresheners, can help remove stubborn smells. Look for high-quality products recommended by trusted brands.
For severe smells like smoke or mildew, an ozone treatment can be highly effective. Many professional auto detailers offer ozone treatments as part of their services.
Keeping your car fresh isn’t just about removing existing odors—it’s about preventing them from returning. Here are some tips:
A fresh-smelling car makes every ride more enjoyable. If you need professional help, consider booking an appointment with a trusted car detailing team in your area.
Don’t just take our word for it—check out customer testimonials to see how others have benefited from expert cleaning services. Contact us today to experience the San Diego Select difference.
.png)
Adriana Minicozzi
Audrey Hoel
Andrew Dyson
Micaela Mariner
Anna C
Nate S
Meghan Mazer
Justine Meadows
Charlie Redden
Perfection & Protection.
Frustrated with everything that the car wash leaves behind?
Does your paint not shine like it used to?
In love with your car and want to preserve your investment for the long term?
That is why we are here. Not only do we leave you with flawless results, but we make sure that your paint, leather, and other materials are protected for years to come. We will treat your car (and you) like one of our own.
The shampoo and hot water extraction is the best possible care for your FABRIC seats.
We will bathe your seats in thick foam shampoo, agitate it with a fabric brush attachment on a drill, and then extract all the grime, dirt, stains and contaminant from the seats with hot water at 210ºF. If your seats need a refresh, this is as good as it gets. Because the service takes 45 minutes on average, and only a small percent of vehicles need it we charge extra for it. Don't worry - its only $50 extra. Totally worth it.
Do you have any little scrapes and scratches that bother you?
We can handle it.. to an extent. We are polishing experts - so if the scratch isn't too deep, we can get it out. Ever heard of "The Fingernail Test", this is a great way to know if your scratches are fixable. If you feel the scratch will your fingernail and you can feel a groove in the paint, it it probably a little bit too deep ~in the sections where the groove is~
A clay bar is exactly what it sounds like, a little ball of malleable puddy.
This is used in the decontamination phase of the detail to prepare your paint for protection. Clay Bar Detailing is essential for preparing your vehicle's paint for protection by ensuring it is free of contaminants.
Every exterior detail has 3 phases: 1. Wash 2. Decontaminate 3. Protect. The decontamination stage is responsible for removing from the paint everything that doesn't come off from the wash.
Remember when you bought your car and the paint was smooth to the touch? That is the goal of this stage. Remove all the crusty junk that is stuck to you paint. This way, when we apply sealant (protection) to your paint it will adhere to the paint itself, rather than the junk sitting on the surface. This will give the sealant its longest possible useful life.
For the same reason that you get an oil change. Engines are expensive to replace (8-15K) so we take good care of them. So is your paint - the average paint job costing around $5,000. If you don't protect your paint with some type of ceramic, wax, or sealant, your paint WILL fail.
In San Diego, our biggest enemy is the sun, or the salt if you live near the beach. Next time you are in a big parking lot, look around at the hoods of the vehicles. You will notice around 1/6 vehicles have completely delaminated clear coat.
That means the paint looks like dead skin on the surface and you could peel it off with you fingers. Not pretty. There is a simple solution to ensure your vehicle never ends up like this. Exterior Detailing. Bonus points for a ceramic coating with is the best protection possible.
