SMELLING

KEEP YOUR

CAR

Everyone loves that new car smell,

but after a while our vehicles

usually start collecting various foul

odors. Bad car smells have a

number of causes, and keeping

these odors out of your vehicle

requires a variety of common-sense

tactics.

Below we’ll take a look at ways to

keep your car smelling like new—or

at least not like a toxic waste dump.

All those foul car smells

tend to get absorbed in the

seats and other fabrics of

the cabin. Vacuuming

these areas can go a long

way toward getting rid of

the odor problem.

Fitting an upholstery

attachment on the vacuum

will help you get into those

hard-to-reach spaces.

A lot of people are in the habit of

lighting up cigarettes in the car, but it’s

an undeniable fact that smoke lingers

inside the vehicle. Cigarette smoke has a

way of getting into the various interior

components of your automobile.

Thoroughly cleaning the upholstery will

help eliminate unpleasant cigarette

stench.

Another strategy is to spray a deodorizer

into the intake valve of the air

conditioner—this is another area where

smoke tends to collect.

Some drivers notice a gasoline

odor inside the car right after they

turn on the air conditioner. This

could indicate a gas leak—which

can cause problems more serious

than just bad odor.

The leak may come from any one

of several places—the muffler, the

fuel injector, and the fuel pressure

regulator are some common

culprits.

In any event, this problem should

be fixed, preferably by a mechanic.

Dogs and cats just love taking a

ride in the car, but animal fur

often leaves behind an unpleasant

smell. The problem gets magnified

if the animal’s fur is wet.

Consider using plastic kennels

when traveling with the pets—that

will keep fur off the seats.

In the meantime, existing pet

smells can be dealt with by using

fabric cleaner.

Some people try various

perfumes, sprays, and/or dangling

air fresheners to mask bad smells.

But there are several problems

with this approach.

These scents only cover up the

smells. It’s a temporary solution at

best.

These scents can be even more

offensive than the problem they’re

supposed to treat.

Many drivers keep extra oil, gasoline,

engine coolant, and other automotive

fluids stored in containers that tend to

be left in the trunk for extended

periods of time. If these containers

leak, the smell will likely find its way

into the cabin of the vehicle.

Try to keep these containers tightly

sealed. In the case of a spill, you may

have to clean the trunk thoroughly to

get the odor out.

How many times have you

rushed to your car because you

suddenly found yourself being

rained on? People tend not to

realize that the moisture they

bring into the car doesn’t just

instantly evaporate—it seeps

into the seats and flooring. This

is one cause of malodorous

mold in cars.

After a rainy day like this, try to

ensure that your car’s interior is

properly dried.

Valugard Odor Terminator is an

easy-to-use unscented formula

that can eliminate car odors in no

time. Instead of merely covering

up odors, this formula works by

chemically altering the microbes

that cause bad car smells.

The user simply sprays a mist all

over the car’s interior as well as

inside the heating and air

conditioning vents.

The formula can also be added to

extractor solutions.

About

Automotive International, Inc.

Established in 1971, Automotive International, Inc. is a provider of automotive maintenance

chemicals, including the Valugard line of products. The company markets to a wide range of

clients: vehicle manufacturers, automobile importers/exporters, truck and car dealers, body

shops, detail shops, car washes, school bus districts, governmental entities, and more. Serving

customers across the U.S. and twenty foreign countries, Automotive International, Inc. is

headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Visit www.valugard.net to learn more.

Summary

Bad car smells have a number of causes, and keeping these odors out of your vehicle requires a variety of common-sense tactics. Learn the best ways to keep your car smelling fresh.