Getting smoke odor out of A/C?

[TwoGlassEyes]

My EG hatch smells like pipe smoke when I turn on the A/C. I was "some of that can be eliminated by using an odor digestor and spraying it into the recirculation part of the AC
system." Assuming this is true, I'm having trouble finding an "odor digestor" locally. I don't know if I'm searching for the wrong thing or what.

Anyone have any suggestions on this or any other methods used to get smoke out of A/C (and cars in general)?

[TTM_SALES]

lay out charcoal on a piece of cardboard and it will take the smell out, dont use the stuff with the lighter fluid already in it.

[lucid]

isn't their a pad on the airbox????

[jakellama123]

some car washes and detailing places do this thing to freshen up the ac system
forgot the name but it was like 50 damn dollars

[2000_Silver_EX]

There are ways to clean up the air. The charcoal is a good one. There are odor bombs they make. They are not cheap, but they do a really good job. Similar to a bug bomb. just start it spraying and leave the car closed up for a while.

[azjared]

you can also take the blower motor out and clean off the propeller thing on it and hit it with some lysol or something that helps a little also.

laundry sheets hide the smell good throw em under the seat or something

[gsr1379]

could try this

http://www.autogeek.net/3pack-odor-bomb.html

[Pendulum]

My mom smoked a bunch in my Camry while she had it... I turned my a/c on full blast, closed all the windows and sprayed a whole can of "Oust" into the a/c intake from outside the vehicle (bottom of windshield). I then repeated this with another of the small can, about 3 days later. The smell didn't go away completely but it was a lot less. at least covered up by my mirror tree afterwards.

[4inspeed]

get the stuff i have ;) its called hvac bomb, made by Zak... basically you do what everyone else here said... put the ac on full blast/recirc, put this bomb in the pass floorboard facing up close all the doors and windows, leave it in for 15 minites after the can dissapates...

then roll down your windows and leave the ac on... let it sit for a while cause you wont know how to react to how uber new and clean your entire car including the ac smells...

[TwoGlassEyes]

Thanks guys; these last two tips were what I was looking for, though all have been helpful.

Ha ha, I did a google search for "hvac bomb zak" and this page came up. I was trying to figure out where to buy them. I'll try that autogeek link, unless you guys know of a place that sells something like this in Tucson.

Just to be clear--I am a Honda noob--spray the can of Oust through this?

http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o227/herbnosis/2009NewCivicVX.jpg

I'd prefer to the do the bomb method, but the Oust thing I can do NOW while I wait for the other stuff to come in the mail.

[2000_Silver_EX]

I did some digging and found this. I think this is the product from ZAK. http://www.zakproducts.com/index.php?src=gendocs&ref=Services-HVAC&category=Services

[teejaybiz]

Lots and lots of squash!

[TwoGlassEyes]

I did some digging and found this. I think this is the product from ZAK. http://www.zakproducts.com/index.php?src=gendocs&ref=Services-HVAC&category=Services

Thanks. I already ordered the stuff from autogeek, but this ZAK stuff looks like THE solution if the Dakota stuff doesn't work.

I tried a version of the Oust method last night... It worked as expected. I can't smell the smoke anymore, but there's enough still coming out that it collects on my clothes. I don't know if anyone else can smell it, but I can and it's annoying.

Thanks again for all the posts here. They've been very helpful.

[IntegraDA]

stick an ionizer in the car overnight and the next day it will be a brand new car *smell wise anyway lol*

[TwoGlassEyes]

Update: I used the Dakota stuff from the autogeek.com link. The instructions said to put it in the area to be odor-bombed for two hours, then let ventilate for thirty minutes. I put the A/C on recirc and kept the car closed up for an hour. I didn't ventilate because it was going to sit overnight. I didn't place the odorbomb well; some of it hit the panel under the steering wheel and the windshield and became liquid. I don't know if that made it less effective, but it didn't cause any permanent damage (I didn't imagine it would).

So far, it seems to have worked. If not, autogeek requires you to buy three at a time so I have two more to use. If needed, I will use another in a more central part of the car to make sure none of it hits a surface and doesn't get circulated.

[TwoGlassEyes]

I thought the smell was gone, but my wife disagrees. I have two more odor bombs to use. If that doesn't work, I'm going to tear apart the dash and scrub everything inside and out... I guess.

[atomicx]

I thought the smell was gone, but my wife disagrees. I have two more odor bombs to use. If that doesn't work, I'm going to tear apart the dash and scrub everything inside and out... I guess.

your wife is just givin you a hard time, :drunk: just buy like 5 trees and put them on all your vents. Its ghetto but saves you time and money.

[azjared]

trees or laundry sheets in the vents lol

[TwoGlassEyes]

Here's the problem: the car itself doesn't smell like smoke. The air coming out of the A/C doesn't smell like smoke. BUT somehow it's making my clothes and hair smell like smoke. It's a little bit better after the second odor bomb, but it's still there.

So, second odor bomb (more for my benefit than anyone else's, but maybe it will be useful): instead of blowing straight cold air, I used more heat than cold. Why? The smoke smell seemed stronger when there was heat. I figured if I heat it out and it meets the odor killer, that's less of it stuck in the vent. I ran the A/C on recirc for nearly two hours, then ventilated for 30 minutes, per the instructions on the can. Car smells great. Still have a smoke residue smell on my clothes, but it's less than before.

[azjared]

maybe try cleaning your seats somehow also? since you say its still on your clothes. idk just an idea

[TwoGlassEyes]

Nah, it's not the seats; they were shampooed thoroughly and I've stuck my nose in them and took a deep whiff just to be sure. But it's still a good suggestion for me to check that.

I really think I might have to get in those vents and scrub down... whatever needs scrubbing. When I bought the car, the roof was yellow with tobacco smoke/film. Now it's back to the gray it's supposed to be. If that kind of build up is in those vents, it probably needs to come off before the smell goes away.

[hellshock2182]

I've been using vinegar in a small dish and place it inside the car while parked for a few days. just leave it near the air vents and it takes a good portion of the smell out. I've had to do this several times for it to work really well.

[azjared]

Nah, it's not the seats; they were shampooed thoroughly and I've stuck my nose in them and took a deep whiff just to be sure. But it's still a good suggestion for me to check that.

I really think I might have to get in those vents and scrub down... whatever needs scrubbing. When I bought the car, the roof was yellow with tobacco smoke/film. Now it's back to the gray it's supposed to be. If that kind of build up is in those vents, it probably needs to come off before the smell goes away.

you can take the blower off and detach the propeller mine was covered in gunk before then i just took it off and gave it a good hose down with simple green and sprayed with some lysol when i was done

[Pendulum]

dude, did Sherlock Holmes smoke himself to death in there with the windows rolled up? You said the headliner was yellow... that's gross.

[2jz]

marryyyyyyy jaaaaaaane

[skar1]

Maybe wash your clothes lol

[9k All The WAY]

Buy a squash. Then take out the cabin filter and put it on top and then put the filter back in. TADA!!

Oh if there is a cabin filter. I'm not sure if there is.

[Pendulum]

Wait,what... a squahs from the produce section?

Which brings me to another point... Is it "pro-duce" or "prah-duce?"

[skar1]

Its pro-deuce

[hellshock2182]

Wait, light... a squahs from the produce section?

Which brings me to another point... Is it "pro-duce" or "prah-duce?"
yes a squash from the produce dept, make sure you microwave it for ten minutes prior to installation to activate all the good smells. :idiot:

[Pendulum]

I did it for the lolz.

[TwoGlassEyes]

you can take the blower off and detach the propeller mine was covered in gunk before then i just took it off and gave it a good hose down with simple green and sprayed with some lysol when i was done

Can you sort of walk me through how to get to the propeller (if it's easy enough to describe)?

No cabin filter.

[azjared]

http://www.atozautolights.com/Images/PartPics/HOACBLC.jpg

thats what it looks like, on my car its located under the glovebox and i believe its only a few screws holding it on just remove then you can take the white part off and wash it

[TwoGlassEyes]

Nice, sounds easy enough.

[TwoGlassEyes]

Alright! I've found the propeller and it looks like death. After noobing around a bit trying to figure out how to get the white part off the black part (doh), it's almost clean. Just need to degrease it with some Simple Green or other product. Here's the "before" pics:

http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o227/herbnosis/2009NewCivicVX007.jpg

http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o227/herbnosis/2009NewCivicVX008.jpg

http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o227/herbnosis/2009NewCivicVX009.jpg

[TwoGlassEyes]

So it's not "clean" but it's "cleaner." Hopefully it's clean enough that the smell is gone. I followed azjared's suggestion and hit it with Simple Green (after hosing out the large chunks nasty black death). I used a foam brush to get between the spokes (or whatever they're called) and that did some good, but there's still build up in the corners.

I'm going to hit it with Lysol (again, azjared's suggestion) then put it back in to see if that does the trick.

http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o227/herbnosis/2009NewCivicVX011.jpg

http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o227/herbnosis/2009NewCivicVX012.jpg

[azjared]

good luck man glad to see you got that figured out atleast

[atomicx]

im doing this too, right now, thanks jared!

[azjared]

im doing this too, right now, thanks jared!

haha np man

[TwoGlassEyes]

So far so good, at least as far as I can tell. Not that this would be necessary, but I looked on the internet and emailed hondaautomotiveparts.com about getting a new wheel (or fan cage, or impeller, whatever you want to call it). They don't sell it separately, and from what I can tell, no one does. You can buy the motor separately, but not the wheel. Probably because the wheel never "breaks." Well, it can get caked with tobacco film! That yellow tint isn't just old plastic. Fortunately, it doesn't seem to be causing a smell anymore.

[azjared]

So far so good, at least as far as I can tell. Not that this would be necessary, but I looked on the internet and emailed hondaautomotiveparts.com about getting a new wheel (or fan cage, or impeller, whatever you want to call it). They don't sell it separately, and from what I can tell, no one does. You can buy the motor separately, but not the wheel. Probably because the wheel never "breaks." Well, it can get caked with tobacco film! That yellow tint isn't just old plastic. Fortunately, it doesn't seem to be causing a smell anymore.

theres gotta be somewhere that sells one but where i do not know. maybe check includes it with a new blower? not really sure on that sorry. glad cleaning it helped so far though

[SiR Mikey]

So it's not "clean" but it's "cleaner." Hopefully it's clean enough that the smell is gone. I followed azjared's suggestion and hit it with Simple Green (after hosing out the large chunks nasty black death). I used a foam brush to get between the spokes (or whatever they're called) and that did some good, but there's still build up in the corners.

I'm going to hit it with Lysol (again, azjared's suggestion) then put it back in to see if that does the trick.

Shoulda sprayed bleach on it before you put it back in. We did that on an old fridge and within 5 minutes the yellow plastics turned bright white. Also, I cut up a squash and put a piece in each vent. I may do this to my car too. I don't smoke but I hate hate hate odors of any sort.

[atomicx]

Shoulda sprayed bleach on it before you put it back in. We did that on an old fridge and within 5 minutes the yellow plastics turned bright white. Also, I cut up a squash and put a piece in each vent. I may do this to my car too. I don't smoke but I hate hate hate odors of any sort.


OCD like me, i hate it so much i dont even turn on my a/c... But AZJared's idea worked, and now my a/c smells like the rest of my car...

[azjared]

Shoulda sprayed bleach on it before you put it back in. We did that on an old fridge and within 5 minutes the yellow plastics turned bright white. Also, I cut up a squash and put a piece in each vent. I may do this to my car too. I don't smoke but I hate hate hate odors of any sort.

ooo i like the cutting up the squash idea i just might do that

[TwoGlassEyes]

Any danger of the squash pieces flying out of the vent and causing problems?

Bleach, I'll try that. Pulling the glove box and the blower is easy enough, even if it requires some acrobatics (there's probably and easier way for me to do this).