# What Are The Best Ways To Keep Your Car Smelling Good?



## warsaw (Apr 8, 2017)

Has anyone tried using essential oils for a fresh car scent?
I found one at my local drug store with a little round diffuser clay disk that seems to smell 
reasonably pleasant and seems to be a mood enhancer to some people.


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## FLKeys (Dec 27, 2018)

I hate odors in my car whether from people, food, or chemicals. I will use Febreze at the end of the day, a quick spray in the car at the end of the night. I find Febreze Air Bora Bora Waters does not leave a lingering smell when I get in the car in the morning. I get many comments on how my car smells new even though it is 3.5 years old. Works for me. Also on a side note, if I am doing food deliveries I turn the recirculate air off so the food odors do not get into my vent system. Pizza is the worst, I always crack my windows when I have a pizza in the car.


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## Seamus (Jun 21, 2018)

FLKeys said:


> if I am doing food deliveries I turn the recirculate air off so the food odors do not get into my vent system. Pizza is the worst, I always crack my windows when I have a pizza in the car.


I have my trunk very organized with containers for food and drinks. All deliveries go into the trunk. With the proper system, you never have to worry about drinks or food spilling over. I'm the only one I know that uses their trunk and can't understand why more don't do it. Of course if you have a van or SUV then it's pointless for odor control.


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## Seamus (Jun 21, 2018)

warsaw said:


> Has anyone tried using essential oils for a fresh car scent?
> I found one at my local drug store with a little round diffuser clay disk that seems to smell
> reasonably pleasant and seems to be a mood enhancer to some people.
> View attachment 609736
> View attachment 609736


I have found this to be the best. Even though no one smokes in my car it does a great job on all odors without leaving a lingering smell. There are a couple different versions but I find the Commercial one to be the best. A lot of pax comment on how good the car smells. As a rider, I can't stand when you get in an Uber and the car stinks like someone dumped a bottle of cologne in the car.


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## Atavar (Aug 11, 2018)

CALODY Portable Air Purifier, Car Air Purifier with H13 True HEPA Filter for Allergies, Smoke, Dust and Odor Eliminator, HEPA Air Purifier for Home Bedroom Office Car Amazon.com: CALODY Portable Air Purifier, Car Air Purifier with H13 True HEPA Filter for Allergies, Smoke, Dust and Odor Eliminator, HEPA Air Purifier for Home Bedroom Office Car : Home & Kitchen


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## FLKeys (Dec 27, 2018)

Seamus said:


> I have my trunk very organized with containers for food and drinks. All deliveries go into the trunk. With the proper system, you never have to worry about drinks or food spilling over. I'm the only one I know that uses their trunk and can't understand why more don't do it. Of course if you have a van or SUV then it's pointless for odor control.


Yeah I have an SUV so I have to manage food smells. I have insulated bags that seal up pretty well and they do a great job at containing smells. All the bags sit in a container just in case there is a leak. Drinks go in those holders from Michael's and those holders sit in a container as a back up. I have an insulated Pizza bag, it just does not seal 100% so Pizza odor is an issue. I rarely deliver any pizzas so not that big of an issue I guess.


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## kingcorey321 (May 20, 2018)

Put the windows down after every pax. This will keep the car smelling normal .


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## W00dbutcher (Jan 14, 2019)

BluntPower Air Freshener


Discover the original “3 Sprays Last For Days” air freshener. 100% concentrated oil based fragrance. BluntPower destroys odors fast. Try It Now!




bluntpower.com





Anything in the fruity section.


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## FLKeys (Dec 27, 2018)

Atavar said:


> CALODY Portable Air Purifier, Car Air Purifier with H13 True HEPA Filter for Allergies, Smoke, Dust and Odor Eliminator, HEPA Air Purifier for Home Bedroom Office Car Amazon.com: CALODY Portable Air Purifier, Car Air Purifier with H13 True HEPA Filter for Allergies, Smoke, Dust and Odor Eliminator, HEPA Air Purifier for Home Bedroom Office Car : Home & Kitchen


How happy are you with it? Have you had to replace the filter on it yet? I would not mind having one for long family road trips.


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## Seamus (Jun 21, 2018)

FLKeys said:


> Yeah I have an SUV so I have to manage food smells. I have insulated bags that seal up pretty well and they do a great job at containing smells. All the bags sit in a container just in case there is a leak. Drinks go in those holders from Michael's and those holders sit in a container as a back up. I have an insulated Pizza bag, it just does not seal 100% so Pizza odor is an issue. I rarely deliver any pizzas so not that big of an issue I guess.


A popular item from a restaurant in my market is olive oil sautéed Brussel Sprouts. They are outrageously good but by far the smelliest thing going! Talk about strong Odor!!!


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## FLKeys (Dec 27, 2018)

Seamus said:


> A popular item from a restaurant in my market is olive oil sautéed Brussel Sprouts. They are outrageously good but by far the smelliest thing going! Talk about strong Odor!!!


I bet, I get a lot of seafood deliveries, before I had sealing bags the seafood smell could pose a problem if i got a PAX soon after.


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## New2This (Dec 27, 2015)

I use the Family Guy method...


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## Stevie The magic Unicorn (Apr 3, 2018)

If you treat a car like a taxi it's going to smell like a taxi.

There's two kinds of bad smells that can accumulate in a taxi.

Chemical and biological.

Chemical is mostly limited to smoking (tobacco and illicit drug) smells. It can also include chemicals used in an attempt (successful or unsuccessful) at dealing with roaches. Yes i'm talking about cockroaches.. It can also include harsh chemicals used to clean up another smell. Another example of a chemical smell is sugar free sweeteners.

Additionally... seasonings can chemically contaminate a car as well... Yes I'm literally talking about spilled curry, not being racist but this is literally the only example of this that comes to my mind. Again literally curry seasoning or a sauce containing curry seasoning.

Biological is any sort of biological/bacterial based smell.

The smell buildup is cumulative, every incident puts more bio matter into the car. Biomatter is a growth medium for bacteria.. which is what smells.

Now once the biomatter has contaminated the car you have to 100% remove it in order to stop the growth of bacteria.


Now i'm not JUST talking about human waste (number 1, 2 ,3 or god forbid even 4).

Sweat
urine
feces
vomit
food particles
animal dander
blood,
misc body fluids (the PC catch all for everything else)

Bacteria can/will grow in any of these. And additionally...

Presence of these growth medium can also potentially lead to the presence of pests including roaches, ect and their waste can also provide growth medium for bacteria to grow in.


SO the number one way of PREVENTING these smells is non porous seating materials. Leather, vinyl, ect. A seat cover isn't good enough to stop 100%, you need to start with a non porous material.

But incident by incident all cars used this way will slowly build up growth mediums for these bacteria/whatever to grow in.

Once the smell becomes unbearable you have 3 options to deal with the smells.


Option 1. Buying a new car

Option 2.
Stripping all cloth down to base metal and replacing all cloth.
Bleaching and drying all foam padding, or replacing all foam padding

Scrubbing all hard surfaces. Taxi companies WILL actually do this. They will replace entire interiors and replace the cloth floors with rubber replacements ect. This is expensive but it takes a car from gross and nasty to _acceptable_ and extends the serviceable life a car 100,000 miles or more.





Nothing else will _truly_ get rid of the smell, Oh and for those about to call me out for not giving option 3 to you.. I didn't forget, it's just less of a solution and more of a "general strategy"


Option 3.
Go nose blind and ignore the problem and hope it goes away. Or you can mask the problem with air fresheners or scents.

Option 3 is actually something that happens quite often with taxis. It's also an intermediate step before an entire interior replacement is done. Less reputable cab companies will use this as their go-to strategy.



Keeping an uber car clean and smell free isn't a new problem, it's a very very old problem that doesn't have an easy fix.


But your number one take away is this...

If there was a cheap easy way to keep a taxi smelling good (not bad) there wouldn't be any stinky smelly taxis... because they would all know it and they would all do it.


My opinion is that this is a fact based science problem, I've researched the science and this is my opinion of years of experience.

Here's pics of me looking at mystery body fluids and food particles as growth mediums in the lab...


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## 25rides7daysaweek (Nov 20, 2017)

I try really hard to shower at least 
7 times per week and avoid beans 😋


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## Beninmankato (Apr 26, 2017)

Keep car vacuumed often. Clean up any messes immediately. If something/someone is smelly immediately roll down windows as soon as they exit. Shampoo cloth interiors whenever it seems they need it. Make sure moisture does not stay in car for long. If you eat in your car do so carefully and with the window cracked. Change cabin filter regularly. If possible keep windows down/cracked when not in use. I'm pushing 335000 on my van without any odor concerns so it can be done. I also use the trunk for food delivery when using the car. Clean delivery bags/coolers regularly.


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## Beninmankato (Apr 26, 2017)

Oh, also, shower daily and use deodorant. And essential oils are good if used very, very diluted. I mix a few drops in water in a spray bottle diffuser if I want to clean something or refresh the air.


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## Dammit Mazzacane (Dec 31, 2015)

On smells: I hang a bamboo charcoal filtering bag by PURGGO and it seems to do alright. I'm told to put it outside on sunny days to clear/cleanse it.

copy/paste from a website:
*Features:*

CHEMICAL-FREE - Contains no fragrance, no plastic, no chemicals. PURGGO is made with 100% bamboo charcoal that naturally absorbs odor. PURGGO is healthy and safe for you, your kids, and your pets. It's also great for people with allergies, asthma, stuffy nose, and other breathing sensitivities.
ELIMINATE (NOT MASK) ODOR - Porous bamboo charcoal acts like a big sponge. As air organically passes through, odor particles are trapped on the surfaces inside the charcoal. PURGGO actually removes odor, rather than covering it up!
LASTS MORE THAN 365+ DAYS - The world's longest lasting car air freshener. PURGGO can be used for more than 365 days, while common car fresheners only last up to 45 days. Save your time and money. Say NO to pricey refills.
SUSTAINABLE - Made with bamboo and hemp, two of the most renewable natural resources in the world. At the end of its lifecycle, PURGGO’s bamboo charcoal can be used as a natural fertilizer for your plants.
FRESH AIR GUARANTEED - We are dedicated to providing amazing customer service. We are confident that your car will smell fresh and clean all year long with PURGGO. Contact our responsive customer service team if you are not satisfied with your purchase, and we’ll make it right.


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## UberPotomac (Oct 8, 2016)

Cleaning seats and carpets is essential . If you got odor on the carpet you are my going to kill it .
Fabrezze do the trick for a while but you need to shampo seats and carpet and then use some deodorant . There is some oils to spray in the AC vents but again , the car need to be clean .


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## DDW (Jul 1, 2019)




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## UberChiefPIT (Apr 13, 2020)

I use the vent clip FeBreeze "linen and sky scent" liquid air fresheners.

I buy 2 packs of 2 at a time (or a 3 pack, if I find them), and clip one to the PASSENGER SIDE dash vent and (here's the secret), clip TWO to the floor vent under the front passenger seat. I run my A/C vents on the combo dash/floor.

I smoke in my car between rides (windows down, of course). I get verbal compliments from probably 8/10 pax upon entering my car on how good my car smells.

Everyone loves the scent of fresh clean clothing. The linen and sky scent is the best.


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## warsaw (Apr 8, 2017)

v


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## warsaw (Apr 8, 2017)

*Stinky Car? Try These 5 Tips to Remove Odors*
Feb 2, 2017







It’s fairly easy to tell if a car has an unwanted smell before you buy it. But other times, odors can creep up on you as you drive your vehicle. To get your ride in top shape for a road trip, keep its resale price high, and all sorts of other goals, you’ll need an odor-free cabin. Here are five durable ways to keep your car smelling fresh with relatively little time or effort.
*Charcoal*
This old home remedy is like nature’s toxin absorber. Therefore, it’s no wonder that the same thing used in water filters can also filter your air. All you have to do is leave an open bag of charcoal briquettes in your car overnight. Activated charcoal is extremely porous and absorbs anything floating around in the air. Best of all, it doesn’t use up the charcoal in any way.
*Baking Soda*
Few products have as many uses as sodium carbonate, or baking soda. Moreover, if you’re dealing with vomit, it should be your first choice. This abrasive and alkaline powder consumes odors and can help blanch stains. It’s simple to use: Just clean and wet down the stinky area, liberally sprinkle the baking soda on, and let it dry. Then vacuum the dried powder at least a few hours later. Similar to the charcoal treatment, you can keep some baking soda in a sealed container with a few holes in the top, which acts as a natural air deodorizer.
*Vinegar*
This harsh but clean-smelling liquid is ideal against overpowering smells. You can leave it in a small cup or bowl inside your car overnight. The evaporation process will greatly limit even the strongest of odors. You can also try spraying and rubbing a stinky area with a mix of vinegar and water and a wet cloth. Just be sure to never pour pure vinegar anywhere in your car, because it’s strong enough to damage materials such as carpet or leather.
*Carpet Cleaner*
Almost any spill or mess in a car will eventually find its way to the carpet. When you find a problem area, it’s best to try and attack it at the source with a specialized product, so use a carpet cleaner like those you’d find at an auto parts or a department store. There are many types, so be sure you are using the type that works best for your odor and that you follow the usage directions. Some cleaners are as harsh or harsher than vinegar, requiring dilution before use.
*Air Fresheners*
Air fresheners, fragrances, and other things that add a certain smell to your car are a final step to enjoy that clean air after you deodorized it. Never use pleasant smells merely to cover up the bad ones. You can use one of these once you’re sure the bad smell is gone, but no sooner. It’s a lot better than smelling a bizarre combination of old cigarette smoke and lemon zest.
The next time you have to battle against a fierce car odor, run straight to the tools that work. Follow these guidelines and you’ll have your cabin back to normal as soon as possible.


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## Trafficat (Dec 19, 2016)

I use massive quantities of baking soda


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## Another Uber Driver (May 27, 2015)

Do not eat at Taco Bell.


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## Ummm5487 (Oct 15, 2020)

Inscents


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## radikia (Sep 15, 2018)

Stop letting entitled as wholes into ur car and it will smell just fine unless ur a slob . I personally do rideshare in a luxurious 2005 Toyota Corolla with 238k miles on it , and I could care less about what any as whole who gets into the car smells like , or what the next as whole thinks about what the car smells like . It's exactly what the as wholes deserve . For a while they were all toes to the curb and grateful , but we're slowly returning to the old status quo . That pace will greatly accelerate starting after the first week in September .


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## LACheckerDr (Apr 22, 2015)

Nothing works better than Ozium.





__





Air Care – Ozium<sup>®</sup>






aircare.niteoproducts.com


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## ubermikeo (Feb 10, 2021)

Quit picking up Walmartians.


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## BestInDaWest (Apr 8, 2021)

start with no walmart pick ups


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## BestInDaWest (Apr 8, 2021)

radikia said:


> Stop letting entitled as wholes into ur car and it will smell just fine unless ur a slob . I personally do rideshare in a luxurious 2005 Toyota Corolla with 238k miles on it , and I could care less about what any as whole who gets into the car smells like , or what the next as whole thinks about what the car smells like . It's exactly what the as wholes deserve . For a while they were all toes to the curb and grateful , but we're slowly returning to the old status quo . That pace will greatly accelerate starting after the first week in September .


off the subject. how are you driving a 16 year old car for RS?


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## Guido-TheKillerPimp (Jan 4, 2021)

warsaw said:


> Has anyone tried using essential oils for a fresh car scent?
> I found one at my local drug store with a little round diffuser clay disk that seems to smell
> reasonably pleasant and seems to be a mood enhancer to some people.
> View attachment 609736
> View attachment 609736


Drive around with this dude in your car.


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## _Tron_ (Feb 9, 2020)

All the answers so far are wrong. The ultimate best way to keep your car smelling good is to let people groom themselves while on the ride.

Sorted.


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## kdyrpr (Apr 23, 2016)

I leave my cologne in the car and give myself a spray a couple times a day. It's a quality cologne. The car holds the fragrance of the cologne for a long time even when I'm not in it.


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## Frontier Guy (Dec 27, 2015)

Stop letting cheap, smelly strangers inside


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## Stevie The magic Unicorn (Apr 3, 2018)

Oh for my smartass answer to the question...

Rent a stinky taxi so the stupid paxholes don't mess up my own car.


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## SpinalCabbage (Feb 5, 2020)

kdyrpr said:


> I leave my cologne in the car and give myself a spray a couple times a day. It's a quality cologne. The car holds the fragrance of the cologne for a long time even when I'm not in it.


Yeah, because American women don't have any qualms about men with heavy cologne.

If it is Drakkar Noir then you might just be a meme. Hairy chest with two too many shirt buttons undone? Gold chain? Heavy beard stubble?


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## UberBastid (Oct 1, 2016)

SpinalCabbage said:


> Hairy chest with two too many shirt buttons undone? Gold chain? Heavy beard stubble?



.  _* NEANDROTHAL LIVES MATTER*_


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## ANT 7 (Oct 14, 2018)

Febreeze is my go to.


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## chuylovesyou (Aug 15, 2021)

Don't fart in your car


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## kdyrpr (Apr 23, 2016)

SpinalCabbage said:


> Yeah, because American women don't have any qualms about men with heavy cologne.
> 
> If it is Drakkar Noir then you might just be a meme. Hairy chest with two too many shirt buttons undone? Gold chain? Heavy beard stubble?


I can tell you that it is not heavy. Two sprays a day is perfect. NIce try at stale jokes though.


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## chuylovesyou (Aug 15, 2021)

Armenian flag hanging from rearview mirror? Track suit?


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## ANT 7 (Oct 14, 2018)

Gopnik style !!!!


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## chuylovesyou (Aug 15, 2021)

Gangnam style


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## Ted Fink (Mar 19, 2018)

Just smoke some weed in the car, no one will smell what ever the previous odor was... LOLZ


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## PukersAreAlwaysYourFault (Mar 25, 2021)

Stop farting and clean yourself.


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## Humus07 (Oct 1, 2021)

warsaw said:


> *Stinky Car? Try These 5 Tips to Remove Odors*
> Feb 2, 2017
> 
> 
> ...


If you want strong odours, bed bath and body works normally sells car refreshers for a good price, and the yankee candle refreshers actually work well. Not last for a long time either, but they produce extremely wonderful aromas.
If your fragrances are powerful and very affordable, Soft sheet fabric box. You don't need to open it, it'll smell a long time. Just keep the car box in the car. Put 1 sheet in an old tissue box at a time if it's too overpowering.
Sitting and tapestry, I vacuum. I will use a cleaner to scrub the tapestry once or twice a year. I will use an air refresher or spray some Febreze during heavy cleaning.


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## W00dbutcher (Jan 14, 2019)

Just take a damn shower... Daily.

Dryer sheets work well.... Hang infront of a vent.


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## warsaw (Apr 8, 2017)

Has anyone tried HOOKER perfumes?


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## warsaw (Apr 8, 2017)




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## ubermikeo (Feb 10, 2021)




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## June132017 (Jun 13, 2017)

Make sure you vaccume out any dingleberries the passengers left behind.


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## Stevie The magic Unicorn (Apr 3, 2018)

So here's the deal, i've said it before.

There's one and only one way to keep a car from smelling.

buy it 100% new.

Keep it about 10 degrees colder than you can stand and freeze yourself out, this prevents you and your passengers from sweating ever. Then you have to perfectly enforce a no food/beverage rule. PERFECTLY ENFORCE.

Now perfectly avoid all drunks and pukers.


If you have successfully done this you will not be a rideshare driver anymore

The problem is that the above scenario isn't going to happen. It just won't happen.


The more realistic scenario is that your car slowly builds up a smell like a slowly aging cheese. There's not necessarily a metaphor, it could easily smell like stinky cheese.


Now once you have the smell,
There's 3 methods of dealing with the smell.

Option 1.

Expensive and works= buying a NEW new car.

Option 2.
Temporary masking = cheap and only masking the problem.. you're putting perfume on a zombie here.. This is most air freshners ect. Even the cleaners are only temporary and the smell comes back.

Option 3. disassemble the entire interior and shampoo all cloth and scrub all hard surface. Then take the foam and wash it out. Then reassemble the vehicle. I've never seen this done "successfully" without it being "off" on the reassembly.

BONUS: Option 4. Paint your car yellow and slap a taxi sign on the door.


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## ubermikeo (Feb 10, 2021)




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## Guido-TheKillerPimp (Jan 4, 2021)

kdyrpr said:


> I leave my cologne in the car and give myself a spray a couple times a day. It's a quality cologne. The car holds the fragrance of the cologne for a long time even when I'm not in it.


Stetson? Brut? English Leather? Old Spice?
C'mon, tell us already!


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## bashar dababneh (Nov 9, 2021)

i like to use Rasta Incense Air freshener best damn air freshener for my uber car , the most power full air freshener i ever tried , 2-3 sprays on the car mats at night, and in the morning the smell is amazing , all my uber customers loves my car smell


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## Gone_in_60_seconds (Jan 21, 2018)

warsaw said:


> Has anyone tried using essential oils for a fresh car scent?
> I found one at my local drug store with a little round diffuser clay disk that seems to smell
> reasonably pleasant and seems to be a mood enhancer to some people.
> View attachment 609736
> View attachment 609736


Don't use your car to deliver food, especially curry. LOL


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## Stevie The magic Unicorn (Apr 3, 2018)

My method?

Rent a taxi and then I’m not trashing my own car by having people puking in it or second hand weed smell, projectile vomiting 10 year old, leaking colostomy bag etc.


Your other solve is to rip out the fabric and replace it and scrub all hard surfaces with soap/water


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