How to Rid Your Car of Odors and Smells

For cleaning interior surfaces, Crossen and others recommend cleaners meant specifically for cars, but some household cleaners will also work. When we interviewed Jeff Stout from Yanfeng, the world’s largest supplier of automotive interior parts, he said that isopropyl alcohol is a safe way to kill any germs on a car’s interior surfaces. In fact, it’s what Yanfeng uses in its own factories. “We will use that to clean smudges or any kind of last-minute details before we ship the product,” he told us.

But don’t use bleach or hydrogen peroxide, because they are likely to damage your car’s upholstery. Likewise, ammonia-based cleaners can damage the anti-glare and anti-fingerprint coatings on car touchscreens. Simple Ivory soap and water will do the trick on leather, according to Dara Ward, a spokesperson for automotive leather supplier Katzkin. Don’t scrub too hard, because you may wear off your leather’s protective finish.

As far as cleaning cloths are concerned, we recommend using clean microfiber towels because they won’t scratch delicate surfaces or leave lint behind. That’s especially true on many newer cars, which have shiny black plastic interior trim pieces that are extremely easy to scratch.