Anonymous wrote:OP here. The source of the odor is me.

I go to the gym multiple times a week (in clean clothes), work out hard, get very sweaty, then drive home to take a shower.

The stink isn't really there when I turn on the AC, but when it's just me in the car, it stinks. The stink is less when I return after cleaning up, but I feel like a stink still lingers.

Leather seats that I try and wipe down every now and then.

Can you get one of those slip-on covers for the drivers seat, and wash it once a week?

Anonymous wrote:OP here. The source of the odor is me.

I go to the gym multiple times a week (in clean clothes), work out hard, get very sweaty, then drive home to take a shower.

The stink isn't really there when I turn on the AC, but when it's just me in the car, it stinks. The stink is less when I return after cleaning up, but I feel like a stink still lingers.

Leather seats that I try and wipe down every now and then.

No suggestions for the lingering smell in the car. But to avoid making it worse, you can wipe yourself down with body wipes before you leave the gym, put the stinky clothes in a sealed bag (there are 2 gallon ziplocs that I use for kids' swimiwear), change clothes, and still shower at home (I'm assuming you have valid reasons for not showering at the gym). I have a sweaty kid and the trader joes body wipes do a great job of de-funking.

OP here. The source of the odor is me.

I go to the gym multiple times a week (in clean clothes), work out hard, get very sweaty, then drive home to take a shower.

The stink isn't really there when I turn on the AC, but when it's just me in the car, it stinks. The stink is less when I return after cleaning up, but I feel like a stink still lingers.

Leather seats that I try and wipe down every now and then.

Anonymous wrote:My car stinks, and I would like it to stink less.

It does not stink due to food, spills, bodily fluids, or dirty laundry. But more like general outdoorsy-ness exercise and summer. I can vacuum and wipe it, but it just doesn't smell very good.

What's the best, inexpensive deodorizer for my car to make it not stink as bad?

Do you have cloth or vinyl/leather seats?

It's generally not advisable to use a deodorizer. Try to find/fix the source of the odor. If you have cloth seats, get some washable seat covers that would block your sweat from soaking into the seat fabric and wash seat covers every couple of months. Get form-fitted all-weather floor mats and store away the carpet mats. Do a good shampoo+vacuum of the carpet underneath the floor mat and then put the all-weather mats in. Take out, scrub, and rinse off the mats every 30 days or so.

If you park in your own garage, you can also try keeping the windows halfway rolled down at night to help air things out.

charcoal bags will absorb tons of smells. easy to find on amazon. you "refresh" them in the sun for an hour or so and they're good as new.

Baking soda

Dump it and vacuum. Leave an open container under the seats

Clean the pollen filter. And charcoal deodorizers.

I had a sunroof leak and the musty smell was impossible to get rid of so I took car to be detailed. The guy had an ozone machine and it eliminated the odor. I was skeptical when he suggested it but it worked!

Anonymous wrote:I made the mistake of buying a used car that reeks like wet dog. It's so bad it makes one of my kids sick. I got it detailed, and it was spotless. The detailer sprayed some stuff in the vents and for a while it was ok, but with the heat the dog smell came back. It seems to be worse when the a/c is running.

My point is that the smell doesn't necessarily mean OP's car is dirty.

I made the mistake of buying a used car that reeks like wet dog. It's so bad it makes one of my kids sick. I got it detailed, and it was spotless. The detailer sprayed some stuff in the vents and for a while it was ok, but with the heat the dog smell came back. It seems to be worse when the a/c is running.

Thoroughly check your headliner and carpeting for wet spots after a heavy rain. You might have a clogged sunroof drain or water entering by another means.

Another possible issue could be a dirty evaporator coil that has mold or other organic buildup that is affecting your A/C. Spray Lysol or a specialty disinfectant into the intake plenum under the hood near the base of your window as well as the interior recycling plenum likely in the passenger footwell and run the A/C system at full for 10-15 minutes with the windows open.

A detailer can also steam treat and deodorize your carpet.

Anonymous wrote:Clean your car don't cover it with deodorizer.

+1 Deodorizers are disgusting in and of themselves. Febreeze is so nasty. It's replacing one bad smell with another. I asked a cab driver once why so many cabs used Febreeze and he said, If we didn't our cars would smell like beer, cigarettes and vomit. Don't drive a car like that, OP.

Look for a leak. Even a small leak can make the inside of the car smell off during the hot summer months.

Anonymous wrote:Clean your car don't cover it with deodorizer.

I have. It still stinks. I almost never eat/drink/etc in my car.

Clean your car don't cover it with deodorizer.

My car stinks, and I would like it to stink less.

It does not stink due to food, spills, bodily fluids, or dirty laundry. But more like general outdoorsy-ness exercise and summer. I can vacuum and wipe it, but it just doesn't smell very good.

What's the best, inexpensive deodorizer for my car to make it not stink as bad?