Getting Rid of That Used-Car Stench

After a vehicle's fresh new car smell wears off there are a multitude of less desirable scents that can permeate the interior, becoming trapped in carpet fibers and other fabrics, or in tight spaces and air vents. This can make even the shortest drive unbearable or a used car unsellable.

Enter The Odor Doctors. The nine-year-old, Houston-based company says it can eliminate any smell no matter how strong derived from any source.

Among the most common odor offenders are cigarette/cigar smoke, perspiration, gasoline, flood/leak damage, food and beverage spills, vomit, pet urine, skunk spray and roadkill stuck in a car's undercarriage. Odors also can come from chemicals or a variety of bacteria mold and growth.

The first step is to identify the location of the smell and what caused it, according to Odor Doctors. Once this is accomplished and the interior is thoroughly scoured with a cleansing spay, a corresponding microbial foam can be used to target specific odors.

A 150-lb psi compressor is used to apply a deodorizer followed by the sanitizing solution. The complete process, including drying, takes about an hour and costs $150.

Founded by former car dealer Frank Simmons, Odor Doctors works with 25 independent contractors that service some 500 dealerships in 25 cities around the country, mostly in the southeast and Texas. Simmons tells Automotive News that he plans to expand to another 125 cities within five years.