We do not want you to feel guilty about thirdhand smoke. Rather, what we want to impart with you is that you can do something to remove the nicotine or smoke smell in your car. Today, we will teach you proven methods on how to get smoke smell out of car the easy ways. But, first, let us deal with the dangers involved in getting exposed to thirdhand smoking. In this way, all the more you’d be more determined to do something on how to get smoke smell out of car.

The Hazards of Thirdhand Car Smoke Smell

1. Can cause cancer

Researchers are getting alarmed by the rising numbers of smoke-related lung cancer. The bad news is that they are seeing cases that are not directly related at all with firsthand and secondhand smoking but rather the cases of lung cancer are due to exposure to thirdhand smoke. Having said that, it is imperative that you learn more on how to get smoke smell out of car for everyone’s safety.

2.   Can damage DNA

In simpler terms, DNA is our gene carrier, meaning, the physical characteristics of an unborn child are determined through DNA. The problem with thirdhand smoke is that it can alter the components of the DNA.

3.  Can form into carcinogens

If you smoke in your car, the chemicals like nicotine from the tobacco cling to the upholstery, carpet, and other parts of your car. The smoke smell lingers. A medical study has concluded that the nicotine smell mixed with nitrous acid from the air results in the formation of carcinogens. These are compounds that risk individuals from getting cancer.

Yes, you may argue that there is not enough evidence to prove this claim but for your sake and those who ride with you in your car, don’t you think it is a good move to learn more on how to get smoke smell out of car the easy ways?

4.  Can be dangerous to kids

We think kids are the most vulnerable to the nicotine smell in the car. You have to understand that kids tend to touch objects and then place their hands in their mouths. This behavior increases their exposure to nicotine. This is the reason why we want to share with you expert tips on how to get smoke smell out of car for the safety of the children.

5.   Can be very difficult to remove nicotine residual smell

Have you tried cleaning your car interiors and yet the smoke smell still lingers? This is because removing the smoke smell in the car is not as easy as waxing it. For some, they do a drastic solution by replacing mattings and cleaning the ventilation system. You can do that but you have to shell out money because it is expensive. This is why we invite you to continue reading our blog on how to get smoke smell out of car because we will teach you easy yet effective methods to do it. Let us now start…

The Methods On How To Get Smoke Smell Out Of Car

• Step 1:

The first thing to do is to vacuum-off fallen cigarette ashes. Be very meticulous in performing this first step on how to get smoke smell out of car the easy ways. You have to cover all small areas or crevices in your car interiors in order to eliminate the smell. These areas are the dashboard, carpets, seats, air con vents, among others.

Then, remove the car ashtray and wash it well. Allow the ashtray to get completely dry before placing it back into your car. The best that we could recommend is to wait for 24 hours after cleaning before you place the ashtray back.

Now if you are a heavy smoker, cleaning the ashtray is not enough to get rid of the smoke smell in the car. What we advise is for you to purchase an ashtray cup with lid smell proof. This is a good car gadget that will lessen the exposure of smoke smell to the interior of your car. Not sure what to get? Here are some of our recommendations: UTSAUTO car ashtray and Custom accessories 93365D black smokeless ashtray. Both of these amazing car gadgets can fit into any vehicle size.

• Step 2:

After removing cigarette ashes, the next step is to clean and deodorize your car. Use a microfiber towel specially made for cars. You have an option to use baking soda or professional car interior products. For now, allow us to focus our attention on the use of products that you can safely use on how to get smoke smell out of car.

Based on our experience and on the recommendations of car enthusiasts, we suggest you to use Turtle wax power out! fresh clean all-surface cleaner. This is an amazing product because it quickly removes the smoke smell that is deeply embedded in your car interior surfaces.

How to use this product: Simply shake the bottle before using it. Then spray liberally on the areas where the cigarette smoke smell is coming from. It is better if you will saturate the areas with the product. Then firmly dry pat with the microfiber towel and allow to dry.

Now if you prefer the smell of lavender inside your car, you may want to try the Smoke eater smoke odor eliminator in lavender and chamomile scent. This is an all-natural product that will leave your car smelling like the serenity of a spa.

• Step 3:

Do not forget to deodorize the vents so you can completely get rid of the smoke smell in your car interiors. In this case, you have to use products like the Turtle wax odor-x fresh blast. What makes this product very useful is that it reaches the deeper portions of the car vents and eliminates smoke smell into a molecular level.

• Step 4:

This step is for those people who are on-the-go and have no time to deeply clean their cars. You can use aerosol foggers that work by eliminating all kinds of bad smell in a car interior including smoke smell.

What’s nice about these foggers is that you can safely use it both in hot and cool conditions, awesome right? A good one is the Mothers odor eliminator & refresher. You’d be happy with the results because this product kills up to 99% of bad smells from your car including the deep-seated smoke smell.

• Step 5:

The smoke smell also permeates into your car’s leather seats. It is not easy to remove and that is why you need some specialized products like Chemical guys sprayable leather cleaner/conditioner.

How To Get Smoke Smell Out Of Car Using Baking Soda?

There is another easy method that you can employ on how to get smoke smell out of car. This time all you need is a kitchen staple which is baking soda. Here’s how:

• Use a car vacuum cleaner. Vacuum everything from the carpet to upholstery and also those little crannies inside your car such as under the seats.

• Then get the baking soda and sprinkle it all over your car’s upholstery and carpet. Let it sit for about 60 minutes. In case you don’t know, baking soda is a proven odor neutralizer and cleanser.

• After 60 minutes, get your car vacuum cleaner and vacuum again to remove the baking soda. If you are still not happy with the results, one of the things you can do on how to get smoke smell out of car the easy way is to leave an opened carton of baking soda inside your car and leave it there overnight. You also have the option of adding a few drops of your fave oil like lavender oil or peppermint oil on the baking soda.

The Other Methods On How To Get Smoke Smell Out Of Car

There are other methods that you can do without exerting too much effort like the ones below:

• Roll down all the car windows and allow the breeze to eliminate the smoky smell. It helps if you park your car in a sunny area for a few hours.
• Those dryer sheets that you use on your clothes dryer, you can use a few of those sheets to remove the smell. All you need to do is to use those dryer sheets to wipe down the car’s interiors and voila, your car no longer smells of cigarette smoke.
• Use coffee grounds by leaving a bowl full of these inside your car.
• You can peel some lemons, oranges, and other citrus fruits and leave the fruit peels in your car is a safe way on how to get smoke smell out of car.
• Do you have cinnamon sticks at home? Try boiling some and then pour some on a travel mug. The delightful scent of cinnamon will reduce the odor from your car.

Summary

It is true that the smell of cigarette smoke is quite a challenge to deal with. But, with the help of baking soda and other car cleaning products, you can enjoy a nice-smelling car that is devoid of any bad smell such as smoke smell. This makes road trips more pleasant and healthy for you and your passengers. Just follow the tips we shared with you on how to get smoke smell out of car the easy ways.

However, despite how helpful and useful cars can be, they’re also very prone to wear and tear, and one of the worst things to deal with is car battery corrosion that suddenly prevents your car from getting the juice it needs to start up. So, today we’ll be learning how you can clean car battery corrosion safely and efficiently from the comfort of home and even the stuff you already own.

Why is Car Battery Corrosion Bad?

Firstly, let’s understand why the presence of corrosion in the car battery is extremely bad. Although the battery cables and terminals serve the straightforward purpose of transferring and maintaining an electrical current, cutting this out will make your car lose all its power. Now, imagine that small and integral part being affected by something as dangerous as corrosion!

• Car Loses Power: Corrosion accumulates over time, and as it gets worse, your vehicle will start to consume more and more power because there’s too much electrical resistance in the battery cables and terminals. Corrosion causes inefficiency, and you’ll first notice this when the car has trouble starting up when you never had any issues before. A quick check under the hood will help determine the extent of the effects on the car battery.
  
• Damages Other Parts: Secondly, a corroded car battery doesn’t only mean you’ll face issues with the battery alone, but it can potentially damage other parts of the car as well. When that corrosion gets in-between places, it shouldn’t be; this could cause malfunctions and disrupt the overall engine environment under the hood. So, be vigilant and address these concerns quickly.
  
• Extremely Dangerous: Last but not least, corrosion is also extremely dangerous to get on the skin or anywhere on the body. It can cause itching, redness, discomfort, extreme pain, and even terrible burns. So, if you accidentally get any of that corrosion on you, don’t take the risk and get immediate medical attention to prevent any further complications.

Here’s What You Need To Do

Now that we’ve defined the extent and dangers of car battery corrosion, it’s time we straight into the things you need to do. Remember, while these tips are catered to doing them by yourself, feel free to ask for help from anyone more experienced. Also, don’t forget that there’s nothing wrong with getting professional car servicing.

Step 1: Disconnect and Diagnose

Step number one, you’ll need to disconnect the car battery cables, check for any damage, diagnose the condition of the car battery, and safely remove it from under the hood. You’ll want to have as much clearance and space to safely work on the car battery because we don’t want to risk damaging any other parts or put you in unnecessary danger.

• Avoid Getting Hurt: Before attempting to fix the car battery corrosion by yourself, ensure that you’re wearing the necessary protective equipment to keep you from getting hurt. The purpose of getting the car battery out is to give you more than enough space to move around and manipulate the car battery in the safest way possible.
  
• Look for Wear and Tear: Check for any serious damage caused by wear and tear as you diagnose the condition of the car battery. If you see any severe peeling, cracking, fraying, or splintering that’s beyond your skill, don’t take the risk of damaging a perfectly good car battery. Clean it up and leave it to the professionals.

Step 2: Remove Corrosion and Apply Cleaning Agent

Step number two, it’s time to remove the corrosion and apply the cleaning agent. You can quickly tell what the corrosion looks like because it has a distinct white-bluish color and is powder-like. Ensure that you apply a cleaning agent generously and leave no spots unchecked. Avoid getting the cleaning agent on other parts of the car to avoid unnecessary problems.

• Commercial Cleaning Products: If you’re near an auto shop, you’ll find plenty of commercial cleaning products that work best to remove car battery corrosion. Ensure that you follow the specific steps and guidelines printed on the product because mixtures can vary from brand to brand. You can also choose to order them online.
  
• Baking Soda Method: If you need a quick fix and can’t afford to visit the auto shop, you can also use the baking soda method in cleaning your car battery. All you need is water and baking soda solution, then get a good ol’ toothbrush to start scrubbing all that harmful substance away. Of course, don’t expect it to be just as effective as commercial cleaning products, so only use this as a temporary fix.

Step 3: Rinse and Dry Battery Terminals

Step number three, you’ll need a bristled brush to scrub all of that corrosive material off the car battery terminals and cables and make it look brand new. Typically, these things tend to come off easily, but if it’s been accumulating for over a long time now, put in a bit of elbow grease to get rid of those annoying clumps. Afterward, rinse it all with some clean running water and dry it completely.

• Be Thorough: Although it would take an extreme amount of cleaning agent residue to pose a problem, please remember to be thorough with rinsing and drying off the car battery. It’s much better to be safe than to take any chances of being wrong, plus there’s no telling what will happen if that residue lands on the other car parts.
  
• Be Safe: We can’t stress enough the importance of being safe. Despite having all the corrosive material rinsed off, there are some ingredients in cleaning agents that people’s skin doesn’t normally react to too well. So, always observe caution throughout the whole process.

Step 4: Take Preventive Measures

Lastly, before you put the car battery back inside and start your daily driver back up, we strongly recommend taking preventive measures to ensure that your car battery remains in top shape and good condition. Although not necessary, this will help reduce the effects of wear and tear and slow down the damage incurred over time. Plus, most corrosion prevention products are generally inexpensive too.

• Corrosion Preventive Spray: We prefer corrosion preventive sprays because they’re easy to apply and accessible in most retail auto shops. A quick scan through the aisles, and you’ll find it within minutes. Still, be generous with your coating, and you’re good to go.
  
• Anti-Corrosion Pads: Of course, if corrosion preventive sprays aren’t able, you can also try looking for anti-corrosion pads. These little guys are also known as battery terminal protectors and are coated with some really effective corrosion preventive compounds. If these aren’t available, petroleum jelly works as well.

Give Your Car The Care It Deserves

Overall, after all the stuff your car helps you out with, give it the care it deserves, and you’ll be increasing its useful lifespan. With a simple 20-30 minutes, you can easily do away with the battery corrosion that’s messing with your daily driver. As a last note, don’t shy away from car servicing if the car battery corrosion is far more serious than expected!

As a result, choosing the right phone case is a common debate that flows through many smartphone enthusiasts, weighing the trade-offs of aesthetics, durability, protection, and comfort to use. And nine times out of ten, it all crashes down into disarray and is left to personal preference and bias. So, to help rekindle the flames of this debate and keep it at an objective standpoint, we’ll be limiting our prospects to Otterbox phone cases. Specifically, we’ll be putting the Symmetry and Commuter phone case up against each other to determine which one is the best for you.

#1 Otterbox Symmetry

First off, we have the reliable and ever-famous Otterbox Symmetry phone cases. There’s no denying the sleek and stylish look this phone case is trying to achieve because that was the intended goal for the product. For most people, this is their go-to phone case because of its general appeal and how it flows with all kinds of styles you’re trying to rock. Plus, in most use-cases and situations, this phone case answers all your needs for protection without pushing the boundaries of what’s “too much.” It’s seamless and fits snug in your hand. What else can you ask for?

• Fits As One Piece: One of the best features about the Otterbox Symmetry vs. the Commuter lineup is that it fits as one piece. You won’t have to go through the trouble of any form of assembly because all you got to do is slide it on, and you’re good to go. And, if you’re the type that doesn’t like any extra steps and don’t want to be bothered by trivial things, then this feature works best for you.
  
• More Color Options: Look, while some people don’t care too much about color options and go for the all-safe choice of black, we firmly believe that even something as small as color options are a means of personalized expression. Sure, some people wouldn’t really care whether you’re carrying a rose pink phone case over a bright orange, but enjoying what you own is what matters most. So, if you’re looking for a phone case that vibes with your need to express, then the Otterbox Symmetry has more color options waving at you.
  
• Lighter Carry Weight: Another important thing to note is its carry weight, and if you’re like us that don’t like the smallest of things weighing you down, then that’s another point for the Symmetry series. In general, these phone cases are much lighter than their Commuter counterparts, which means they are more comfortable to carry around inside your pocket. Plus, it’s less of a hassle when you’re using your phone while standing because it won’t weigh down on your arms.
  
• Does The Job In Protection: Lastly, with all of those upsides, the one thing that the Otterbox Symmetry series of phone cases falls short of is its ability to protect your phone from falls and sudden impact. Yes, in exchange for the lighter carry weight and being a one-piece fit phone case, it’s not as heavy-duty as we’d like. So, if you’re daily responsibilities often put you at risk of the phone falling, then this might be a massive letdown for you.

#2 Otterbox Commuter

On the other hand, we have our every-sturdy and equally famous Otterbox Commuter series of phone cases. Unlike its Symmetry series counterpart that focuses on being stylish and more on the friendly-fashionable side, the Commuter series focus on toughness and durability. Sure, it would end up sacrificing the many features that the counterpart enjoys, but in exchange, it’s much more drop and fall resistant, and some niche use-cases find it more comfortable. Plus, since rocking a style generally falls to preference and how you rock it, we would even argue that both phone cases look equally great and sexy.

• Two-Piece Case: One of the first conditional good-bad things about the Commuter series is its a two-piece phone system, which means it doesn’t just slide on to your phone, and you call it a day. The first piece is more reminiscent of TPU and a rubber-elastic material that hugs your phone, and the second outer piece is the harder shell that guards and protects it from sudden impact. Yes, there will be extra steps in the process, but the inner piece’s placement adds extra comfort and the outer lip of the second piece means your phone gets additional protection when falling face-flat on the pavement.
  
• Fewer Color Options: If you’re of the opposite end that doesn’t care much about color options and prefer going with milder and simpler tones, then you can get away with using an Otterbox Commuter phone case. While they’ve added more colors onto their lineup, the Symmetry series still gets more love in the color department, so if you’re lucky enough to have yours in stock, then choose away! At the end of the day, you’re still getting full value, regardless of the phone case’s color.
  
• On The Heavier Side: Another thing to note about the Commuter series is the heavier carry weight, and because it’s a lot more heavy-duty than the Symmetry counterpart, it’s going to need a lot more oomph. That means it tends to be on the more annoying side if you’re prone to being restless when something heavy is in your pocket. Also, using it while standing might be more energy-taxing for the select few who notice. However, if the weight doesn’t bother you, then it’s not really a downside, right?
  
• Heavy-Duty Protection: Last but not least, the pride and joy of the Commuter series is the heavy-duty protection it can guarantee. Whether it’s a sudden drop from above while you’re on a ladder, or maybe your arm just nudges a bit too far out and pushes it off the table, you can rest assured knowing there’s less risk of the phone getting any serious damage. So, it’s a much more sensible choice of phone case for the busybody that moves around a lot and has an actual need for that extra level of protection.

Of Course, Never Forget The Basics

With all those reasons said and done, we can’t forget to address the basics. Sure, the features are great and all, but we need to consider the phone case’s functionality and capacity to match our specific lifestyle and current situation. So, here are some things you might want to add to the checklist:

• 1. Phone Case Price

Yes, while both the Commuter and Symmetry series tend to fall in the same price options, you could be lucky enough to score a discount on one. And, if you think the deal is worth it and trumps any extra points of the opposing series, then make the better financial decision!

• 2. Your Functional Lifestyle

If you’re staying at home for most of the day and don’t like going out too much except on occasion or supply runs, then you won’t need the Commuter’s extra protection. The Symmetry series will do you fine. However, if you’re more of the outgoing type or spend your time in places like the gym where many things happen, especially on leg days, we advise going with the Commuter.

Choose Wisely

Overall, both phone cases are equally good, and it takes one’s own personal preferences to decide which works best for them. And, while we would argue that the Otterbox Commuter series edges out in terms of the primary “protection” capacity of a phone case, that’s not true for all people. So, choose wisely and let the guidelines above you help you make a choice you won’t regret!