Buying a Used Vehicle - Thirdhand Smoke Resource Center (2024)

FAQs

Is it safe to buy a car that was smoked in? ›

But removing the smell doesn't remove the health dangers affiliated with thirdhand smoke. So even if you commit to regularly getting your car detailed, you will still be exposed to odorless toxins every time you sit in your car. Your best option is to not buy a used vehicle that you suspect was smoked in.

The Short Answer:

It can stick around for a long time in homes and cars. It gets into your body through your lungs, skin, and mouth. Getting rid of it is really hard and can cost a lot of money. Thirdhand smoke can stay on surfaces for years after the people who smoked stopped smoking or moved out.

An acrid smell may indicate that the car was used by a smoker. Check the lighter and ashtray (if so equipped) for evidence. Some odors, such as mold and smoke, can be very hard to get rid of. Seats: Try out all the seats, even if you probably won't sit in the rear.

Replace In-Cabin Air Filter. The filter catches the airborne debris from cigarette smoke, dust, and pollens. Depending on the model of the car, they should be replaced every 12,000 - 15,000 miles. However, in this case, the sooner you replace the filter, the better your car will smell.

If you get into a car and even smell a faint scent of cigarette smoke, forget it. This smell is notoriously difficult to get rid of and it's likely that the seller had the used car cleaned before they showed it to you, so the scent will come back even stronger over time.

As long as the vehicle has not been in an accident, smoked in, or driven over 400 miles, we will take it back no questions asked.

It can become embedded in most soft surfaces such as clothing, furniture, drapes, bedding and carpets. It also settles as dust-like particles on hard surfaces such as walls, floors and in vehicles. Thirdhand smoke can remain for many months even after smoking has stopped.

Children and Families:

Children's growing bodies make them more vulnerable to THS than adults [1]. Even when parents and caregivers only smoke outdoors, children are not fully protected from tobacco exposure because THS remains on the clothes, skin, and hair of smokers, and smoke can drift indoors [2, 3].

While medical experts continue to learn more everyday about its long-term effects, research has shown that thirdhand smoke causes damage to people's DNA, increasing their risk of developing certain cancers, such as lung cancer, and other chronic diseases like asthma.

Test: Even in the absence of stains or odor, thirdhand smoke may still be present. Several test kits are available (see examples below), although, Live Smoke Free cannot attest to their efficacy or recommend a particular brand.

Can smoke smell in car be removed? ›

Yes, natural alternatives like a mixture of white vinegar and water, or baking soda solutions, can be effective. Spraying a diluted vinegar solution and letting it air out, or sprinkling baking soda on upholstery and vacuuming it off, can help reduce cigarette odors.

Typically most cars will take a $1500 hit for smoke odor as long as there are no burns. Burned headliners, door panels and carpets have to be replaced and interior parts cost big money because they all have to be ordered from the vehicle manufacturer. On an exotic car it could be as much as 10-12% of the value.

Alcohol-based primers and paint may trap thirdhand smoke residue on a wall. It may remove the tobacco odor (at least temporarily), but it does not remove thirdhand smoke chemicals.

'Fourth-hand smoke' in contrast to SHS and THS, refers to the lingering tobacco smoke and related pollutants that are carried preferably on smoker's skin, hair, and clothing.

The problem that most people find when smoking in a car is that the smoke odor can linger for quite some time. There is no documented proof of how long the cigarette smell can linger, but most sources say that it can take up to 48 hours to get rid of the smell.

A study by the National Center for Biotechnology Information, or NCBI, estimates that smoking in a car reduces its resale value by 7.7%. So, for example, a car with a trade-in value of $20,000 would instead sell for $18,460, or $1,540 less.

The downside is professional smoke remediation costs $150 to $400 depending on several factors like the size of the vehicle and location. Buying a professional ozone generator to do it yourself is even more expensive, as the machines sell for several hundred to a few thousand dollars.

Smoke often leaves car engines as a result of overheating. This can be caused by faulty wire casings, heated residues on the engine block and overheated liquids including oil, transmission fluid and brake fluid. There may also be a fault in your coolant system, or your engine may not have enough lubricant.