Smoker's cars...

G

GoodnClean

New member
What do you all do about smoker's cars? I find them disgusting and much harder to clean and have been asking when I quote an estimate and charging a $15 surcharge. I had a woman lie to me though, said it was a non-smoking car when I got there the ashtrays were full of ashes and cigarettes :rolleyes: I didn't feel like arguing over the $15 so I just took the money and left. You'd think if she were going to lie she'd at least have dumped the ashtray...



So what does everyone else do if anything? I'm doing $15 for smokers $15 for dogs.
 
I look at a car and determine how long it will take and calculate that at an hourly rate and that is what I quote.
 
I don't charge anything extra, just do what I'm paid to do and use Meguiar's Car Odor Eliminator and move on to the next one.
 
We have a small auto repair shop and we have actually turned away quite a few cars from "animal" owners. I feel bad for the Detailer who would clean them. Some people really scare me with the way they keep their cars.
 
I'd do it on a case-by-case basis. Not all smoker's cars/dog haulers have an odor issue. Just as some are really gross, others are fine.
 
Accumulator said:
I'd do it on a case-by-case basis. Not all smoker's cars/dog haulers have an odor issue. Just as some are really gross, others are fine.
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What part of NE Ohio are you from Accumulator? I'm from Macedonia.
 
Jimmy Buffit said:
Ever do a 'dead dog' car?



That's fun.



Jim
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I have :(





Bad smell and blood on the carpets. Poor thing died on the way to the animal hospital.





As far as a smoker's car, make sure you use a de-odorizing carpet cleaner. I usually pre-treat with simple green. Soak anything you can in a APC solution in a bucket. Other than that, Good Luck.
 
Jimmy Buffit said:
Ever do a 'dead dog' car?



That's fun.



Jim
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No, but I've done a 'I cut my arm and dropped two pints of blood into the passenger footwell, then closed the all the windows and parked it in the hot June sun for 10 days until I called someone and told them I had a few minor blood stains on the carpet' car. :(



I almost hurled when I opened the door.
eek4.gif
 
I just did a Jeep Grand Cherokee with "some dog hair" that had two inches of dog hair in the rear. It was unbelievable, it looked like a dog's coat exploded in there. Nothing I could do, it was so bad and ground in nothing would remove it, not a pet hair brush, not a wet rubber glove, not a vacuum, nothing. The carpeting would have to be replaced. Customer understood though.



Smell isn't my concern its the extra time involved removing the smoke residue from all the interior surfaces, cleaning out the ashtrays, removing dog nose marks and dog hair. I find that usually smoker/dog interiors take me up to an hour more on the interior than normal.



Its like I told the customer driving dogs around is great, I do it. You've just got to vacuum every week and it won't get like that. Then again he also had a 2001 Jeep he thought was a 95 :rolleyes:
 
For the Interiors, I normally use 3 different types of carpet cleaners (like an APC+, Simple Green, and a citrus spot cleaner). I have a smokers car to do in a few weeks and was wondering if there are certain products that are recommended to use in these stinky situations. I know when i do the interiors, I usually smell those cleaners when getting in the car. I hope that's a good thing, unless an interior fragrance is better to be sprayed. if so I haven't had any luck finding a decent one.



Any help in this matter is greatly appreciated.



Nick
 
For vehicles that are "major interior hazmat incidents", I charge by the hour and let the customer know up front that it will probably take a few hours just to clean the inside.
 
Gonzo0903 said:
For vehicles that are "major interior hazmat incidents", I charge by the hour and let the customer know up front that it will probably take a few hours just to clean the inside.
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I don't give a final price on anything until I have seen the vehicle in person. I don't necessarily tell the people I am charging more because they smoke, just that their interior needs extra work and point out the areas of concern.
 
I couldn't agree more, some people really don't understand the amount of work required or condition of their vehicles. I had a hell car that the inside headliner was shot, seats were too stained, and the floorboard had football sized spots of orange and other tropical colors. Owner thought the car was in great shape though.
 
My solution for foul smelling cars:



ValuGard's Odor Terminator. An enzymatic formula which contaminates the 'food' that odor-causing bacteria eat.



Spray headliners. Under seat bottoms. Exterior freshair intake. Recirculating air intake. Add to extractor water and inject in all carpet/fabric.



Works VERY well on all organic odors.



For others, I use a combo of white vinegar (6:1) in the extractor, spray as above.
 
foris2 said:
I ...use Meguiar's Car Odor Eliminator...
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How does that work for you? What is the scent?





Scottwax said:
... a 'I cut my arm and dropped two pints of blood into the passenger footwell, then closed the all the windows and parked it in the hot June sun for 10 days until I called someone and told them I had a few minor blood stains on the carpet' car. :(

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Just how did you remove 2 pints of blood, and the associated stains?



Which brings me to another question. How many use the disposable latex (or non) gloves when cleaning the really dirty interiors? I cut up my hands enough in wheel wells, seat tracks etc. that I use them to keep from bleeding on the interior and to keep from "picking up" anything. And, don't you just love the sting from the soaps and cleaners on all those little cuts and scratches ;)
 
I use them all the time! It's easier to peel off a pair of gloves than it is to scrub your hands! ;)



Scottwax: I never take on a car unseen. I like to know the challenge I am looking at!
 
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