What Causes Bad Smells In Cars

Imagine the experience of getting back into your car after a long day at work to be greeted by a foul smell. This can be really frustrating and annoying and could be the worst of experiences for some people.

Therefore, understanding where the odour is coming from will go a long way in helping you to bring long-term sanity. You will find out that even when you try your possible best to keep clean, this bad smell is sometimes inevitable.

And you’ve always been asking why?

Note that bad smells can be caused by a mechanical fault and those would be resolved mechanically.

But if otherwise, here are some causes of bad smell in a car:

1. Forgotten Food

When you eat or take a drink in your car, a little drop or spill you may overlook can breed a bad odour over time. Foods and drinks most times contain moisture. And if dropped or spilt on seat cushions and carpet padding, they will dry out and cause humidity to rise in your car. And this can eventually become a source of bad odour.

2. Forgotten Clothes

When you wear a clothing material, shirts, socks, and so on, the sweat from your skin soaks into the clothing. If these clothes are left in the car over time, Like in the case of forgotten foods, moisture from the clothes may cause a foul smell in the car.

3. Smoke

This may not be general for a group of people that don’t smoke, But cigarette smoke is another source of the smell in cars. Smoke from cigarettes penetrates upholstery, carpet, and hard surfaces. And it infiltrates the air system inside the car. Thereby, bringing a bad smell.

4. Weather

Weather is a natural factor that influences bad smells in cars, If in a rainy season, there would be moisture all around. Snow also causes the environment to be moist. Entering your car with a moist shoe during these weather conditions can leave moisture on your floor carpets and mats. And once it soaks into the mat or carpet, it can cause a bad smell.

5. Evaporator

Every air-conditioned car has evaporators that help to keep the air dry, Moisture from the air may however be retained in the evaporator due to some inconsistencies.

The water may then find its way back to the car and soak into the car, otherwise, the moisture can evaporate slowly but not completely leaving a bad smell on the evaporator a d back into the car. All the above causes a bad smell in cars and that is why car maintenance is necessary.