Get a professional valet. I had this problem a few years ago. The valet was only £30 and it virtually eliminated the smell (on a hot day it would come back slightly but only for about a year). The professionals are used to preping second hand cars for resale, so know what to use.

Edited by Chris M on 05/02/2012 at 16:16

You will never get rid of it completely,

You will, but you may have to wait a long time. The Shake'n'vac stuff works by absorbing onto a powder surface which can be removed. But the odour has to be volatile - or you couldn't smell it - so by definition it will disappear given time. Ventilation, perhaps forced, is the answer. Or you can blanket it with an alternative preferable smell.

The previous owners of our present house had smoked, and although the smell wasn't very strong, ceilings and walls were a pale buff as a result. Repainting probably covered the smell as well as the colour.

Not the right time of year but fresh grass cuttings have been mentioned in the past for niff reduction. As others have said, the headlining is the problem area. Get one from a scrappie?

Laundry liquid and hot water and gloves for hard surfaces and seatbelts.

Foam cleaner for headlining and textile covered pillar trims.

Hire a RugDoctor (TM) with upholstery attachment for the carpets, mats and seats. You may also use this gently on the headlining, you can save money by buying the shampoo for this elsewhere such as supermarket or discount store, Vax is good, as is something like 2000/2001.

Edited by Hamsafar on 06/02/2012 at 12:54

Smoke is a stubborn stench and revolting if you're a non smoker. It's also fatal so not a laughing matter.

Only if you are unlucky enough to be susceptible. Some chain smokers reach a remarkable age because of their genes, while polluting everyone else's atmosphere. One can only assume that they might have lived even longer if they hadn't become addicted.

Over twenty years ago my brother bought a late model Cavalier that had been smoked in. He knew this at the time, in fact the car was his Director's. A wet vacuum of the seats and headlining solved about 90% of the smell and the remainder disappeared gradually over the next year or two.

you can get a smoke bomb type thing that you set off inside the car and it fills the car with stuff that kills the smell of smokers

It's probably as effective as those little green 'trees' people hang on the rear-view mirrors. Hide one aroma under a slightly nicer one.