Normal methods of cleaning and deodorizing a vehicle are not always sufficient. Animal and cigarette odors are particularly difficult to remove because their chemicals penetrate upholstery and seats. You can do a shock treatment using pure ozone (O3) which destroys these substances in every crevice of the interior of a car, even where it is not possible to wash.
Steps
Step 1. Rent an ozone generator
There are websites that ship it directly to your home, while some stores rent it.
Step 2. Thoroughly clean the car and remove all garbage and personal items
Remove everything from the car. Anything you forget inside could be damaged by ozone.
Step 3. Vacuum the insides and dust all surfaces
Step 4. Attach a hose to the generator
Some of these equipments are already equipped with a hose, but any duct used for the dryer will be fine. Some duct tape might help.
Step 5. Close the doors and windows, but leave one open enough to fit the tube
The ozone generator must remain outside the vehicle to have access to fresh air.
Step 6. Use a lot of cardboard and tape to seal the gaps around the tube
The purpose is to completely seal the passenger compartment of the car to prevent ozone leaks.
Step 7. Run the generator at full power for at least 30 minutes, but no more than two hours
There must be no animal or person in the car during this procedure.
Step 8. Open the machine to release the ozone
If there is a slight residual odor of ozone, this is normal and will disappear completely within 3-4 days. If necessary, repeat the process after having aired the passenger compartment.
Advice
- Since ozone is a heavy gas when compared to oxygen and hydrogen, it is a good idea to place the generator on the roof of the car, to allow the ozone to flow down inside the tube. Large generators (for example those of 12000mg / h) are too heavy to be placed on the car, but they have enough strength to push the gas upwards as well.
- Hiring the right generator will make things easier. Although it is not possible to determine which is, by far, the best generator, however, know that a 3500mg / h generator is probably the minimum you need to consider to treat a medium-sized car. Bigger cars need more powerful generators, those up to 12000 mg / h are believed to be safe and efficient. It is imperative that the generator you choose is compatible with a hose.
- Shock treatment with ozone should not be confused with small generators that can be connected to the car's cigarette lighter. The low-level generators can be used while in the car, those for the shock treatment NO! During a shock treatment, the amount of ozone present in the passenger compartment is much higher than that tolerated by the human body. Furthermore, shock treatments are much more effective for removing odors.
- Ozone generators need to be supplied with fresh air to convert oxygen into ozone. Therefore they are not effective if left inside the passenger compartment. Use a hose to pump the ozone into the vehicle.
Warnings
- If you abuse these shock treatments you can damage the interior of the vehicle, especially the rubber seals. Although there is no "safe" amount of ozone, it is believed that 3500-6000 mg / h generators can be used for up to 2 hours of treatment. More powerful generators should be used for a considerably shorter period. It is better to repeat the treatment several times, ventilating the passenger compartment each time, rather than doing a single and prolonged session.
- No person or animal should remain in the vehicle during the treatment. It is extremely dangerous. High levels of ozone cause respiratory blockage. Read the instruction manual that accompanies the generator.
- You should remove the spare tire and personal items before carrying out the treatment. Ozone is a powerful oxidizing agent that damages or discolours what it comes into contact with.
