There is something unmistakable about the smell of a new car. When you open your new car door, the first thing you notice is that wonderful smell of a new car and that new car smell makes the vehicle seem much newer, cleaner and just so exciting.
However, there's a little-known fact: New car smell isn't always natural.
Dealership often use professional car dealership air fresheners and detailing products to create this distinctive new car smell on their own and in particular to create new car smells on pre-owned vehicles before selling them. If you’ve ever wondered what air freshener dealerships use or how they make cars smell new again, you’re not alone.
In this guide, we’ll explain:
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What creates the new car smell
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What air freshener car dealerships use
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How dealerships make used cars smell new
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The best car air fresheners to recreate that fresh scent
What Creates the “New Car Smell”?
The smell of a brand-new ride has nothing to do with how it smells; in fact, the smell of a brand-new automobile is due to chemical compounds being emitted from with the car.
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) are the chemical compounds released into the air as a result of manufacturing processes used in making automobile parts and are also contained within all types of plastics. VOCs can be found in virtually every type of plastic or synthetic material used in automotive interior trim items like:
- Upholstery
- Adhesives
- Carpets
- Sealants
As cars sit on dealership lots for weeks or even months at a time, the VOCs are slowly absorbed into the atmosphere, causing the "new" smell to dissipate. As a result of this phenomenon, dealerships create their own "new" smell through detailing and use fragrances and other products that contain chemicals that mimic the VOCs to give the vehicle an odor that is associated with clean, high-quality vehicles.
What Air Freshener Do Car Dealerships Use?
If you’re searching for “what new car smell spray dealerships use”, the answer is usually professional detailing and air fresheners designed to mimic the scent of a new vehicle interior.
Typically, dealership's utilize a variety of products to achieve the desired 'new car' scent for their vehicles. Some of these include:
New Car Scent Sprays
Detailer's will spray New Car Scent Sprays onto upholstery, carpeting, etc. in an attempt to give the buyer a subtle new car scent.
Odor Neutralizers
Dealerships first remove unwanted odors by utilizing odor neutralizer products before adding a new scent. These products can eliminate unwanted odors from:
- Smoking
- Pet Odors
- Food Smells
- Water/Moisture
HVAC Freshening Treatment
In some cases, detailers may add a scent treatment directly to the ventilation system of a vehicle and allow it to disperse throughout the cabin.
Products Used During Interior Detailing
Products utilized during interior detailing processes also have a mild fragrance added to them. Therefore, when detailers are cleaning interior components, they are adding to the overall fresh scent.
It is not usually the detailer's intention to over-fragrance a vehicle, but rather provide a subtle new-car scent that allows the buyer to remember a new vehicle.
How Do Car Dealerships Make Cars Smell New?
If you’ve ever walked through a dealership and noticed every car smells fresh, it’s not by accident. Dealers follow a specific process when preparing vehicles for sale.
Here’s how dealerships make cars smell new again.
1. Deep Interior Cleaning
First, detailers thoroughly clean the interior. This usually includes:
Vacuuming carpets and seats
Wiping down dashboards and surfaces
Shampooing upholstery
Cleaning floor mats
Removing dirt and residue is essential before applying any fragrance.
2. Odor Removal
Next, dealerships eliminate any existing odors. Professional detailers often use odor neutralizers or ozone treatments to remove deep odors from smoke, pets, or spills.
This step ensures the fresh scent won’t mix with unpleasant smells.
3. Cabin Air Filter Replacement
Replacing the cabin air filter can make a big difference in how the car smells. Old filters can trap dust, pollen, and odors that circulate through the air vents.
4. Applying a New Car Scent
Finally, detailers apply a new car scent air freshener to create the signature smell customers expect when entering a vehicle.
The scent is usually applied lightly so the car smells clean rather than perfumed.
Best Car Air Fresheners to Recreate the Dealership Smell
While you might think recreating the "new-car" smell in your vehicle is simply about using an air freshener, the reality is that to get your vehicle to smell like it just rolled off the lot at a dealership, you will need to utilize the same products as a dealership would when detailing a vehicle for sale.
Here are some of the top-rated products available to recreate that new-car smell in your vehicle.
Car Air Freshener Bombs (Professional Level Odor Elimination)
A great way to refresh the interior of your vehicle is through the use of a car air freshener bomb. This type of product is specifically designed to release fragrance throughout the entire cabin, including carpets, upholstery, and the vehicle's ventilation system.
Used-car dealerships frequently utilize this type of product to rapidly remove unwanted odors such as those caused by smoke, pets, and/or food.
The way these products function is by releasing deodorizing mist into the cabin, which penetrates the various fabrics and surfaces within the vehicle, ultimately creating a scent that is similar to a new vehicle interior.
They are ideal for someone who wants to completely refresh their vehicle interior, rather than simply masking odors.
Air Freshener Pads (Continuous Dealership-Fresh Scent)
Following the removal of odors from the vehicle, most dealerships will utilize air freshener pads to maintain a constant scent within the vehicle.
Dealerships favor the utilization of air freshener pads due to the fact that they produce a mild, continuous fragrance without overwhelming the senses. Air freshener pads may be easily placed underneath the seats, inside door compartments, or beneath floor mats.
Due to the fact that they gradually release fragrance over time, they assist in maintaining a clean dealership smell each time you open the car door.
Carpet and Upholstery Cleaners (How to Achieve a Really Clean Interior)
Prior to adding fragrance to the vehicle, dealerships typically begin with a thorough interior cleaning. The source of many odors is found in carpets, floor mats, and upholstery; therefore, it is crucial to remove dirt and grime to achieve a truly clean vehicle.
Foam-based cleaners such as Auto Detailing Carpet Cleaner and Extra Foamy Carpet Cleaner are able to effectively lift stains, remove trapped odors, and restore interior fabrics.
Carpet and upholstery cleaners are beneficial for:
- Removing stains from carpets and floor mats
- Cleaning fabric upholstery
- Removing the source of odors prior to applying fragrance
- Restore the interior to a "like-new" state
Utilize a deep cleaning process in conjunction with an air freshener bomb or pads to make your vehicle smell exactly like a recently detailed dealership vehicle.
The Dealership Detailing Process
Most dealerships adhere to a simple formula to recreate that "new-car-smell" that customers enjoy:
- Clean the interior using carpet and upholstery cleaners
- Remove odors with a car air freshener bomb
- Maintain the fragrance using air freshener pads
Using this process eliminates the source of the odors and replaces it with a gentle, clean scent - the same strategy employed by dealerships when preparing vehicles for sale.
By utilizing the correct products, you can replicate that clean dealership smell in your own vehicle whenever desired.
Is the “New Car Smell” Safe?
Many people wonder if the new car smell is safe.
The OG new car scent comes from VOC emissions from materials, which is why manufacturers have worked over the years to reduce these compounds.
Modern vehicles typically emit far fewer VOCs than older models, and the smell fades relatively quickly.
Most new car scent air fresheners simply recreate the smell using fragrance compounds rather than the original chemicals.
Quick Answer: How to Make Your Car Smell Like New Again
A little maintenance work will go a long way in restoring that "new car smell" to your vehicle.
- Step 1 - Get Rid of Trash & Dirt: Get rid of trash, food, spills, etc., from inside your vehicle.
- Step 2 - Thoroughly Vacuum: Clean your carpeted areas, seats and floormats to get rid of all the dirt & debris.
- Step 3 - Clean Interior Surfaces: Clean the dashboard, doors, center console, etc., with interior cleaning products.
- Step 4 - Change Your Cabin Air Filter: Replacing this filter can make a huge difference on how good your vehicle smells.
- Step 5 - Use a New Car Scent Spray/Auto Air Freshener: Spray a new car air freshener (lightly) into your vehicle for that "just out of the dealership" smell.
Final Thoughts
The “new car smell” you notice when stepping into a vehicle at a dealership isn’t always the natural scent of the interior. In many cases, dealerships use professional-grade auto scent sprays and odor neutralizers to recreate that fresh, clean smell that customers have come to associate with a brand-new car.
The good news is that you can easily recreate that same experience in your own vehicle. With the right dealership-quality air fresheners and detailing products, along with regular interior cleaning, it’s possible to restore that fresh “just detailed” scent anytime.
Ready to bring the dealership smell back to your car? Explore our full collection of car dealership air fresheners and detailing supplies designed to eliminate odors and recreate the new car scent.
https://usautosupplies.net/collections/car-dealership-air-fresheners
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