So; who knows how to get rid of the smell of stale cigarette smoke from a car then? (Not my car I wish to add!!)

You could try a good dose of Febrize, repeat a few times - see if that removes it..

Failing that, you can get a solid Nutradol and leave it in the car, this will usually work.

If the smell is really deep in the fibres, then you may need to steam clean it.

The main thing to do is to stop the source of the smell - so stop people from smoking in the car.

I know many sites will say use distilled vinegar / baking soda, but as vinegar is acidic - I don't know what effect that would have on the fabrics... I CERTAINLY woulnd't use anything other than water on seatbelts for obvious reasons.

Its a car someone has bought for his son, he doesn't smoke but the previous owner did. I've heard about putting charcoal in it for a bit - anyone know about this?

Its a car someone has bought for his son, he doesn't smoke but the previous owner did. I've heard about putting charcoal in it for a bit - anyone know about this?

Charcoal is an odour neutroliser - but it needs to be activated charcoal (I doubt the stuff you chuck on the BBQ at the weekend will do it).. From my high school science GCSE, I recall activated charcoal being processed to make it pourous and thus giving a larger surface area. But it has been many, many years since then,

I'd go with the Neutradol option. Probably cheaper than activated charcoal and as charcoal can leave a mess on fabrics - safer too.

When i stopped smoking i washed down the interior with Flash, mixed in a bucket with hot water i washed down the seats and head lining,worked a treat.