It is not always easy for stoners to find a spot to toke up. Maybe your roommate cannot stand the smell or you live in a non-smoking dorm or apartment. There are plenty of reasons that drive smokers to light up in their cars.
Naturally, this can cause some problems in itself. For starters, your car is going to reek of weed after smoking in it. Also, if you get caught smoking weed in your car then the law will certainly have something to say about it.
Some quick legal advice:
Do NOT smoke and drive.
It is not only illegal but potentially dangerous.
Similar to cigarette smoke, the stench of weed will stick on everything in your car. Luckily, there are some tricks to keeping your car clean of weed smell when you need it for a smoke spot.
What causes weed smell to linger?
If you are hip to cannabis lingo then perhaps you have heard the term “hotboxing” before. This is when you smoke a joint or blunt with a group of people inside a car with the windows rolled up. The car will fill with smoke as the joint/blunt gets smoked and the people in the car will continue to breathe in weed smoke.
The jury is still out on whether this works to get you higher but what it does do is make your car reek. Weed smoke will stick onto car surfaces such as fabric seats and carpeting on the floor. It will also leak into your car’s air vents and can get trapped in there for a while. Expect your car to smell for a few days after a hotbox.
Smoking weed in your car with the windows down is much better to keep your car smelling clean. However, your car will still smell like weed.
When it comes to transporting weed, even sealed in a bag, you may still find yourself with a smelly car afterward. If the bud you have is very fragrant then expect a lingering smell.
Masking fragrances
Masking fragrances are strong scents that will temporarily cover other scents. Such examples include colognes, body sprays, incense, and the popular product Febreze. If you have essential oils at home then you can add them with water in a spray bottle and create your own masking fragrance.
You can not rely on masking fragrances to completely get rid of the smell, only cover it up. They typically only last for around 4-6 hours so if you hotboxed your car you will eventually need to reapply more masking fragrance.
Odor absorbers
Another way to rid your car of weed smell is by using odor absorbers. Activated charcoal is one of the most effective odor absorbers available. It is commonly used to eliminate food odors, pet odors, trash, and the scent of weed. The carbon in charcoal has a negative charge, which attracts dissolved gases and toxins to its surface.
The charcoal is non-toxic and has no scent of its own. It is also capable of preventing mold and bacteria growth and filters out allergens which is an added bonus. Charcoal is also a very affordable option and easy to find in stores or websites online.
Baking soda is another classic example of an effective odor absorber. Many people already keep this in their refrigerator to keep it smelling nice and fresh. Open a box of baking soda and sprinkle a thin layer of it all over your seats and floors. Leave it there for up to 24 hours and then vacuum it out when you notice the weed smell is gone.
Odor eliminators
If none of the above options work for your car then you have one more option available, odor eliminators. A popular car cleaner option for stoners is Ozium Air Sanitizer. This stuff is no joke and if you use it then you should wait several hours before going back into your car. The chemicals in this product are very dangerous to inhale.
Ozium is made up of potent chemicals like triethylene glycol and propylene glycol. How it works is it attaches to airborne bacteria and eliminates it; thusly purifying the air.
Preventing your car from smelling like weed
Prevention is the best way to keep your car clean. If you absolutely have to smoke in your car then consider taking some of these precautions beforehand:
- When you go to smoke in your car, roll down all windows and turn your fans all full blast. Turning on your air system blows air out of the vents and prevents the weed smell from creeping into them.
- Have an odor absorber in your car ready to go. An open box of baking soda or a container of charcoal will help absorb any smells before they seep into the crevices of your car. Keep in mind that baking soda, in particular, has a shelf life of a month before it starts to lose its odor-absorbing abilities.
- After you finished smoking, use an odor eliminator in your car to eliminate any lingering traces of weed smell. If you have done the first two steps properly and have no lingering weed smell then you can skip this step.
Vaping weed
Consider using a vaporizer the next time you plan to smoke in your car. Vaporizers leave behind virtually no scent and are healthier for your lungs than smoking a joint or blunt.
There are tons of portable vaporizers on the market that are discreet and easy to use. Smoking weed in a car can create negative attention and something like a sleek vape pen will look less suspicious.
