Getting Rid of Stink: A Proper Australian Guide to Odour Removal

Empty the car completely. Check under the seats, in the seat pockets, and the spare tyre well. I once found a rotting prawn in a customer's boot that had fallen out of a grocery bag. No amount of spray fixes that.

If you've been out in the red dust, use compressed air or a soft brush to get the dust out of the crevices before you add any liquids. Mud is harder to clean than dust.

Chuck them on the driveway. They usually hold 50% of the smell and are much easier to scrub when they're out of the cabin.

Do a thorough pass with the vacuum. Get into the seams of the seats where crumbs live. Use the crevice tool.

Pull out the old filter (usually behind the glovebox). If it looks like a bird's nest, that's your smell source right there.

Wipe every plastic, vinyl, and leather surface with your APC. Don't forget the ceiling (headliner), smoke and smells often rise and stick there. Be gentle with the headliner so you don't weaken the glue.

If you know where the spill happened, saturate that spot with your enzyme cleaner. Let it dwell for 10-15 minutes. Don't let it dry out completely.

Spray your carpet cleaner, then use the drill brush to work it in. You'll see the lather turn grey, that's the gunk coming out.

Use the wet vac to suck up the moisture. Keep going until the water coming up through the clear nozzle looks clean. This is the most satisfying part, honestly.

Run the steam cleaner over the seats and carpets. The heat kills bacteria that chemicals might miss. It also 're-fluffs' the carpet pile.

People forget seatbelts. They absorb sweat for years. Pull them all the way out, soak them in a bucket of warm soapy water, and let them dry outside the car.

Smells like cigarette smoke leave a film on the inside of the glass. Use a dedicated glass cleaner and two cloths (one to wipe, one to buff).

Use a small brush and your vacuum to get the dust out of the AC vents. If you've been in the Outback, these will be packed with fine dust.

Spray your vent cleaner into the intake (usually near the wipers) or directly into the centre vents as per the product instructions. This kills the 'wet dog' smell in the evaporator.

Pop that fresh cabin filter in. If you want a little boost, put two drops of essential oil (like eucalyptus) on the filter before installing.

If the smell persists, run an ozone generator for 30-60 minutes. Make sure no living thing (plants included) is inside. (Read the warnings below first!).

Open all the doors and let the car air out in the shade for at least an hour. You don't want to trap chemical fumes inside.

One last quick vac once everything is dry to pick up any remaining residue or loosened dust.

Close the car up for 10 minutes, then hop in. If you still smell it, you've missed a spot, usually under the seat rails.