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How to Deodorize Your Vehicle with an Ozone Generator Download Article Cleanse your vehicle of lingering odors with our handy guide Co-authored by Eric McClure Reviewed by Jason Shackelford
Last Updated: January 2, 2025 Approved
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Cleaning & Prepping Your Vehicle
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This article was reviewed by Jason Shackelford and by wikiHow staff writer, Eric McClure. Jason Shackelford is the Owner of Stingray Auto Repair, a family owned and operated auto repair shop with locations in Seattle and Redmond, Washington. He has over 24 years of experience in auto repair and services, and every single technician on Jason’s team has more than 10 years of experience. wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. In this case, 100% of readers who voted found the article helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. This article has been viewed 431,721 times.
If your vehicle is in dire need of deodorization but regular cleaning products can’t remove years of cigarette smoking or doggie adventures, you may want to do an ozone shock treatment. Ozone (O3) is the perfect deodorizing agent—it’s made of 3 oxygen molecules (unlike air, which has 2 oxygen molecules), and that third oxygen molecule picks up whatever odors are floating in the air and neutralizes them. But since ozone is toxic, it’s important to perform this cleaning correctly, and that’s where we come in. In this article, we’ll show you how to perform an ozone shock treatment to get your car smelling as fresh as the day you bought it.
Things You Should Know
Empty your vehicle of all objects, vacuum the car’s seats and floor, and wipe down any dirty surfaces with a wet wipe before starting.
Set the ozone generator in your vehicle or feed the duct through the window (depending on the generator type). Run the generator for at least 30 minutes.
After running the ozone generator, air the vehicle out for 2-3 days to avoid exposing yourself to the toxic ozone fumes.
Steps
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Cleaning & Prepping Your Vehicle
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1 Rent or purchase an ozone generator. Rent an ozone generator from a construction supply or home improvement store, or buy one if you may need to remove stubborn odors in the future. Ozone generators aren't super expensive and usually cost less than $100.[1]XResearch source
There are two types of ozone generator—corona discharge generators and UV light generators. The corona discharge generators are stronger and use a duct to pump ozone into a space. UV light generators are just left in an enclosed space.[2]XResearch source
Corona discharge generators are stronger than UV ozone generators, but they may be overkill for a vehicle. The corona discharge generators are ideal for cleansing an entire home, so go with UV to keep things simple.
Ozone generators are rated by mg/h, which is how much ozone they produce. A good rule of thumb is 1,000 mg/h per 100 sq ft (9.3 m2). Most sedans are around 100 sq ft (9.3 m2), while bigger SUVs can get up to 200 sq ft (19 m2).
2 Clean your vehicle thoroughly and remove any trash. Ozone is toxic. It won’t damage the interior of your car, but it may render things like water bottles unusable. As a result, take everything out of the car to keep it safe from the ozone.[3]XResearch source
Leave anything that may be harboring intense odors that you don’t mind potentially warping. Floor mats, for example, are probably best left in the vehicle.
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3 Vacuum the car and wipe off all of the hard surfaces. While ozone treatments will remove odors, they won’t remove the sources of those orders. So, any food particles or gunk that’s contributing to bad smells in the vehicle will just start to smell again later. Vacuum your vehicle thoroughly and use wet wipes to scrub down any hard surfaces or dashboards.[4]XResearch source
You don’t need to break out any deodorizing materials or deep cleaning tools; the ozone generator will do all of that for you.
4 Put the generator in the car or connect the flexible duct. Read your ozone generator’s instructions to determine how you set it up. For most UV generators, just set the generator anywhere in the vehicle, like the middle of the back seat. If you have a generator that uses a duct, connect the duct hose to the generator and set the machine down next to the vehicle outside.
If you have a duct, feed the duct tubing through a cracked window and into the vehicle.
5 Close the windows and seal off any openings. If you’re setting the generator in the vehicle, just close all of the windows and shut the doors to seal the car. If you have a duct going into a window, you’ve got a little extra work ahead of you. Seal the cracked window around the duct with cardboard, packing tape, and/or plastic wrap.[5]XResearch source
If your generator’s instruction manual tells you to never leave the generator in an enclosed space, do not seal the area around the duct and make sure one of the windows is cracked.
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Running the Ozone Generator
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1 Turn the vehicle on and set the climate to 75 °F (24 °C). Ozone will circulate more evenly if the temperature isn’t too extreme. If it’s 60–80 °F (16–27 °C) outside already, your vehicle’s interior should be fine. If it’s hot or cold out though, turn your vehicle on and set the heat or air conditioning to 75 °F (24 °C).[6]XResearch source
Once the interior of your vehicle reaches this temperature, shut the car off.
2 Run the ozone generator at full power for 30 minutes. Press the power button on the ozone generator and turn the dial to the highest setting. Let the ozone generator run on its own for at least 30 minutes, and no more than 2 hours.[7]XResearch source
Warning: Ozone is toxic. Do not leave any pets or people in the vehicle while the ozone generator is running.
Unless you’re removing some seriously stubborn odors, you shouldn’t need more than 30 minutes to cleanse your vehicle.
As the generator runs, it will generate toxic O3 (this is the “ozone”). O3 is just 3 oxygen molecules. O2 is the air that we breathe, so there’s a leftover oxygen molecule when you introduce ozone into the air. That extra molecule will bind with anything floating around in the air to remove odors from your car.[8]X Trustworthy Source United States Environmental Protection AgencyIndependent U.S. government agency responsible for promoting safe environmental practices Go to source
3 Air out the vehicle for 2-3 days until the ozone odor goes away. Once your time is up, open the vehicle’s doors and shut the generator off. Leave your vehicle alone for at least 2-3 days if possible. Ozone smells like a funky version of chlorine bleach, so once that odor is gone, you’re good to go. Residual ozone won’t be super dangerous so long as there’s clear air around it, but it’s still best to not breathe it in if you don’t have to.[9]X Trustworthy Source United States Environmental Protection AgencyIndependent U.S. government agency responsible for promoting safe environmental practices Go to source
Realistically, the longer you can wait, the better.
Do not enter the vehicle for the first 4-8 hours that it’s airing out. It takes time for all of those O3 particles to bind to something, and you don’t want to breathe it in.
If you still smell the original bad odor in your vehicle, repeat this process again.
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Question Why not put the generator inside the car with the windows closed? Community Answer Because the generator is taking in fresh air to convert to ozone. If its inside the car, then it will eventually start pulling ozone back into the system and won't be able to generate additional ozone. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 53 Helpful 28
Question Does ozone only kill bad things? Community Answer At a molecular level, it kills everything. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 7 Helpful 28
Question How long should I wait before driving the car again? Community Answer After you turn off the ozone generator, wait until your car has aired out. It won't fully air out for 3-4 days, but you could drive it before then if you want. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 20 Helpful 24
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Warnings
No person or animal can be in the vehicle during the ozone shock treatment. This would be extremely dangerous. High levels of ozone can cause extreme respiratory distress. Read all manuals that come with the ozone generator to ensure you stay safe.[10]X Trustworthy Source United States Environmental Protection AgencyIndependent U.S. government agency responsible for promoting safe environmental practices Go to source Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
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Reviewed by: Jason Shackelford Auto Technician This article was reviewed by Jason Shackelford and by wikiHow staff writer, Eric McClure. Jason Shackelford is the Owner of Stingray Auto Repair, a family owned and operated auto repair shop with locations in Seattle and Redmond, Washington. He has over 24 years of experience in auto repair and services, and every single technician on Jason’s team has more than 10 years of experience. This article has been viewed 431,721 times. 9 votes - 100% Co-authors: 7Updated: January 2, 2025 Views: 431,721 Categories: Cleaning Cars In other languages Spanish Italian Russian Japanese
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Reader Success Stories
Pat Lambert
Sep 5, 2017
"Generator came with no instruction or guidelines. I was going to run it all day in a small motor home. Now I see that could cause damage to the rubber parts. Thanks, guys. "..." more Rated this article:
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Yes No Advertisement If you buy through links on our site, we may earn a commission.Cookies make wikiHow better. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Reviewed by: Jason Shackelford Auto Technician Co-authors: 7Updated: January 2, 2025 Views: 431,721100% of readers found this article helpful. 9 votes - 100% Click a star to add your vote
Pat Lambert
Sep 5, 2017
"Generator came with no instruction or guidelines. I was going to run it all day in a small motor home. Now I see that could cause damage to the rubber parts. Thanks, guys. "..." more Rated this article:
J. Jordan
Jan 17, 2019
"Glad for the instructions, which the rental machine did not come with. Also appreciate the airing-out information - would have been worried if I didn't know what to expect."..." more Rated this article:
Anonymous
Sep 23, 2023
"This article give all the necessary information to safely deodorize your car."
Robert Henderson
Jan 8, 2017
"This is the info I was looking for exactly!" Share yours! More success stories Hide success stories
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Download Article Cleanse your vehicle of lingering odors with our handy guide Co-authored by Eric McClure Reviewed by Jason Shackelford 
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Reviewed by: Jason Shackelford Auto Technician This article was reviewed by Jason Shackelford and by wikiHow staff writer, Eric McClure. Jason Shackelford is the Owner of Stingray Auto Repair, a family owned and operated auto repair shop with locations in Seattle and Redmond, Washington. He has over 24 years of experience in auto repair and services, and every single technician on Jason’s team has more than 10 years of experience. This article has been viewed 431,721 times. 9 votes - 100% Co-authors: 7 Updated: January 2, 2025 Views: 431,721 Categories: Cleaning Cars In other languages Spanish Italian Russian Japanese 
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1 Rent or purchase an ozone generator. Rent an ozone generator from a construction supply or home improvement store, or buy one if you may need to remove stubborn odors in the future. Ozone generators aren't super expensive and usually cost less than $100.[1] 
2 Clean your vehicle thoroughly and remove any trash. Ozone is toxic. It won’t damage the interior of your car, but it may render things like water bottles unusable. As a result, take everything out of the car to keep it safe from the ozone.[3] 
3 Vacuum the car and wipe off all of the hard surfaces. While ozone treatments will remove odors, they won’t remove the sources of those orders. So, any food particles or gunk that’s contributing to bad smells in the vehicle will just start to smell again later. Vacuum your vehicle thoroughly and use wet wipes to scrub down any hard surfaces or dashboards.[4] 
4 Put the generator in the car or connect the flexible duct. Read your ozone generator’s instructions to determine how you set it up. For most UV generators, just set the generator anywhere in the vehicle, like the middle of the back seat. If you have a generator that uses a duct, connect the duct hose to the generator and set the machine down next to the vehicle outside. 
5 Close the windows and seal off any openings. If you’re setting the generator in the vehicle, just close all of the windows and shut the doors to seal the car. If you have a duct going into a window, you’ve got a little extra work ahead of you. Seal the cracked window around the duct with cardboard, packing tape, and/or plastic wrap.[5] 
1 Turn the vehicle on and set the climate to 75 °F (24 °C). Ozone will circulate more evenly if the temperature isn’t too extreme. If it’s 60–80 °F (16–27 °C) outside already, your vehicle’s interior should be fine. If it’s hot or cold out though, turn your vehicle on and set the heat or air conditioning to 75 °F (24 °C).[6] 
2 Run the ozone generator at full power for 30 minutes. Press the power button on the ozone generator and turn the dial to the highest setting. Let the ozone generator run on its own for at least 30 minutes, and no more than 2 hours.[7] 
3 Air out the vehicle for 2-3 days until the ozone odor goes away. Once your time is up, open the vehicle’s doors and shut the generator off. Leave your vehicle alone for at least 2-3 days if possible. Ozone smells like a funky version of chlorine bleach, so once that odor is gone, you’re good to go. Residual ozone won’t be super dangerous so long as there’s clear air around it, but it’s still best to not breathe it in if you don’t have to.[9] 
Community Answer Because the generator is taking in fresh air to convert to ozone. If its inside the car, then it will eventually start pulling ozone back into the system and won't be able to generate additional ozone. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 53 Helpful 28 
Community Answer At a molecular level, it kills everything. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 7 Helpful 28 
Advertisement If you buy through links on our site, we may earn a commission.Cookies make wikiHow better. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our cookie policy.