How to Do an Ozone Shock Treatment on a Vehicle

Last Updated: July 17, 2020 Approved

Regular methods of cleaning and deodorizing a vehicle are not always enough. Pet and cigarette odors are particularly difficult to remove because smelly chemical compounds can penetrate deep into the upholstery and padding. An ozone shock treatment will send pure ozone (O3) deep into every crevice, destroying these odorous compounds that could not be washed away. Car rental companies use these generators on a regular basis to remove smoke and pet odors.

Steps

1
Rent an ozone generator. There are websites that will ship them, and some equipment rental places stock them as well.
- Renting the right ozone generator will make the process more effective. While exact figures are not well-established, a generator rated at 3500mg/h is probably the bare minimum to do an effective shock treatment on a mid-sized car. Larger vehicles may require a more powerful generator. Units up to 12000 mg/h have been used effectively and safely. It is essential that the unit be compatible with a flexible duct.
2
Thoroughly clean the car and remove all trash and personal belongings.^{[1]
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Research source} Take everything out of the car, including the spare tire. Anything left behind could potentially be damaged or discolored by the ozone.

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3
Vacuum the car and wipe off all of the hard surfaces.^{[2]
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4
Attach a flexible duct to the ozone generator. Some ozone machines will come with the duct, but any dryer duct will do. Duct tape may be helpful.
5
Close all of the windows and doors on the vehicle, but leave one window open wide enough to feed the duct into the vehicle. The ozone generator should remain outside the vehicle to allow it access to fresh air.
6
Seal off the remainder of the open window using plenty of cardboard and tape. The idea is to seal up the car to prevent the ozone from escaping the vehicle.^{[3]
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7
Run the ozone generator at full power for at least 30 minutes but no longer than two hours. No one should be in the car during this process. No animals should be in the car during this process.
- Do not run the generator longer than the recommended time.
8
Air out the vehicle to allow the ozone to dissipate.^{[4]
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Research source} The slight ozone smell is normal and will disappear completely after three or four days. If necessary, repeat the ozone shock treatment after airing out the vehicle.

Community Q&A

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.
Question

Does ozone only kill bad things?

Community Answer

At a molecular level, it kills everything.
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.

Warnings

No person or animal should 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.

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Ozone, if overused, can be damaging to the interior components of the vehicle, particularly rubber seals. Exact figures are not well-established, but machines rated from 3500-6000 mg/h should be safe to use up to 2 hours. More powerful ozone generators can do a fine job in considerably less time. Repeated treatments separated by airing out periods may be safer than a single long, continuous treatment.

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