You probably know it if you have ever bought a new car or have been running around in a showroom: the smell of new cars. Just like the smell of gasoline, it can evoke pleasant associations for car lovers, but there is also a breath of fresh air.
Perhaps you recognize yourself in the fact that you breathe in a good breath of air through your nose when you get into a new car. The scent of ‘newness’ affects your airways and the experience is complete. It probably evokes a certain amount of desire. Nobody else has left their mark on this car, you realize. Everything is still clean and pure. Your own scent must still be absorbed, provided you are the happy first owner.
The somewhat chemical odor apparently evokes so many positive feelings that it is responded to commercially. There are various air fresheners on the market that claim to spread ‘the smell of a new car’. The undersigned tried it once in his own old age car, but they are all wrong. No matter how good and how bad it is tried, nothing beats ‘the real deal’.
Where is it from?
It smells chemical and it certainly is. The smell of new cars comes largely from the stuff that is used to assemble the interior. Adhesives and fillers are the largest ’emitters’ of gases that together create the striking scent blend. The gases, so-called volatile organic compounds, get rid of the chemical substances used at room temperature. It is true that a new car that is in the sun will smell even stronger, but the gases will be released anyway from the start of the car’s construction. Add a hint of fragrance from the plasticizers in the plastic parts and voilà .
Although, as mentioned, some have tried to simulate this odor, it is therefore a mixture of different gases that are released to varying degrees and subtly mix. That, of course, cannot simply be summarized in one aroma diffuser.
Get rid of it
Enough predominantly positive sounds about the scent, now it’s time for the downside. A chemical odor soon reveals that you are inhaling something harmful. This also applies to the smell of a new car. The gases that come from, among other things, the adhesives and plasticizers can have unpleasant effects on your body. You can get dizzy and get a headache, but in the worse cases it even gives you an increased risk of damage to the airways or possibly even the brain. Studies show that some gases continue to be released for months and sometimes the concentration is only negligible after a few years.
Car manufacturers are aware of this and more and more brands are aiming to prevent this as much as possible. The use of other means, for example more water-based goods, must reduce the emissions of these gases. The use of natural materials for, among other things, seat covers or padding can also help. In practice, manufacturers will not escape the release of odors from the materials used, but in general the strong chemical odors do lose ground. Whether that is a loss is up to you. Otherwise you can always try out a spray or Christmas tree with a ‘new car smell’ on it.