Looks like the previous owner was a smoker for sure. The car has no smell to it, which surprises me, but the rear quarter windows and the tailgate window black rubber seals are just CAKED with yellow leftover tobacco dust. I've tried wiping it down with some rags, but some of it is so deep that it's hard to reach.

Is there any way to get the seals off without replacing the entire window? It's the space between the window and the seal that I need to get into real good.

 

Use Simple Green and a old tooth brush.

 

tooth brush...genius. Why don't I think of these things?!?

 

The residue from cigarettes is alcohol soluble. Might want to try some rubbing alcohol and a rag, or like the other guy above mentioned, a toothbrush. Be careful that it doesn't eat the seals, I have no idea what they are made of.

 

Good point...The cigarette residue wipes off fine wherever I can reach it.

It's just the crevice between the seal and the window is too hard to get to, and that's where most of it has caked up -__-

 

Why not just pop out the window, clean it, the seal, and put it back in? If you are that concerned about "getting it all out" then go for it.

 

If worse comes to worse, i will. But I think it could be done a lot easier.