How to Remove the Smell of Smoke

Whether you are trying to remove smoke smells from your home from cigarette smoking, burned food, or perhaps from a fire, there is an easy "green" way to do it that will leave your home smelling fresh without using cover-up deodorants.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Bowl
• Vinegar
• Activated Carbon(granulated charcoal)

1. Removing the smell from a room:
   Fill a small bowl more than half full of vinegar (white vinegar or cider vinegar will do the trick.)

2. Put the bowl in the area where the smell is strongest, but out of the way of getting kicked or knocked over.

3. In less than 24 hours, the smell should be gone. The vinegar will not "cover" the smell the way that deodorants do. Instead, the smells will be absorbed and will be gone.

4. For more challenging projects, (such as a building that has had a fire) buy some activated carbon (also referred to as granulated charcoal.) A one pound tube costs about $24, and can be purchased at various places. (I use www.mcmaster.com)
   
   
   
   You only need to open the tube and leave it in the area where the smell is the strongest. It will take some time, but it will absorb the smoke smell quite well. Depending on the area affected, you may need to use more than one tub or more than one application.

Tips & Warnings

• Using either vinegar or activated charcoal, you can also remove the smoke smell from your clothing. The trick is to hang the clothing with lots of space in between items in a closet. Close the door and the smell should come out of your clothing, including your leather coats, etc. in short order.

[Alrady]

on 5/11/2009 Great article... often times smoke smells linger for long periods of time. THANKS for the tips.