How to Clean Up Cigarette Smoke Odor

It's possible to remove smoke odors.

Whether or not you're a smoker, stale cigarette smoke is a problem. Unfortunately, cigarette smoke tends to stick to everything it touches, including car upholstery, clothing, fabrics, carpets and even walls. While that's unpleasant in itself, secondhand smoke is also unhealthy: according to LifeSpy.com, it may be "even more hazardous to your health" than cigarette smoking itself. For that reason alone it is imperative to remove any signs of smoke residue from your home.

Things You'll Need

• Washing machine
• Laundry detergent
• Water
• Soap
• Washcloth
• Air freshener
• Candle
• Upholstery cleaner
• Baking soda
• Vacuum cleaner

Instructions

1. Place all smoke-affected clothing items and linens in the washing machine and use a laundry detergent. One cycle of washing and drying should effectively remove the cigarette smoke smells from your fabrics. If you still smell smoke on these items after they have been washed, repeat the process.

2. Scrub your skin very well after you have smoked or spent time around others who have smoked. Use a mild to strong soap with a washcloth and make sure to scrub your entire body. The cigarette odor will linger on your skin until it is washed off.

3. Wipe down any hard surfaces in your car, room or house. It may come as a surprise, but smoke will stick to anything, including hard surfaces. Clean your ceiling, walls, appliances, doors, counter tops, tables and other furniture items with a warm, damp cloth. You may actually be able to see the smoke residue wipe off.

4. Open the windows of your house or car and let it air out for a few hours. Sometimes a little fresh air can go a long way.

5. Spray air freshener or wear cologne to temporarily hide the smell of smoke. While this is only effective for an hour or so, it serves as a quick fix to cover up the cigarette odors. Lighting a scented candle works the same way.

6. Clean upholstered items like couches and mattresses with a store-bought upholstery cleaner, or have the item professionally cleaned. If you are doing it yourself, scrub the piece very well and let the cleaning solution set for a while before going over it again. You may need to repeat this process several times in order to remove smoke odors completely.

7. Sprinkle baking soda on your carpet and let it set for one to two hours, then vacuum it up. The baking soda will soak up much of the cigarette odor.

References

• Clearing Cigarette Smoke from Your Home: LifeSpy.com
• Removing Smoke Odor from Couches