How to Get Smoke Out of Furniture Fabric

Getting the smell of smoke out of furniture fabric can be a challenging task. Oftentimes the smoke has settled into the fabric, causing the smell to linger indefinitely. Using air fresheners and products like Febreze will only mask the odor and should not be considered a long-term solution to this problem. Take into consideration that the process of getting smoke out of furniture fabric will also require you to purify the air surrounding the fabric, and that a few attempts may be required before you are successful at removing the smell.

Things You'll Need

• Air purifier
• Baking soda
• Upholstery cleaner
• Vacuum

Instructions

1. Purify the air. Purifying the air is like attacking the problem from the root, because clean air will prevent your clean furniture from collecting any leftover smoke residue. Even if the smoke was never in the air--you just moved a piece of furniture from a smoker's home to your home, for example--the smell from your furniture can contaminate the surrounding area. Run the air purifier while cleaning your furniture fabric.

2. Apply baking soda. Sprinkle a small amount of baking soda on the furniture fabric. If you are concerned about the baking soda damaging the fabric, test a small area before beginning. Let the baking soda set for a few hours.

3. Vacuum the furniture fabric. Remove all baking soda from the fabric.

4. Using an odor-eliminating, furniture-safe upholstery cleaner, shampoo your furniture with warm water. If you are concerned about the cleaner damaging your furniture fabric, test a small section before beginning. Do not soak the furniture with water, because if the furniture is too wet it will not dry thoroughly. If it doesn't dry, mildew will develop.

5. Avoid disturbing your furniture until it has completely dried. Discontinue the use of the air purifier and open your windows to allow natural air circulation.

Tips & Warnings

• To prevent the smell of smoke from returning, avoid exposing your furniture to smoke in the future. If you have not exposed your furniture to smoke and the smell returns, consider a more thorough cleaning, which includes shampooing the carpet and cleaning the walls.

• Do not steam clean your furniture. Steam cleaning will cause the smoke odor to set.

References

• Getting Rid of the Smoke Smell: 6 Simple Methods
• How Do You Get the Smell of Cigarette Smoke Out of Walls and Fabric?