How to Remove Cigarette Smoke Smell From Fabric

Cigarette smoke permeates fabric, which results in an unpleasant odor.

Whether you've acquired a fabric item that was kept in a smoker's environment, or you have spent some time in a smoke-filled environment, the item or clothing will likely have picked up the unmistakable scent of cigarette smoke. While this unpleasant odor may seem impossible to eliminate, there are methods you can implement to get rid of it.

Things You'll Need

• Upholstery deodorizing spray
• 3 cups powdered dishwashing detergent
• 3 gallons warm water
• Bathtub or washing machine

Instructions

Fabric Upholstery Items

1. Spray the entire item with a light, even coating of upholstery deodorizing spray that is indicated as a smoke smell remover.

2. Move the item outdoors to a well-ventilated area that receives sunshine.

3. Allow the item to remain outdoors in the fresh air and sunshine for approximately eight to 10 hours before moving it back inside.

Clothing Items

1. Fill a bathtub or washing machine with 3 gallons of warm water. Mix 3 cups of powdered dishwashing detergent into the water with a long-handled spoon in order to dissolve the powder into the water.

2. Submerge the clothes tainted with the cigarette smoke odor into the detergent and water solution.

3. Allow the clothes to soak in the solution overnight or eight to 10 hours. Remove the clothing item from the water and launder as directed on the label.

Tips & Warnings

• If your fabric upholstered item still has a smoke smell, consider using a steam cleaning machine to clean it and lift the odor out of the fabric.

• For clothing items that can be bleached, soak in 4 to 6 tbsp. of trisodium phosphate (TSP), one cup of household bleach and one gallon of water overnight. Launder as usual the following day.

• Ensure that you choose a deodorizing spray that will remove cigarette smoke odors. Do not choose a perfumed spray that is not indicated for this use. It will not be effective and may make the odor smell worse.

References

• Google News: Times Daily, Hints From Heloise
• University of Florida Cooperative Extension Service:The Disaster Handbook 1998 National Edition Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences