- Aug 20, 2016 A doob tube (aka a “sploof”) is a home-made device designed to make the smell of weed turn into the smell of fresh laundry. Just stuff a toilet paper or paper towel roll with dryer sheets or fabric lightly soaked in Febreze, then simply exhale the weed smoke through it. Invest in an air purifier.
- I'd say just go ahead and smoke as far away from the door as possible, or in your closet. (Just take out the clothes you're going to wear tomorrow so it doesn't smell that bad, then just spray axe on it.) Put a blanket in between the crack of the door so that the air doesn't escape. Spray a hell of a lot of axe/febreeze and light up the candles.
- Turn on an air purifier. One of the best ways to treat indoor smoke is by turning on an air purifier.
Banish smoky odors on furniture, books, clothing, and more with these tried-and-true techniques.
Photo: istockphoto.com
Q: I recently inherited a beautiful armchair from my grandparents. Unfortunately, they were heavy smokers, and the smell has permeated the chair. Is there any hope for my heirloom, or is smoke smell removal just wishful thinking?
Another way to hide the smell of cigarettes is to eat something that has a strong odor, such as something with garlic or onions. Of course, then you will have the problem of smelling like garlic.
A: Cigarette smoke can cling tenaciously to possessions and even the very walls, floors, and ceilings of a house that once belonged to a heavy smoker. As a cigarette smolders, it produces smoke molecules encapsulated in microscopic bits of oil and tar, which adhere stubbornly wherever they land. Smoky evidence of a cooking accident can also stick around after the burned meal has been discarded.
A commercial air freshener can effectively tackle mild cases of stale smoke, but these sprays merely mask odor, rather than absorb or neutralize it. (Note: While the chemical ingredients in these products are generally safe for you and your cats and dogs, they’re harmful to birds—do not use if you have feathered pets.) The smell of items repeatedly exposed to smoke for years is bound to return after the freshener wears off.
Fortunately, there is all-natural hope for your stinky stuff! You may have to try a few of the different methods here, but if you have patience you’re sure to greatly reduce, perhaps totally eliminate, the lingering smoke smell.
Photo: istockphoto.com
Air it out.
Don’t discount the power of good old fresh air! If your home’s interior smells smoky, open all the windows and place a portable fan or two in front of the largest ones, with the blades blowing outward, to pull smoky air from the room. Keep this up for a full day, if possible. Set smoke-ridden furniture, books, and clothing outside in a sunny spot for several hours—those UV rays can also help neutralize odors. But note that intense sunlight can damage or fade delicate or dyed fabrics, so if it’s very bright and hot out, air that smoke-plagued vintage shawl or embroidered pillow in a shady spot.
RELATED: Clear the Air: 10 Natural Ways to Cure Household Odors
Sop up the smoke smell with baking soda.
Sodium bicarbonate is a very effective deodorizer, as it actually absorbs smells rather than merely mask them. Here are a few ways to use it:
- To purge smoke from a room or car, fill several small bowls with baking soda and then set them all around the space. Leave the baking soda in place for at least 24 hours.
- Sprinkle a thin layer of baking soda onto rugs or carpeting, let it dwell overnight or for at least two hours, then vacuum.
- Sprinkle a smelly sofa or plush chair with a light coating of baking powder and let it sit for a minimum of two hours, and then thoroughly vacuum with an upholstery attachment.
- For books, small décor items, and clothing that isn’t easily washable, pour one-half cup of baking soda into a large plastic trash bag, add the smoke-damaged items, and then tie the bag shut. Give it a good eight hours of dwell time before removing your belongings and dusting or shaking off the powder.
Photo: istockphoto.com
Neutralize smoke smell with a vinegar wash.
White vinegar is another nontoxic household staple that works to neutralize—not simply mask—bad odors such as smoke. Its low pH “attacks” the higher-pH smoke molecules, altering them just enough to reduce their smell. Don’t worry, the unpleasant smell of vinegar itself will naturally dissipate once it dries or is removed.
- To reduce the smoke smell in a room or vehicle, fill several small bowls with white vinegar, set them around the space, and let them sit overnight.
- To speed up the process, boil a potful of vinegar on the stove, letting it gently simmer for an hour or two. As the steam wafts through the air, it helps to remove the smoke smell.
- Smoke-ridden machine-washable clothing can be tossed into the laundry along with a half cup of white vinegar in place of your usual laundry detergent, as the acidic vinegar will help break down the malodorous molecules. Laundry detergent, which tends to lean towards the alkaline end of the pH scale, as does cigarette smoke, won’t neutralize the odor as effectively.
Charcoal works well for smoke smell removal, too.
The carbon molecules in charcoal chemically “trap” smells, clearing them from the air. While grilling briquettes can be used in a pinch, activated charcoal is processed for better porosity and absorption power (and as a bonus isn’t treated with flammable chemicals). Most home improvement centers carry a range of activated charcoal products, often packaged in small fabric or burlap bags, and usually labeled as smoke or odor eliminators.
Set or hang several bags of activated charcoal around a smoky room or car to absorb odors, or place the bags atop smoke-damaged furniture or carpeting. Don’t set un-bagged activated charcoal directly on fabric, however—it can leave a stain.
Steam away the smoke smell.
Steam cleaning can be especially effective on smoky walls, floors, and upholstery, as the heat melts the hardened tar and oils encapsulating the smoke molecules, making it easy to wipe them away with a microfiber cloth or sponge. Many home improvement centers rent these machines, typically for about $25 per hour. Just mist surfaces lightly with the heated vapor, keeping the steam cleaner’s head moving at all times to avoid saturating any one area—oversaturating with steam can damage delicate fabrics such as silk and even melt drywall.
Beyond these DIY smoke smell removal methods, call in a professional.
For very severe smoke damage, or if the above options fail, contact a professional. Many cleaning services specialize in smoke remediation, treating walls, floors, and upholstery with stronger chemicals and cleaners than the general public can buy, and are trained in the proper techniques to safely and effectively use them. Find a smoke remediation specialist through websites such as Yelp, or ask for referrals from your local home improvement center.
How to get rid of the smoke smell?
This question might be revolving in your head if you have taken up residence with cigarette smoke hanging in the air in your apartment. It can also be a concern for you if you are a house owner or property dealer and want to rent your property to respected and responsible tenants. What attracts tenants the most? Well-furnished and ventilated house designed wonderfully with brand new furniture and appliances. You could have that all. But the irritating smell of cigarettes in your apartment or from the neighborhood can seriously reduce the worth of your apartment.
The smell of cigarette smoke is not only awful, but it is also dangerous for our health, especially for asthmatic patients, and can cause severe allergic reactions. So, the presence of cigarette smoke is an extreme nuisance, and you should not take it for granted. You can check our best-reviewed air purifiers for allergies.
Do you want to know what absorbs cigarette smoke? Mats, carpets, and curtains absorb smoke. Toxins present in cigarettes adhere to the walls and floor. Who wants to live in such a disgusting and bad-smelling place? Of course, no one. Then what are you waiting for? Go and get rid of it. But how? How to eliminate the smoke smell in an apartment? Yes, you are in the right place. We have numerous ways to clear the smoke smell if you want to get an ashless apartment.
You will be glad to know that the smoke smell can be eliminated with a low budget. You can opt for DIY methods or professional cleaning services to eliminate the smoke smell. But before you take any decision, you should know all the best possible ways in this regard. Let’s discuss all these methods one by one below.
Ventilate your apartment
You can begin with the aeration and ventilation of your apartment. For this, open all the doors, windows, and curtains for as much time as you can to improve the crossing. This can prove to be effective in the elimination of smoke smell. Then switch on ceiling fans. Also, place two fans facing each other to throw air polluted with smoke smell and bring fresh air in. Proper cleaning of the air shaft is crucial in this regard.
We have a fascinating DIY for you. It is called the bowl method. What you have to do is to take a bowl and fill it with vinegar. You can also take coffee in place of vinegar. Anyway, place this bowl for a few days in a smoky room. A smoke odor eliminator and air freshener can purify the air significantly.
Clean the carpet and mats
What absorbs cigarette smoke? Carpets and other floor coverings seem to be a noiseless vacuum. They pick and absorb tobacco toxins. Do you want to know how to get rid of the fire smoke smell in your apartment? Because dealing with carpet is a real challenge. But you do not need to worry. We are here for you. You should try the next remedy. Sprinkle baking soda on the carpet and wait for about an hour before vacuuming. Then spray a mixture of one part of vinegar mixed with two pieces of water. This is an effective remedy to freshen the carpet. But unfortunately, home remedies work for some and not for all.
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In this case, we will suggest you try dry cleaning or steam cleaning methods. You can hire professional carpet cleaners. Still, if the carpet continues to smell bad, then it’s time to say goodbye to it.
Use Air Purifiers
One of the best and easiest ways to dispose of cigarette smell is the use of air purifiers. Being anti-chemicals, these smart gadgets can make your life a bed of roses. Also, it spreads an unusual fragrance in the environment that you can breathe like ever before. Besides the cigarette smell, it can absorb all other stinky odors with its unique feature. Sounds like a futuristic device to us. Isn’t it?
Clean doors and floors
Now it’s time to clean floors and doors. Beds can be cleaned by moping them with warm water diluted with a cleaner, or it’s better to use a disinfectant. Regularly change water to ensure proper cleaning. Now let the floors air dry or dry under a running fan. We are coming towards wood floors and tiles. They are a bit trickier to clean. Wooden surfaces can be cleaned with a mixture of neutral soap and warm water and then rinsing it. You can use ammonia for cleaning the tiles. Keep one thing in mind. Never clean floors with vinegar as it can tarnish them badly. Clean the door frames properly.
Clean curtains and drapes
Clean, clean, and just clean. Remove all the curtains and drapes. Mix a cup of vinegar in warm water and wash curtains and drapes in this water. As you know, vinegar has a bleaching property due to which it can vanish the colors of fabric, so you should be careful while washing. Some curtains need to be dry cleaned.
Wash and clean windows
After you are done with window coverings, how can you forget windows? Close all the windows. Clean them by spraying vinegar and then wipe them off with a cloth. It is better to use a microfiber cloth. Repeat the process two to three times to get crystal clear windows.
Freshen the paint of ceilings and walls
Repainting the ceilings and walls is a tough job, but it is essential to eliminate the smoke smell in your apartment. But before you paint, make sure to clean them properly. For this, take warm water mixed with two cups of vinegar and half a cup of baking soda. Soak the sponge in this water and gently clean ceilings and walls. Repeat this process two to three times to remove all the dust and adhere to cigarette smoke particles.
The next step is to paint the ceilings and walls. It would be great if you pay special heed to the quality of the paint. You can also apply a coat of odor-blocking primers before painting. They can prove to be effective in inhibiting the odor molecules and increase the life of the paint.
How to hide the smell of smoke in an apartment?
Probably, you have got the answer now.
Clean cabinets and drawers
Cigarette smoke can get into drawers and cabinets. So, we cannot ignore their cleaning at any cost if we want to eliminate the smell of smoke. Take a lint-free duster and wet it with vinegar to clean cabinets, counters, and remaining furniture. Let them air dry.
Substitute air vents with new ones
After cleaning everything in your apartment, clean air vents and filters. Air vents throw contaminated air out and bring fresh air in. Therefore, cleaning of air vents and air filters is very beneficial. It is even better to replace them.
Replace light bulbs and tube lights
We know you are surprised and thinking about what light bulbs have to do with eliminating the smoke smell. You might have noticed that light bulbs and tube lights appear brown as they get covered with dust. Smoke particles get trapped in them. So the only solution is to remove old lights and install new bulbs. This will also light up your apartment.
Final words
We can now hope you have understood how to get rid of the smoke smell in your apartment? According to a survey in 2013, the smell of cigarette smoke in an apartment can decrease the rate of property by 30%. This is a huge percentage, and it cannot be ignored. Tenants would never rent in an apartment that lingered with the smell of smoke or located in a smoky area. Moreover, if you own this apartment, you never wish to live there. Getting rid of the odor of smoke is the only choice you have. In this article, we have explained in detail How to eliminate the smoke smell in an apartment?
Follow the ways mentioned above and methods to remove the foul smell from your living place. Install smoke odor eliminators and smoke detectors in your apartments so you can detect smoking activity taking place there. These strategies can purify the air, deodorize the environment, and can make your apartment a much better place to live.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is the fastest way to get rid of cigarette smell?
A: Bowl method is the fastest way to get rid of cigarette smell. Take some bowls and fill each of them with vinegar. Place each bowl in all the rooms of your apartment for about an hour, and better to place them overnight. In this way, you can speedily remove the cigarette smell. Veteran cleaners practice this method.
Q: What kills the smell of smoke?
A: Vinegar is effective in killing the smell of cigarette smoke. Moreover, baking soda, activated charcoal, Febreze, and ozone generators can also serve your purpose in this matter.
Q: What is the best cigarette smoke eliminator?
A: Vamoose is the best cigarette smoke eliminator. Moreover, Ozium, Zep, Fresh Wave, and Charcoal Bags are among the top cigarette smoke eliminators.
Q: How do I keep my apartment smelling fresh?
How To Hide Smoke Indoors
A: The initial step in keeping the apartments clean and smelling fresh is to quit smoking. Moreover, proper cleaning of an apartment daily is essential. Use a good air freshener and dehumidifier to keep your apartment fragranced nicely.