The stench of cigarette smoke that persists in the air is one of the worst for everyone, smokers and non-smokers alike. It attaches to walls, furniture, and fabrics and can stay there for days or even weeks after the smoke has gone. There are ways to get rid of the smell if you just moved into a house where someone smoked or if you want to keep your place from smelling like smoke. The best thing to do in the long run is to stop smoking, but there are things you can do right now to clean your room and keep your furnishings safe.
1. The first thing you should do is open a window.
The quickest and easiest way to get rid of the smell of smoke is to let in fresh air. Open the windows often, especially after smoking, to let in fresh air. Ceiling fans, box fans, and even exhaust fans in the kitchen and bathroom can help get rid of stale air and bring in new air. Open windows on opposite ends of a room to let in a natural breeze when the weather is favorable.
2. Dust and clean the furniture and other surfaces. All the way
There is a small amount of smoke on almost every surface in your home. You may clean up the mess by wiping down tables, shelves, and especially upholstered furniture with warm water and mild dish soap. You may clean wood furniture without damaging the finish by using a wood cleaner or a mixture of vinegar and water. Don’t forget about hard-to-reach areas like the bottoms of tables and chair armrests, where smoke particles tend to stay.
3. Take advantage of the power of baking soda.
Baking soda is a natural approach to get rid of scents, and it works best on garments. Put a lot of it on your couches, rugs, and carpets. Leave it out overnight to soak up the smoke, and then the next day, vacuum it well. Put throw pillows or cushions in a bag with baking soda and seal it. Give it a good shake, then let it sit for a few hours before rinsing it off.
4. Use vinegar to get rid of scents quickly.
Another cheap and beneficial thing is white vinegar. To make a spray solution, use equal parts water and vinegar. If something smells like smoke, simply spray the air, curtains, or furniture. Vinegar doesn’t just mask smells; it gets rid of them. Vinegar smells bad for a while, but eventually it goes away and the air smells better.
5. Activated charcoal for steady absorption
Activated charcoal doesn’t just cover up undesirable smells like air fresheners do; it really absorbs them. Place bowls or small bags of activated charcoal in different places, such as near ashtrays, couches, or places where people smoke. Charcoal is a good passive therapy because it stops smoke molecules from getting into the air and breaks them down over time. Change the charcoal every month or so to keep it working.
6. Coffee grounds can be used as a mask that is healthy for your skin.
The strong, pleasant scent of coffee grounds could cover up the smell of cigarettes for a short time. Put small bowls of old, dry coffee grounds in places that smell like cigarettes. This solution won’t get rid of the smell at its source, but it will make the air smell better right away and make the space feel more inviting.
7. Use some sprays to make your clothes smell better.
Use fabric fresheners and sprays that get rid of scents to provide quick relief. Spray them on your rugs, furniture, and curtains before visitors arrive. They don’t get rid of the particles that smell like smoke, but they do work for a short period and perform best when combined with other cleaning procedures.
8. Use steam cleaning to make everything really clean.
Steam cleaning is one of the greatest ways to clean carpets, curtains, and heavy furniture over time. The hot steam goes into the fibers and sucks out smoke and tar that a regular vacuum can’t reach. Renting a steam cleaner or hiring a cleaning service once or twice a year can make the air in homes that have been affected by smoke much better.
9. Clean the covers that come off a lot on a regular basis.
Taking off the coverings lets you wash a lot of sofas, pillows, and mattresses in the washing machine. Adding a cup of vinegar to the rinse cycle or using a strong detergent can help get rid of smokey smells that are stuck deep in the fabric. Wash these objects often and turn them over to keep smells from coming back.
10. When you need help, ask the experts for it.
If the smell of smoke has gotten into the walls, carpets, and HVAC systems, the best thing to do is call a cleaning service. Professionals use ozone treatments, strong deodorizers, and cutting-edge cleaning methods to get rid of smells that normal cleaning can’t. This method is usually worth the money for homes that have been smoking for a long time.
The Bottom Line
The smell of cigarettes persists because smoke particles get into everything in a house, even the paint on the walls. The answer includes cleaning, deodorizing, and preventing it from happening. You might need to contact a professional or use steam cleaning if things are too bad. But vinegar, baking soda, and activated charcoal can help a lot with easier problems.
Don’t let people smoke inside your house if you don’t want it to smell like cigarettes. Your home and furniture will be safe, and your health will be healthier in the long run if you don’t smoke indoors or only smoke outside. These tips could help you keep your home cleaner, fresher, and more welcoming till then.