If you have the smell of cigarette or cigar smoke permeating through your house, you probably want to get rid of it as soon as possible. The smell of smoke is highly unpleasant and even dangerous from some tobacco or drug sources.
You may even be looking for a way to get rid of the smoke smell from your house after something has burned or you’ve had an indoor barbecue.
Whatever the case, you’d always be much better off using home remedies to handle the situation instead of relying on the chemicals in air fresheners. If you’re not sure about which remedies to try out first, below are a few to get you started:
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Using Vinegar
For this purpose, you may use regular white vinegar or apple cider vinegar. Whichever one you have on hand, it will have that cutting aspect that would do away with any bad odors in the house.
Vinegar is an environment-friendly, non-toxic, and cheap way to eliminate the stubborn smoke smells that naturally don’t show any signs of leaving your house. To spur them along, use vinegar in the following ways:
- Boil a couple of cups of vinegar or an amount by the size of your living space. Use the steam of this vinegar to cleanse your whole house. It can even be used to steam any clothes that have that lingering smoky smell. Place the clothes above the steaming vinegar for a few minutes.
- An alternative method is to mix a couple of cups of vinegar in one-gallon warm water. Then, choose a clean rag and soak it in this mixture. Use this to wipe down any surfaces that smell, including the floors, kitchen counters, walls, and furniture. You can also try waving the rag back and forth in the air if you wish.
- While doing laundry, put a half cup of vinegar instead of detergent in the first cycle. This would cleanse your clothes of bad smells, and you may even notice them becoming brighter, cleaner, and newer-looking!
- Pour vinegar into several small bowls and put them around your house to avoid smoky odors. This is best if you’re leaving the house in a few days. It’s also excellent for getting rid of smoky smells in the car.
Now that you’ve gotten rid of the smoke smell, you may also want to eliminate the vinegar smell. Again, many may not welcome this sour odor, but you can get rid of it by sprinkling or scrubbing baking soda on the items you’ve treated.
Baking Soda
Speaking of baking soda, it is also an excellent way to eliminate any odors, even smoke. It would also balance the moisture in your home atmosphere and add to the freshness of the air you breathe in.
Dust some baking soda on the affected areas, including car seats, furniture, rugs, and carpets. Leave it overnight or for one complete day, if possible. This is good for neutralizing the smoky smell and any other smells you may want to eliminate.
Once you notice that the smoke’s smell is gone, vacuum up the baking soda. If the smell lingers afterward, you should give the process another go. Repeat a few times until the smell is all gone. Like vinegar, you may also try placing some open containers of baking soda all over the problematic areas.
Using Barbeque or Activated Charcoal
Nowadays, activated charcoal or carbon is an excellent way of drawing out impurities from water, skin, and several other areas. It’s also excellent for absorbing unwanted pollutants and smells from the air we breathe in and is an essential ingredient in air purifiers for eliminating cigarette smoke smells.
If you don’t want to invest in an air purifier just yet, you can get hold of some activated charcoal and use that to soak up the smoky smell that just won’t quit. In this manner, you’re detoxifying your breathing system and clearing the air of contaminants and solid and unpleasant smells.
To use charcoal to eliminate smoky smells at home, you can put some in small bowls or boxes around the house. You may also leave them in the car to clear the air inside it. If you don’t notice the lack of odor after a few days, discard the used charcoal and replace it with some fresh pieces.
Activated charcoal and the regular charcoal you use for barbeque grills are acceptable choices for this home remedy.
However, many recommend activated charcoal since it’s more porous and more effective at absorbing smells and pollutants. Luckily, activated charcoal is available in several forms, including powder and capsules. It can also be found in grocery stores, home supplies, and drug stores.
Coffee Grounds
When all else fails, turn to coffee. You can recycle your used coffee grounds and put them in small bowls like the above.
They would absorb even the most stubborn bad smell, even that of smoke. But, first, ensure the grounds are arid before putting them in separate containers.
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Top 8 Methods To Better Home
1. Ventilation is Key
The first step in tackling smoke odor is to improve ventilation. Open all windows and doors to allow fresh air to circulate throughout your home. Use fans to help push the stale, smoky air out and bring fresh air in. If weather permits, keep windows open for several hours or even days to fully air out the space.
2. Baking Soda
Baking soda is a natural odor absorber and can be used in various ways:
- Carpets and Upholstery: Sprinkle a generous amount of baking soda on carpets, rugs, and upholstered furniture. Let it sit for at least an hour, or overnight if possible, then vacuum thoroughly.
- Small Spaces: Place bowls of baking soda in rooms or cabinets where the smell is particularly strong. Leave them for several days to absorb the odor.
3. White Vinegar
White vinegar is another powerful odor neutralizer:
- Cleaning Solution: Mix equal parts of white vinegar and water in a spray bottle. Use this solution to wipe down walls, floors, furniture, and other surfaces. The vinegar smell will dissipate, taking the smoke odor with it.
- Air Freshener: Leave bowls of white vinegar in rooms affected by smoke. The vinegar will absorb the odors over time.
4. Activated Charcoal
Activated charcoal is highly effective at absorbing odors:
- Odor Absorbers: Place bowls or bags of activated charcoal in smoke-affected areas. You can find activated charcoal in pet stores, home improvement stores, or online.
- Air Purifiers: Some air purifiers come with activated charcoal filters, which can help remove smoke particles and odors from the air.
5. Coffee Grounds
Coffee grounds can also help absorb and mask smoke odors:
- Open Containers: Place bowls of dry coffee grounds in rooms where the smoke smell is strong. The grounds will absorb and neutralize the odors.
- Fridge and Freezer: Place an open container of coffee grounds in your fridge or freezer to combat smoke smells that may have seeped into these appliances.
6. Essential Oils
Essential oils can help mask and eliminate smoke odors:
- Diffusers: Use an essential oil diffuser with oils like lavender, eucalyptus, or lemon to freshen the air.
- Spray Bottle: Mix a few drops of essential oil with water in a spray bottle and mist around the house.
7. Citrus Fruits
Citrus fruits like lemons and oranges have natural deodorizing properties:
- Peels: Place fresh citrus peels in various areas around your home. As they dry out, they will release a pleasant scent that can help neutralize smoke odors.
- Boiling: Boil citrus peels in a pot of water to release their natural oils and freshen the air.
8. Steam Cleaning
For more stubborn smoke odors, consider steam cleaning:
- Carpets and Upholstery: Rent or purchase a steam cleaner to deep clean carpets, rugs, and upholstered furniture. The heat and moisture can help break down and remove smoke particles.
- Curtains and Drapes: If machine washable, wash curtains and drapes with a fabric-safe cleaner. For non-washable items, consider steam cleaning them as well.
9. Houseplants
Certain houseplants can help purify the air and reduce smoke odors:
- Spider Plant: Known for its air-purifying qualities, a spider plant can help absorb smoke particles.
- Aloe Vera: Aloe vera plants can also help filter out smoke and other toxins from the air.
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Conclusion
If the smoky smell is too stubborn to get out with the remedies listed above, or if this is a frequent occurrence, you may want to invest in an air purifier.
This is a more permanent, automatic, and easy solution that could make the air inside your home much healthier and cleaner.
Air purifying devices are not at all uncommon or even luxury items. With the increasing indoor pollution that home air contains, getting one may soon be necessary!
