Banish the bad smells that cigarettes leave behind
There are few smells as distinctive as stale, lingering cigarette smoke. Whether you’ve just moved into a place where a smoker used to live or you’ve recently kicked the habit yourself, knowing how to get rid of cigarette smell in your house can help you breathe easier and keep that foul odor far away. With just a few easy tips and tricks, the smell of cigarette smoke in your home will be a distant memory.
That oh-so-familiar smell of cigarettes may be annoying to someone who doesn’t smoke—but it might also be harmful. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, secondhand smoke is a carcinogen that contains more than 7,000 different substances. Some toxic substances, like nicotine, are still present in thirdhand smoke, the residue that sinks into fabrics, upholstery, and other surfaces in your home.
According to the Mayo Clinic, there isn’t extensive research on thirdhand smoke, but it may still pose a health risk. Young children are especially vulnerable because they’re more likely to put things in their mouths. In other words, it’s better to be safe than sorry. Removing smoke smell from your house won’t just eliminate unpleasant odors; it’ll also eliminate the potentially harmful residue.
If you’ve purchased a home from a smoker, it may be difficult to tell the extent of the cigarette buildup. Realtors don’t have to disclose whether a smoker lived on the premises, and all it takes is a new coat of paint and an air freshener to mask damage. Nonetheless, there are some things to look out for. These signs are a pretty good indication that cigarette smoke has affected your home:
A smoke smell on fabric or upholstered surfaces like curtains, carpet, and sofas
Yellow or brown stains on soft surfaces like lamps, curtains, wallpaper, and linens
Yellowing or browning along the walls, floors, and ceiling
Yellow or brown stains around door frames and exhaust fans
Brown-rimmed holes or burn marks on soft surfaces
Ash residue
Cigarette butts in outdoor spaces like a patio, porch, or backyard
When you’re trying to remove the smell of cigarette smoke, focus first on the biggest culprits. Smoke lingers in fabric and upholstered surfaces like carpeting, rugs, linens, couches, and curtains—but it also sticks to hard surfaces like walls, ceilings, countertops, windows, and tile.
Cigarette smoke can even hide in decor and appliances. While a vinegar- or bleach-based cleaner specifically formulated to remove odors is a great tool to start with, the following methods can help with the most stubborn of smoke smells.
A little fresh air goes a long way, and ventilation will drastically help eliminate cigarette odor. Open all of your windows and prop open the doors. Strategically place fans to help pull out the indoor air. Not only does this help get rid of the cigarette smell, but it also helps ventilate the space once you start using heavy-duty cleaning supplies.
Running an air purifier can also help clear the air. High efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters are the gold standard, but they come in different grades. Tobacco smoke contains particles as small as 0.1 microns, so search for a high-quality purifier that can filter out particles of that size. If that’s not in your budget, a basic purifier that can filter out particles of 0.3 microns can still dramatically reduce harmful smoke particles.
UV rays help neutralize odors, so pull up the blinds. If you have smoke-filled decor or furniture, take it outside and let it sit in the sun for a few hours. Keep in mind that strong sunlight can fade fabrics and damage delicate pieces. Your antiques and designer throw pillows will fare better in the shade.
Baking soda absorbs odors, so it’s not surprising that it’s one of the single most powerful ways to banish stubborn cigarette smoke. To effectively eliminate odors using baking soda, follow these steps:
Cover the surface of upholstered items or other carpets with a thin layer of baking soda.
Let the baking soda sit for at least a few hours, although overnight is better.
Vacuum up the baking soda using your vacuum’s upholstery attachment.
Repeat as needed until the odor is gone.
For smaller items like books, place them in a plastic trash bag with 1/2 cup of baking soda. Tie the bag shut and let it sit for eight hours before removing the items and shaking them clean.
Cleaning with vinegar can deodorize and neutralize bad smells like smoke. Most people have white vinegar under the sink but don’t always use this effective cleaner to its full potential. Its acidity helps neutralize the high pH of smoke molecules. Here are a few ways you can use vinegar to eliminate cigarette smells:
Make a cleaning solution using one part vinegar to three parts water. Use it to clean your carpet and scrub smoky surfaces like walls, floors, ceilings, and countertops.
Set out bowls of vinegar in smaller areas like closets and bathrooms to remove smoke odors.
Fill a saucepan with half white vinegar and half water and let it simmer on the stove. Check it frequently to ensure there’s enough liquid in the pan.
Add 1/2 cup of vinegar to your laundry in addition to detergent to deodorize machine-washable items.
If vinegar doesn’t cut it, try using ammonia. Ammonia is a good option for removing smoke stains from walls and ceilings. Be sure to use caution when using ammonia around children and pets, and never mix ammonia with any other cleaning products, as it can create dangerous fumes. Here’s how to use ammonia to remove smoke stains and smells:
Mix 1/4 cup of ammonia into 1 gallon of water.
Wear gloves to protect your hands.
Using a soft scrub brush or a sponge, scrub hard surfaces like walls, floors, and counters with the ammonia solution.
Finish by wiping surfaces down with plain water to remove any residue.
You may have heard of activated charcoal water filters, but charcoal can also help you remove the smell of cigarette smoke around your house. The carbon traps odor molecules in the air, similar to how baking soda works. You can purchase loose activated charcoal, but it’s also commonly sold in bags. Some ways to use activated charcoal for odors include:
Hang bags of activated charcoal to remove odors. Use multiple bags for larger rooms
Place bags of charcoal on smoky surfaces, flipping bags daily to maximize contact with fresh charcoal.
Put loose charcoal in bowls or containers around the house and in smaller areas like drawers and cabinets.
If smoke has settled into your carpeting, upholstery, and walls over the years, baking soda and activated charcoal may not cut it. Instead, you may need to steam clean your space. This will help soften the tar and resin (those odor-filled brown and yellow stains you might see along your walls) and make them easier to scrub away. If you don’t have a steam cleaner, you can rent one or hire a professional carpet cleaner.
Steam cleaning is a delicate process that can damage drywall and some fabrics, so proceed carefully. Make sure you never hold the steam cleaner’s head in one spot for too long because that area could melt or burn.
An HVAC system can’t eliminate all odors, but changing the filter can help trap some of the smoke smell. If anything, a clogged filter will just blow smoke odors around the house and reduce the airflow, which allows for nasty particles to build up inside your ducts.
At a minimum, Energy Star recommends changing your air filter every three months, but you may want to do it more often if you’re a regular smoker or have pets. If possible, switch to a HEPA filter, though not every unit is compatible.
There are a lot of odor eliminators on the market. Some work better than others, but even the strongest odor eliminator is just a short-term solution. They’ll cut the surface odors, but you’ll still need to deep clean the area.
Look for an odor-eliminator with the ingredient cyclodextrin. It works like a flytrap for odor molecules. These molecules bind to the product as it dries, pulling the smell from the air and making it easier to wash the area with water and help eliminate that smoke smell for good.
Cigarette smoke doesn’t just stick to your walls and carpet. It sticks to just about everything inside your house. Machine wash your clothing with 1 cup of baking soda or 1/2 cup of white vinegar to help banish smoke smells. Consider washing other fabrics (as long they’re machine washable):
Curtains and drapes
Washable rugs
Pillows and pillow covers
Linens, towels, and bedsheets
Placemats, tea towels, pot holders
Blankets and throws
If cigarette odor has built up over the years, it may be nearly impossible to remove it. In this case, the best solution is to replace the items that are most likely holding odor. Consider replacing wall-to-wall carpeting, smoke-filled furniture, and even your light bulbs. They’re a sneaky place where nicotine residue can hide.
If your walls are stained, give them a fresh coat of paint. Make sure you clean the walls first, or invest in the cost of a professional wall cleaning, because the nicotine will damage the paint’s finish. A local interior painter can help you choose a paint that’s strong enough to stand up to smoke stains. You’ll need to use a primer with an odor sealant. You may also want to refinish your hardwood flooring if the smell has sunk into the varnish.
The best way to get rid of cigarette odor is to prevent it. Don’t give the smoke a chance to settle inside your home. Here’s what you can do.
All homeowners need to service their HVAC system regularly, but it’s particularly important for smokers. In general, homeowners should clean their air ducts every two to five years and replace their system’s air filter every three months. Not sure where to start? Use this HVAC maintenance checklist.
It may seem obvious, but don’t smoke indoors if you don’t want your house to smell like smoke. Take your smoke break outside of your home and away from open windows and vents.
If you’re an occasional indoor smoker or if you smoke near an open window, it’s important to perform regular deep cleanings before the residue has a chance to settle and build up inside your home. Hiring a local house cleaner is a good way to keep on top of the smell—let them know in advance any areas that might need extra attention due to the smell so they can bring the appropriate cleaners and tools. The cost of a house cleaner can be well worth it to ensure no lingering smoke smells remain.
Cigarette smoke is difficult to remove once it settles. Many homeowners try to fight the odor on their own—whether that includes a deep cleaning, minor stain removal, or replacing carpet. Unfortunately, if the damage is severe and someone has been smoking in your home for years, you may need to hire a local smoke restoration company to tackle the smell.
The cost of repairing smoke damage depends on what you need done. Most homeowners pay $200 to $1,000 to repair smoke damage and another $200 to $1,000 to deodorize furniture. Expect to pay $200 to $400 for an ozone treatment that can break down odor molecules.
Cigarette smoke can reduce your home’s resale value by up to 30%, though sellers aren’t required to disclose whether or not someone has smoked indoors. It’s best to remediate as much of the smell as possible before starting the selling process, so your selling price doesn’t take a hit due to cigarette odors.
To quickly get rid of the cigarette smell from a room, you can air out your space and use an odor elimination spray on soft surfaces like your couch, drapes, and walls. Be forewarned that it will not get rid of the smell entirely. You need to eliminate the source, which is the tar and smoke residue, or the smell will return. Deep cleaning should help.
Bleach- or vinegar-based cleaners are particularly effective at eliminating smoke odor from surfaces. For fabrics, baking soda or an upholstery cleaner may be your best bet. Activated charcoal is another option that absorbs the smell. Removing the cigarette smell can take multiple methods–plus a lot of time and work.
The smell will eventually dissipate if someone lights a single cigarette in your home. The more ventilation, the faster it will happen. The real issue is repeat smoking because tar and smoke residue build up on surfaces. In that case, you will need a deep cleaning to remove the smell permanently.
