You might have moved into a new house or probably purchased a car, whose owner was a regular smoker. Maybe you were with a friend and decided to light up a cigarette or two just for the sake of old times. Regardless of any reason for that matter, the stench of a cigarette is quite hard to eliminate.
It is common knowledge that cigarette smoke tends to linger in the air and it leaves a lasting impression on the fabrics, too.
This piece will explore in detail the corrective measures to eliminate the spread of odor generated by cigarettes in cars, homes and your clothes.
How to Get Smoke Smell Out of a Car
If you have friends and colleagues who are regular smokers, chances are that they smoke in your car, too. If the answer to that is a resounding yes, then your car most definitely reeks of smoke regularly. Whether you are a smoker or not, its stench can be extremely bothersome for you and your family.
The smoke odor from cigarettes and cigars is quite tough to remove, especially from carpet and upholstery of a car. This smell may not really affect the smokers at all, but it does become a great source of discomfort for non-smokers and soon-to-quit smokers.
Interestingly enough, there are multiple surface types in a car and the smoke tends to cling to it. Just as there are different surfaces, there are also multiple methods to ward off the lingering reek of cigarettes. With these basic household items, you can easily remove smoke smell from your car and comfortably drive around with a peace of mind:
Baking Soda
Sprinkle baking soda on the car’s upholstery and carpet. The baking soda will absorb the cigarette’s stench by itself and you can easily vacuum after that. But before you use it, do make sure that the inside of the vehicle is completely dry. After the dryness aspect is taken care of, sprinkle baking soda on the insides of the car carefully.
Window Cleaner
Since cigarette smoke has a proclivity to linger for some time. A window cleaner can be applied on the door panels, center console, steering wheel, dashboard and areas inside the vehicle. But you need to know the type of window cleaner that you are using.
White Vinegar
There is a higher chance that you might know this already. But that doesn’t mean that it is any less efficient inside a car. Since modern-day cars have cup holders inside, all you need to do is a place a cup filled with white vinegar in a cup and put it there for the night. Chances are that the odor will ward off by itself and eventually be replaced by that of white vinegar.
Now that we have examined how to get rid of smoke smell in a car, let’s move on the next section:
How to Get Smoke Smell Out Of House
The stale odor of your cigarette can contaminate the quality of air indoors. Warding off the stink of cigarette requires patience. Acidic smoke leaves tar and resins which eventually permeates the vicinity. Elimination of smoke odor depends on its severity. For instance, if tenants are regular smokers, a highly invasive approach would be required. Throw out objects that have less sentimental value and purchase new ones in their stead. It will cost more to restore them constantly.
Now that you have decided to make some changes around the house, you should be mindful of the fact that third-hand smoke accumulates with every burning cigarette. It can permeate the house for months on end, let alone the toxicity of its components.
An Ozone Generator
It is highly recommended option when smoke odor lingers on for a period of time. Ozone generator device is an effective cleanser and removes odors with its mechanism. An ozone generator oxidizes the smoke molecules, which eliminates the smoke completely.
Purification and Air Circulation
You can also replace the HVAC air filters. Effective HVAC air filters remove the odor-inducing molecules. It is ideal practice to replace the filters after every 2 to 3 months. You may even contact the AC manufacturer to install a specialized filter for odor removal.
How to Get Smoke Smell Out Of Clothes
If you carpool with office colleagues all through the week and some of the guys are regular smokers, you really need to think about the type of friends you have. If that’s not the case, then maybe your old Aunt Patricia smokes like a chimney, contaminating your clothes. Or maybe you are a smoker yourself but your girlfriend isn’t really a big fan of smoking.
Regardless of whichever the case, we have listed some handy hacks for you to remove the reek of smoke from your clothes.
Machine Wash
After the clothes are soaked, wash them as per the label instructions on the garment. Use an unscented laundry detergent. Add a cupful of white vinegar and stop the wash cycle. Let the clothes soak in the vinegar solution before the rinse cycle is completed. If you are washing by hands, still follow the same routine
Fabric Fresheners
Fabric fresheners are a more convenient method to ward off the linger smell of a cigarette. Use the fabric refresher in either unscented or scented detergents to mask the cigarette smell. The molecules bind with the odor molecules and remove the odor systematically.
Vaping is a much suitable alternative to smoking
Now that we have covered this exhaustive list, an ideal way forward is to quit smoking and adopt a healthy lifestyle. You can also limit friends who are fond of smoking.
Smoking is injurious not only to your own health, but also to health of the people in your immediate surrounding. You have a responsibility to safeguard health of everyone and a few lifestyle changes is all it takes to do so.
Vaping is a much suitable alternative. For the uninitiated, vaping presents plentiful options in flavors. Its fruity, tangy and chocolaty (among other flavors) scented smoke is quite pleasant and non-irritating to everyone. Also, it contains very limited elements which makes it a viable alternative.
COMMENTS