Photo by Ali Yahya

You probably want your home to smell as good as possible. You can check out our guide here to learn more about how to get rid of cigarette smell.

Thirdhand smoke is a real thing, and it’s part of the reason that cigarette smell is so pervasive. Not only does cigarette residue smell unpleasant, but it is potentially dangerous.

Cigarette smoke sticks to walls and surfaces, leaving behind toxic chemicals that can mix with other pollutants and create cancer-causing compounds. Cigarette residue builds over time, meaning that it may take deep cleaning to remove the toxic chemicals and the smell. Some things may need to be disposed of altogether.

To figure out how to get rid of cigarette smell, check out the guide below.

How to Get Rid of Cigarette Smell

Getting rid of a cigarette smell is not easy. Cigarette smoke leaves a toxic residue on everything around it, and these particles permeate the surface of everything. Without deep cleaning, it can take years for the smell to go away.

Air It Out

Before cleaning, make sure to open all the windows in the house. It’s not only to help remove the particles, but it’s healthier. You don’t want to breathe in the toxic particles that will be flying around.

Scrub It Down

All the walls need to be scrubbed down to get rid of sticky cigarette reside. You can use a gentle soap, vinegar, or even ammonia. Save the ammonia for the super difficult cigarette smells that don’t dissipate after using soap or vinegar.

If none of these cleaners work, you may need to repaint the walls.

Wash Upholstery

Upholstery can be difficult to clean because it can’t always be removed. It may be possible to eliminate cigarette smells with deodorizing spray, however, make sure to avoid odor-masking sprays when deodorizing fabric. Vamoose products are a great option, as they transform cigarette smoke particles into salts that can be dissolved.

Clean Duct Work

Cigarette smoke residue gets everywhere, even in the air ducts. You can call a professional cleaner to thoroughly clean these as they can be hard to reach. Or you can use the same cleaning products as you used on the walls.

Effective Odor Removers

There are some cheap and readily available materials that can help absorb excess odors. These include coffee grounds, charcoal, fresh produce, air-purifying plants, and baking soda. Using a strategically placed combination of these items will help eliminate cigarette smells.

Baking soda works best when sprinkled on fabric. Hanging sachets of coffee grounds produce a nice coffee scent while absorbing bad odors. Hanging sachets of charcoal can do the same thing. Some fresh fruit left overnight can also absorb smells, but may be a waste of food that can attract pests.

More Home Improvement Guides

It’s not easy to figure out how to get rid of cigarette smell.

Airing out the place won’t do it. Confining smoking to a separate area won’t do it. Fans and air conditioners won’t do it.

Everything in the house needs a deep cleaning to remove the stubborn, toxic chemicals from the interior.

For more useful home improvement guides, make sure to check out some more of the helpful blog posts on our page.