How to Remove Cigarette Smell From Your Home
If you are used to smoking inside your home, the foul odor from cigarette smoke can permeate the whole house and it won’t be too long when every nook and cranny of your home reeks of cigarette smell. You may not notice it, but non-smokers certainly will. So, if your house has “smoker’s smell”, you should remove it completely before inviting anyone over or renting out your home. Here are a few ways to do just that.
Hide the smell using a deodorizer
Smoke odor in your home can be easily masked with a deodorizer. Keep in mind, though, that this is just a short-term solution. This doesn’t eliminate the odor altogether, just hides it. This method should only be used if you have people over short term.
Deep clean fabric
If the odor is strong, you may need to take a more thorough approach. Cigarette smoke can leave tar and oil in your furniture and carpet, causing some of the odor. The quickest way to get rid of it is by removing the tar and oil. Use baking soda on the area or furniture you are cleaning, making sure it penetrates the fabric. Then you should let it sit overnight and vacuum it all back up the next day. In case of other textiles in the home such as curtains, rugs, bedding, throw pillows and blankets, you can simply wash or steam clean them to eliminate the odor.
Clean out your HVAC
Cigarette odor penetrates everything, and your HVAC system is no exception. In order to remove the smell from your unit and prevent it from circulating throughout all the rooms, you will need to clean all parts of your HVAC system including ducts, evaporator coil, and filter. This is a potentially tricky task, often best left to HVAC professionals.
Wash the walls and ceiling
Tar and smoke can stick to the hard surfaces of the walls and ceiling and cover them with stinky grime. Fortunately, with white vinegar and warm water in a 3:1 ratio, you can easily wash down your walls and ceilings. To truly remove the odor (and stain), however, you may also need to repaint.
Get an air purifier
A good quality HEPA air purifier can work wonders to remove the smell for good. It works by removing debris from the air (including smoke particles) to make your home smell fresh.
Call in the professionals
A small amount of cigarette smoke smell can be removed with some of these tricks. If it’s permeated the whole home, you’re probably best to get an odor removal professional such as a restoration service to remove every trace of the odor. If there’s a chance of someone who is sensitive to cigarette smoke coming into contact with it, this is the best route to take. It has the best chance of removing every bit of the smell from your home.
