Have you ever burnt something on the stovetop and had to endure the awful smell for the rest of the day? Most of us have been through this situation.
Similarly, smells from cigarettes and other stuff can linger for a long while, and cause discomfort in breathing for many people.
So should you just tolerate the smell? No, because fortunately, there are several tricks to remove any such odors from your house.
Below, we’ll discuss the most effective ways to get rid of smoky odors, so read on!
7 Ways to Remove Smoke Smell
Here are several tricks that can remove any annoying smoke smell from the air, furnishing, and more:
1. Open Windows
Before you move towards the more labor-intensive methods, open up the windows in your house, and let some good old air do the work.
Be sure to open more than one window, as this will enable cross-ventilation. After a while, you’ll notice that the smoke smell has faded considerably.
2. Smoker’s Candle
If the smell isn’t too pungent or strong, you can try using smokers’ candles and essential oils to get rid of it. This will help in masking the smell – a quick fix for situations like before your guests arrive.
Alternatively, scented candles work well, too, adding a sweet flowery scent to your home.
3. Use Baking Soda
Smoke odor can be surprisingly stubborn. You can turn on all the fans and open every window, but it won’t go away. This is especially true for clothes and upholstery.
You can easily wash your clothes to remove the smoky smell, but what about carpets, rugs, and sofas? Use baking soda, the champ of removing the smoke smell. It does this by neutralizing the smoke particles and absorbing the smell, so it’s pretty effective.
Sprinkle an ample quantity of baking soda on the smelly carpet or rug. You can also sprinkle this over sofas and mattresses. Let it sit for two to six hours, after which you can easily vacuum it from the carpet or sofa.
4. Vinegar
Vinegar has a distinctive, sour smell. Hence, it can be used as a non-toxic agent to remove odors. Since smoke smell adheres to literally anything, your furniture and flooring probably have some on it too.
Try adding two cups of vinegar to a small bucket of water and use it for wiping furniture, walls, and mopping the floor. The strong and acidic vinegar smell will mask the smoky odor effectively.
You can also try adding vinegar to clothing when you wash them to get rid of such smells.
5. Vanilla Essence
The delicious smell in cakes comes from vanilla essence, which can be used to remove different smells from the air and hard surfaces. This is also a viable alternative for vinegar if you don’t want to wipe your furniture with anything acidic.
Soak a sponge in a teaspoon of vanilla essence and some water, and wipe your furniture and other surfaces with it. You can also add a tablespoon or two in some bowls and keep them in the smelly room for an entire day.
Alternatively, try boiling some vanilla essence in water and let the steam diffuse in the air. This works well if you want to get rid of smoke from cooking.
6. Coffee Grounds
Coffee grounds work the same way as baking soda, whether they’re new or used (but dried). Sprinkle over furniture or add in bowls and keep it in the smelly area for eight hours. You’ll notice, after some time, that the odor has disappeared or at least reduced.
7. Air Purifier
If you have moved to a house where the previous residents were heavy smokers, you’ll have to bring in an air purifier. This works well because it will clean the air and scrub out any smoky smell, leaving behind fresh and healthy air.
Also, try cleaning the air ducts in your house and adding new filters to your HVAC, which will aid in the smoke removal process.
Final Words
Even though these tricks work well, sometimes, the burnt, smoky smell is too strong. For instance, if you’ve purchased a house from a heavy smoker, then chances are, smoke particles and nicotine stains have penetrated the paint.
You need to take bigger steps in such cases, such as painting walls with some odor-killing primer. Also, try using air purifiers and ozone generators to scrub out any remaining smoke smell.
