Here is what I did: I heated up the leather article in the oven! My idea is that the tobacco smell arrived by heat and through the air, so maybe it can depart again the same way.
To do this, I put the leather item into the oven at the lowest setting (150 degrees F) for about an hour and a half. I opened the oven (and the outside door of the kitchen) several times along the way to let the newly-evaporated tobacco tars and oils escape.
And it worked. It worked really well. About 95% of the tobacco smell was gone. There was no detectable "drying out" effect on the natural oils in the leather at all. If there had been, I would have applied replacement oils from a bottle of leather conditioner that I already owned.
Hurrah!
I'm posting in the hope that this will help someone else with the same problem.
Here are the questions asked by community members. Read on to see the answers provided by the ThriftyFun community.
I just purchased a $188 leather Fossil purse on eBay and it reeks of cigarette smoke. It is horrible! Any ideas how to get rid of the smell?
By Deb Clark from SC
Just some advice. Do not use saddle soap on your handbags. It is much too alkaline and will cause pH damage. Lysol spray is a great smoke odor remover for handbags. As mentioned above, if your leather is finished water/vinegar solution is good and the baking soda can help.
I bought a designer leather jacket on ebay and it reeked of cigarette smoke. Here's what I did after reading the many posts on this forum and others:
*Turned inside-out and sprayed lining with Fabreeze.
*Put in dryer (no heat) for 30 minutes with 6 fabric softener sheets and a baby tube sock filled with baking soda.
*Hung outside overnight.
*Repeated above 3 days in a row.
*Wiped leather with cloth soaked in solution of 50/50 vinegar & water. Did this just once.
*Hung outside overnight again.
*Wiped leather with neats foot oil.
*Allowed to dry for 24 hours & hung outside overnight.
*Repeated above twice.
This finally got rid of the smoke odor and I now have a beautiful leather jacket that I paid $60 for. Good luck.
I think I would contact the seller and complain, first! You can to try to get the smell out, though. Put the handbag in a garbage bag with crumpled newspaper for a few days. If the smell remains, back into a garbage bag wirh some charcoal briquets. If it STILL stinks, try the garbage bag with baking soda. If that doesn't work, I don't know what will.
Get some odor eaters shoe inserts and stuff pieces in every section and pocket. Hang outside in the sun. Sunshine is a powerful deodorizer.
You can take it to your local dry cleaners and they should be able to get the smell out. Good luck.
I sympathize. I have had a similar problem. If the seller did not advertise the fact that it came from a smokers house, you can get a case opened on E'Bay. I did. It's a vile smell. I think the hanging outside and a soft cloth slightly dampened with water and baking soda solution.
Hi..I have a smoke smelling leather jacket as well.thanks for your input on lavender oil and water... my only question is how much lavender oil to how much water I'm guessing it's just a few drops of the lavender oil with how much water? And did you just dampen the cloth with the lavender oil and water mixture and then wipe the leather jacket off with that?
Hi..I have a smoke smelling leather jacket as well.thanks for your input on lavender oil and water... my only question is how much lavender oil to how much water I'm guessing it's just a few drops of the lavender oil with how much water?
I just bought a 210 dollar handbag off of eBay. It is new with tags, but it sure doesn't smell new. It smells of cigarette smoke doused with perfumes. The seller won't respond on giving it back. I don't know what to do. Any ideas how to make this thing smell new again. It is a Michael Kors leather handbag and smells overwhelmingly bad. It gives me a headache to be in same room with it. Sheesh!
By Cathie
Try ZEP or Febreze. Maybe if you soak a cloth with one of these and close the purse and the cloth up in a plastic bag for several hours it will work. I absolutely hate cigarette odors.
If you paid by paypal, paypal guarantees refunds on some sales. Yours might be one of them. Check with paypal about this matter before you assume you have to keep this. Always check the refund policy of the seller before you buy anything off ebay and ask questions before you buy. Asked if the item was used by a smoker! (I sell on ebay periodically) (Better safe than sorry). I have no good ideas to remove the smells, though.
I understand wadded up newspapers remove food odor from shoes. You might try storing your handbag with newspapers inside to see if that helps. Don't forget to change the papers to clean/new ones from time to time.
I understand if you would not want to return the purse, but I'd sure report the seller. If the seller is a smoker, they may not be able to smell odors properly.
File a resolution with eBay unless it has gone over its length of time - I "won" smokey purse on 6/19/12 and must file with Resolution Center by 8/2/12.
Best of Luck
If you paid through PayPal they'll also help you get your money back if it isn't to late
If the seller did not say it was from a smoke free home and it smells of smoke. you can open a case with EBay and get your money back.
Anyone got any ideas on how to get the smell of cigarette smoke out of a leather purse? I have tried Febreze and saddle soap, but neither made much difference.
By SLM
Did you get it from someone, or is it your own?
You could try putting baking soda inside the purse, and putting the purse in a garbage bag for a few days, to let the baking soda soak up some of the smell, then empty out the baking soda.
Hopefully that will help.
Have you tried crumpling up a newspaper sheet and leave it in the purse. Change it every day, until smell is gone.
Vacuum the inside out really well. Wadded up newspaper in and around it, all in a sealed plastic garbage bag can help. Change out the newspaper every day or two, it will take a while.
If you decide to wash the leather make sure it is safe, saddle soap or a gentle leather specific cleaner and water then let it completely air dry, then treat with a good leather treatment (check with a reputable shoe repair place).
Coffee grounds in an open container inside the purse. Close purse or leave open and put it in a bucket with lid on. Check on it every day. Should take just a few days.
Sprinkle baking soda or kitty liter in purse. Shake and let sit for an hour. After shaking out to remove, brush well with a soft brush. Hanging out in sunshine or fresh air may also help.
I just purchased a Michael Kors handbag from another individual. As soon as the woman handed it to me, I could smell the reek of the cigarettes. They seemed like a heavy smoker from the way the bag smells. I don't really want to be rude and not get it, because I had been looking for a handbag like this for awhile. It's a leather handbag. I have tried fabric sheets, fabric softener and water mixture, coffee grounds (read that online), and vinegar and water mixture. Any other ideas?
By L K W
This is a tough one but an online search offers many suggestions. I chose this answer as it suggests several possibilities:
THE DAMP CLOTH
Try wiping down both the inside and outside of your bag with a very rung out damp cloth, then give it a dry wipe straight after to remove any moisture. Never soak yourleather bag unless you're hell bent on ruining it.
WHITE VINEGAR
Wipe it down with diluted white vinegar. Use your judgement on the strength of the dilution given the nature of your bag, but 50/50 should work in most cases. White vinegar will help kill any mold, bacteria and odours without staining.
BICARBONATE OF SODA
While there's a million ways in which you can do this, we suggest pouring the bicarb into a small pot or even a baby sock, then leaving it inside the bag for a day or two to neutralise bad smells.
DRY GROUND COFFEE
Just like the baking soda tip, try pouring dry ground coffeeinto an open pot, small bag or sock, and leaving in your bag for a day or two. Once the coffee smell fades it should take any cigarette smoke with it.
ACTIVATED CHARCOAL/CARBON
Yep, it sounds a bit scifi, but this is actually used in water filters as a neutraliser and some medicines to fight flatulence. Hmm. Wrap up the ground version in a handkerchief, cloth or leave in an open pot to diffuse.
LAVENDER BAGS
Get 'em out of your knicker drawer and into that smelly vintage bag if the odour you're fighting is fairly light. Citrus fruit peels could work in the same way too if you're not a fan of florals.
SOLID AIR FRESHENER
Place it on a cloth or piece of paper to prevent it rubbing onto the lining of your bag, then leave for a few days to kill any odours.
FREEZE IT
Yep, we mean put it in a sealed plastic bag to stop it getting wet, and pop it in the freeze for a few hours. The temperature should kill any mold, mildew or bacteria.
TUMBLE IT WITH SCENTED SHEETS
If you have a shoe rack for your dryer, pop your bag into a pillow case, place it on the rack and throw in a few scented sheets. Set it for a gentle cycle and repeat a few times for very stubborn smells.
STUFF IT AND SCENT IT
Spritz some perfume or Febreze onto tissue paper and stuff your handbag until it's bulging. Leave for a day or two, then give it a good airing outside, preferably in the sun. Avoid using newspaper for this as the ink could rub off onto your bag leaving stains.
With all these tips make sure to use a little common sense and consider the material of your bag - if in doubt, head to a professional cleaner for some indepth and more specific advice.
For leather clean the outside with saddle soap, condition with mink oil (cow and pig leather; a leather conditioner if lambskin or calfskin). That usually works on The outside. Then fill with cedar sachets inside and place in a plastic bag, letting it sit for a day or two. For suede, put the item in a container full of cedar chips, planks or satchets and let sit for a couple days. You can find cedar sachets at Home Depot or Lowes. I have hundreds of purses, coats, gloves and leather items....and I smoke. (Outdoors, but still...) My bags always smell fresh.
I purchased a $150 Wilson Leather computer case at a local thrift store for $3.50! Same nasty smell .... I gave it a lite Lysol spray and hung it in the New Mexico sun all day long ..... the smell was 99% gone. You have to put your nose against the leather and only get a faint smell..... Hope it works for you.
If you're a smoker you can't tell
I just purchased a second hand leather suite. It smells of smoke. Any tips to remove the odor?
By Tracy from Gloucestershire
1.spray Lysol- the "crisp linen" onto your the leather and let it soak.
We received three pairs of leather shoes from a friend. They have never been worn, but she is a heavy smoker and we cannot get the smell out of the shoes. Does anyone have a cure? There are two pairs are heels and the other is patent leather.
By L Peters
Sprinkle fine salt or bi carbonate of soda and leave them in the sun.
My daughter purchased a small leather satchel at a flea market. Unfortunately the prior user must have smoked as it reeks. Any suggestions for removing the smell? A shoe repair person suggested diluting Lestoil with water and rubbing. Will this work? Damage the leather?
By Cynthia
The best odor remover of all is sunlight. I once bought a great tote bag that was perfect except that it smelled strongly of smoke. I put in on my lawn in the sun, turned it occasionally, then turned it inside out and flipped it. Within two days, the smoke odor was completely gone never to return.
I spent a total of two months with my daughter where there is always someone with a cigarette going. My iPad cover cost $100 and it smells like an ashtray. None of the solutions can help me as this is not a purse. Any ideas?
By Debra B from Cleveland, OH
I have just bought a second red leather 3 piece suite. How do I get rid of the smell of smoke without damaging the leather and colour? Also, how can I keep it looking lovely? I don't want to get rid of it because I just bought it second hand;it is in excellent condition.
By Sharon
Anyone got any ideas on how to remove cigarette smoke from a leather purse? I have tried Febreze and saddle soap, neither made much difference.
By SLMc from Pueblo, CO
What kind of cleaning solution or home remedy can I use to remove nicotine and cigarette smoke stains from leather?
By Sharon from Brilliant, AL
I bought a beautiful persian lamb coat with a mink collar from eBay and it arrived reeking of smoke. Any suggestions as to how to remove the smoke smell?
This is a page about removing cigarette smell from leather jacket. You will want to use the appropriate cleaning methods for leather when trying to remove cigarette odor from a jacket.
ThriftyFun is one of the longest running frugal living communities on the Internet. These are archives of older discussions.
I just bought a purse from eBay and it smells of cigarette smoke. How do I get that horrible smell out of this nice leather purse? It is a good brand.
How do I get cigarette smoke out of suede leather chaps? I tried putting them in a bag with a dryer sheet, but it didn't absorb the odor. It is a very strong smoke smell!
How can I clean a Coach purse to remove smoke odor? I purchased a used Coach leather purse online.
I have some leather clothes (blazers, skirts, jackets) that I inherited after my mother passed away two years ago. She was a heavy smoker and the clothes smell like smoke.
Cigarette Smoke on Leather. How do I get the smell of cigarette smoke out of a corduroy/suede purse?
I bought 2 beautiful all weather leather vintage handbags by Dooney & Bourke and wallets from ebay. I did not know, but the owner was a smoker.
I bought a leather coat from an online auction and it reeks of cigarette smoke. How do I get the smell out of the coat?
