To help eliminate smoke odors from ashtrays while in use, pour some baking soda in them. This also helps for easy clean up.
By Lisa S.
Here are the questions asked by community members. Read on to see the answers provided by the ThriftyFun community.
My husband smokes cigarettes in the bedroom, but the whole house smells like an ashtray. I've tried to get him to smoke outside but to no avail. Is there anything I can do to get rid of the "ashtray" smell in my house? Thanks.
By Pamela
The type of cigarettes that he smokes could make a difference. My brother smokes full strength menthol - much stronger odor than the ultra light non-menthol ones that I smoke.
1. Get a small air purifier for the bedroom. The one I bought was around $40 at Walmart.
2. Weather permitting, perhaps he could open a window in the bedroom when he's smoking.
3. Home Depot sells a spray call Zep Smoke Odor Eliminator. It costs about $5 for a very large can. It might not eliminate all the concentrated smoke odor in the bedroom (it's in the bedding, the furniture, the carpet, etc.) but it will help a lot and should completely eliminate the smell in the other parts of the house. Just spray a little around each room whenever you notice the smell.
Jean
I have been using a concentrated spray by yankee candle. Comes in many different scents. We both smoke.
I need to know how to get rid of cigarette smoke in my house. My husband smokes. I have used all kinds of spray. Burned candles, still I can smell the smoke. What can I use? I have a small poodle, so I would need something that wouldn't hurt my dog.
Do you have a Sam's Club nearby? If so, they sell a spray called Smoke Eliminator by Zep.
It has a nice fresh fragrance and works wonders.
I am a smoker and this is what I do. I take a dryer sheet and fold them in half and then staple them together. Then I tape them over my heater duct. I even put them in front of one of my cold air returns.
I have a room attached to my garage that is sheetrocked and insulated, but is not painted or primed. My renters smoke very heavily in this room and now that room and the garage smells. When they took down the pictures that they had hanging up there is a brown tint around where the picture was hanging.
We have had the windows open but this does not help. What is the best way to get the smell out. Also, is priming it now just going to make the smell stick into the walls.
Please help with any ideas!
By Sue
There is a cigarette odour behind the base cupboards in a fitted kitchen. A small gap at the top of each cupboard and drawer allows the smell to permeate.
As the smell seems to be on the wall behind how can I eliminate this?My house smells of cigarette smoke, thanks to the people who lived in it before me. I was told to bleach the walls to get out the smell, but was wondering if there were any other ways to get out that nasty smell. Thanks.
By Deborah A
Try this:
Add 1/2 cup of baking soda to a spray bottle. Top off with water. Shake well and spray the walls using the mist setting.
Our first home was a used trailer, and had the same problem! Even the inside of the fridge was covered in oily yellow cigarette film. I used the dollar stores brand of Murphy's Oil Soap, mixed up in a bucket of hot water, and used a sponge mop to wash the walls, ceilings, and floors, then left the windows open for a few days.
Vinegar in place of beach is safer and works better. Fill the bucket with a strong mix of the vinegar to hot water, then sponge the walls. You won't need to rinse or repeat (usually), and trust me the vinegar smell dissipates quickly, leaving the room smelling fresh but not vinegarry.
A shallow bowl filled with full strength vinegar will also remove unpleasant odours, as will wetting the end of a tea towel and waving it around-the waved tea towel works especially well in the kitchen when something has burned or smoked.
TSP or TriSodiumPhosphate is about the best thing on the market. And, if you rent, you can be compensated for your costs.
I have always just gone ahead and painted with a paint for non-porous surfaces (like Kilz). It seals in the toxins from the smoke and makes it much easier for those of us who are non-smokers, to breathe.
I acquired a relatively new refrigerator from a house where someone smoked. The refrigerator has the smell of stale smoke inside. How do I get rid of this odor?
I find that using baking soda is a great deodorizer, especially for refrigerators. You can either mix it with water into a paste to clean the whole fridge or pop open a box and let it sit in there for a while.
I think that you could take a few charcoal briquets set on a paper plate or a piece of foil, shut the refrigerator door for a day or so, and the briquets should absorb the smell and you can throw them away.
I would use a small bottle of vinegar poured into a bowl leaving it inside the fridge 24 hours or longer. Keep a small bowl of vinegar in the back of your fridge all the time to keep it smelling clean. DO NOT forget to change the vinegar out every week or two though.
I too have the same dilemma as you do. I recently received a fridge from a relative that smoked heavily and their fridge reeks of smoke. I cleaned it outside with Fantastic and Clorox Cleanup (at separate times, of course) and let it sit outside for the day. We brought it in in the evening and set it up only to discover the next day that the smell was still inside it.
We are moving into a lower level duplex, the upstairs tenants are heavy smokers and moved out from the lower level a few days ago. I will deep clean the carpets and walls to get the smell out of the lower level, but am concerned about the continuing tobacco smoke from above, or the air ducts.
I would think that your air ducting wouldn't be connected, but if it is, I wouldn't know what to do, maybe consider special filters. If it is not connected, the best way to get that smoke smell out is to paint your ceilings/walls, clean carpets and a/c filter, and if someone-landlord could clean the a/c unit/ducts
it would be great. Ask the landlord prior to moving in if the units are connected by airduct-I know I couldn't live like that with 3 people with asthma in my family.
You have to get the air ducts professionally cleaned or removed. Nicotine has a tar like substance that comes out in the smoke, it will stick to anything! I remember when my parents used to smoke in the house (a LONG time ago) it wasn't until my Mom saw the brown drips on the bathroom walls (the tar stuff) did she realize how gross it was and how bad it was for me and my sister (go figure, I stopped having strep throat after that!).
Honestly, I don't think you can get smoke out of an apartment. I lived in one like that for two years and every single time I was out (at church, at my parents' house) I could smell smoke on my clothes. It positively emanated from me and it was awful. Personally, as a nonsmoker, I would not rent a place that had had smokers, and as a landlord now, I won't rent to a smoker because if they smoke in the house, it wrecks it.
I was given a raincoat which is a plastic material on the outside and a silky fabric on the inside. The previous owner was a cigarette smoker, and the coat stinks like cigarette smoke. The coat cannot be placed in the washer. I have hung it outside to air for over a week, placed it in the bathtub with Dawn dish soap and cleaned it with a rag, and I have sprayed it with Febreeze. All to no avail. Does anyone have a secret to getting this horrible smell out of the coat so that it can be saved?
By Jocelyn Scalzott from Pittsburgh, PA
Well, if you're sure that you're not comfortable washing it in a machine on gentle cycle, you've already tried most of what I would do (leaving outside, dousing with Febreeze, etc.). The only other thing I can think of was some advice I got years ago for getting the stinky plastic smell out of a small cooler.
The recommendation was to wipe pure vanilla extract all over the inside (or in your case the outside) and let it set for several days. I reapplied the vanilla a couple of times as it dried out and it seemed to work getting a nasty smell out of plastic (which is where I assume the cigarette smell is lingering - the cloth part should be pretty good by now).
Tomato juice is supposed to help de-stink skunk smell, so if the vanilla doesn't work you might move on to that, although I'd be careful of tomato stains on the cloth portion.
Good luck!
Have you tried using Borax? Baking soda has gotten smelliness out of plastic toys for us, and vinegar has worked for baby bathroom "accidents". Borax has directions on the box on how to use as a deodorizor. This is a shame, because that cigarette smell is very hard on non-smokers and smokers alike. I am not a smoker and my kids and very sensitive to that particular smell. Good luck.
Try tightly sealing the jacket in a plastic bag or a plastic clothes storage container with newspaper for a few weeks or more. Make sure to put the paper in the sleeves and inside the raincoat and cover the jacket with newspaper. Another thought would be to use baking soda or coffee grounds in the bag along with the newspaper. Prepare the jacket with the newspaper and lay it flat. Put baking soda or coffee grounds in a long shallow container, like an egg carton. Good luck.
You can put it in the washer, just put on gentle cycle and hang on a hanger somewhere in the house or outside until dried.
I wash my vinyl tablecloths that way and my tennis shoes, just do not throw into the dryer.
I just bought my new mobile (double-wide) home. New to me, but owned by a smoker. When I first viewed the home I did not smell smoke at all and I am a real shark for smoke smell (I hate it). I viewed the home two times in two weeks. No odor. My offer is accepted and I return for home inspection - smoke! I ask.
Told it was the AC - deceased husband smoked just under the built-in AC. Hmmmm, OK. Returned for a gab and buy/sell with owner (real nice woman) barely a whiff. OK. Walk-thru gets put smack up to closing and at walk-thru I could hardly breath. I opened all windows for two days - still stinks to high heaven!Question - and thanks for excellent tips here - I could never wash walls by hand (disabled) so I wondered if I might use a thick painting roller and roll the residue off? Even the ceilings could be done this way. I couldn't do that, friends will help, but I could roll the walls. What do you think of this as a method? Seeing as how I wasn't able to smell anything at viewings (I'm sure her realtor put the fear of god into her that buyers would flee if she didn't smoke outside, but once she had a P & S Agreement she slipped back and by move out time it was packs and packs galore). I'm hoping a wash with water and vinegar or TSP (but don't you have to also rinse TSP?). I sure could not do the cleaning twice) prior to KILZ primer and paint will do the job. I will also, of course, wash all shelves, cupboards, etc. What do you think? Thanks.
By Sue B
Is there some legal action I can take about the smoke getting in my apartment from my neighbor downstairs? We are getting sick as if we ourselves smoked. I have a 9 years old affected by the contaminated air too. What can I do to make the air cleaner?
By Marina R
I have been given a brand new wheelchair (electric) which I needed badly, but the lady who had it smoked a lot and it smells of strong cigarette smoke. Anyone have a good suggestion on how to remove the scent from the chair? I have tried Murphy's oil soap, Lysol, Febreze and setting it out in the sun all day.
By gbk from GA
A vigourous cleaning using full strength distilled vinegar soaked rag on all surfaces (including the underside of the seat, arms, etc) and allow to air dry, should do the trick. You have to clean every nook and cranny. Be careful and don't clean the actual electric components though! This cleaning may need to be done two or three times but I know distilled vinegar will work and it's natural and safe.
If she was a heavy smoker, the smoke has gotten into the mechanism also. I would use baking soda (dry) sprinkle it everywhere, then vacuum in an hour. Coat it again with the baking soda and just leave it to wear off naturally. You can also try the carpet deodorizers for pets and smoke. I get mine at the local dollar store.
My grandbaby is visiting soon and I have been doing everything I know to rid the house of cigarette smoke. I have gotten the carpets cleaned. I am also washing draperies and steaming my tile floors. But I still can smell a stale odor even though I haven't smoked in the house in over a year. I'm thinking the walls and my plastic blinds are holding the odor. I heard vinegar and water may work, but I'm afraid the strong smell of vinegar will run everybody out of the house. Suggestions?
By Molly
How do you get rid of cigarette smell in your home?
By Linda
Could you help me get cigarette smoke out of a plastic covering on a used baby changing table?
Thanks,
Janine
That dreaded cigarette smoke smell. Baking soda seems to work wonders on so many things to remove odors. Try spreading dry baking soda heavily all over one side and leave in the sun if possible. Next day do the other side. You might try washing with vinegar and then soapy water.
Peace and God's Blessings
Joan - Dilley TX
Mix a few drops of tea tree oil with about a cup of white distilled vinegar and then dilute with another cup of water. Put this in a spray bottle and use like Febreeze. Works better and great for cigarette smoke.
I need to find out how to remove cigarette smoke from a mobility chair that I was won in a contest, I get migraines from odors. And it works really well, but I need to find something that will clean that smell off.
I have asthma really bad and get headaches when I smell cigarette smoke coming into my bedroom, even with my bedroom door closed. The AC/heat vents are blocked. I have used candles, and spray alot of air fresheners. Nothing is working. I have an air cleaner and that's not helping either? What can I used that might help keep the smells away from my room?
By Jonathan J R from Philadelphia PA
I just purchased a fabric headboard and frame. It looks perfect and I got it for a great price, but, when I got it home I realized just how it reeked of cigarette smoke! I sprayed diluted white vinegar a few times and that didn't help. I also put out bowls of activated charcoal, but that didn't help either. Then yesterday I had it professionally cleaned and the smell seemed gone, but then once it dried the smell is back. Can I get rid of it, or should I just cut my losses and sell it?
By Beard
My mom is a smoker. I'm 13. I have been asking her to stop smoking around me because she won't wash all of my clothes in my room even though they smell like smoke because of her. People at school tell me I smell like smoke and I don't like it. How do I get the smell of smoke out of my clothes and room?
By Nonyabeeswax
My sister-in-law gave us a microfiber couch. It's in great shape except they are smokers. Is there anything that will get this cigarette smell out of it?
I have a fiber optic poinsettia tree. How would you clean this tree? It comes from a smoker's home. Does anyone know how to clean the tree?
By Pam
I live in an apartment in a non-smoking building, but my upstairs neighbors were smoking like chimneys. The landlord told them they had to stop and only smoke outside. Though they are no longer smoking indoors, the cigarette smell is still coming out of my heating vents. Is there any way to get rid of this? I hate the smell and it wreaks havoc on my sinuses.
By Maggie
How do I remove cigarette smoke from an ivory pipe?
By John from Salt Lake City, UT
No one has ever smoked in my home. However, my roommate brought in furniture that was in a house where there was heavy smoking. The smoke-filled furniture has been in my house for about a year and still smells. When the furniture leaves, will the smoke smell leave as well?
I believe it will. The smoke permeated the furniture, especially if it's fabric so if it leaves the smell should leave as well
you can use activated charcoal and vinegar sprays to treat the odour
