If you’ve rented or bought a new house where its previous owners used to smoke or you bought a used car that smells like a fog of smoke, cigarette smell is one of the most unpleasant smells ever, it’s personally the worst smell for me! It takes a lot of time for the smoke smell to go away on its own, it might take days or even weeks! Burn pans and barbecues can also cause that nasty smoke smell that stays for a long time. Of course, it can be masked with air fresheners but if you want to get rid of the bad smell permanently, try these five tips that will save the house from smoke smell.
Here are 5 tips that will help you get rid of the smoke smell and make your home smell fresh again.
1. Apples
Apples are amazing when it comes to absorbing bad smells, and this makes them perfect for this purpose. You can slice an apple in half, place the two halves in the space that smells bad and let them sit overnight. If you do this properly, the apple will absorb all the bad smells.
2. Vinegar
Vinegar is also great for getting rid of smells, it neutralizes the smoke smell, which makes the smell go away entirely. Open up a window and if you have any pets, make sure that they’re locked in another room because vinegar has a strong smell that can annoy your pit and toddlers. Fill up a pot with vinegar and place it on the stove and boil it. Let the steam of the vinegar dwell through the entire house and this will eliminate the smoke smell. You can also mix one cup of vinegar with 2 liters of warm water and use the mixture to wipe down your furniture, walls, and floors to get rid of the smoke smell on them. And if your clothes smell like smoke, put them in the washing machine and add a little bit of vinegar instead of fabric softener. It will help you, a lot!
3. Baking soda
Baking soda is a perfect solution if your carpets, fabric sodas, and upholstery in your car smell like smoke. Sprinkle some baking soda on the smelly surfaces and let sir from 12 to 24 hours, the more you leave it, the better it works. Watch out for your pets and children and try to keep them away from the baking soda. When the time is over, vacuum the baking soda from the fabric, and voila! If the smell is still there, repeat the process. Baking soda absorbs bad smells and moisture perfectly. If you apply it on every smelly surface, it will absorb it.
4. Coffee
If you’re a coffee addict, you’ve got an easy solution to the smell of smoke in your kitchen. Save the leftover coffee grounds after you make coffee every time, dry them, then divide them over small bowls. Place these bowls all over your house or car. You can replace them every 24 hours to make sure that they work effectively and the smoke smell will disappear fast! Coffee grounds are also great for absorbing the smell and spread a nice coffee aroma all around the house.
5. Ammonia
If none of the 4 natural solutions above has worked, it’s time to bring in the big guns. You likely have Ammonia at home, take it out! Yes, Ammonia smells as well, but its smell fades a lot faster than the smoke smell, especially if the smoke smell has been there for a long time and has settled in the walls and floors of your home. If you’re going to try this trick, wear a mouth cap or tie a tea towel around your mouth to avoid sniffing it and make sure that you have no pets or children around. Mix one cup of Ammonia with 4 liters of water and use this mixture to scrub your floors, walls, and ceilings. If the Ammonia smell is too strong for you, you can use the baking soda trick over it to get rid of its smell. Use the same method, sprinkle it, wait, then vacuum it.