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Remove smoke and neutralize unpleasant odors
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Whether it's from a kitchen disaster or a cigarette, smoke can quickly permeate a room and leave behind an unpleasant odor. Luckily, by removing the source of the smoke, ventilating the room, and neutralizing the odor, you’ll be able to quickly restore your room to its original state. Keep reading to learn how to vent smoke out of a room, clean items that may have lingering smoke on them, and use household ingredients to remove and mask the smell of smoke. We’ll also give you plenty of advice about what steps you can take to make sure smoke never stinks up your house again.
Things You Should Know
- Locate and remove the source of the smoke smell, then ventilate the room by opening doors and windows and setting up fans.
- Clean hard surfaces, fabrics, and small personal items that may have been affected by the smoke to get rid of odors.
- Deodorize the room by placing small bowls of white vinegar or baking soda where the smell is the strongest.
Steps
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Identify the source of the smoke and remove it from the room. If the smoke is from a cooking mishap, scrape off burnt food from pans or pots and throw it into the trash outside of your home. If you leave the burnt food in the trash inside, the smell will linger. If the smoke is from tobacco, toss out used cigarettes, cigars, and other smokable materials.
- Make sure cigarettes and cigars are put out completely before throwing them in the trash.
- Keep snuffed-out candles, ashtrays, and similar items outdoors or in an airtight box.
- Get any people or pets who may be in the room outside right away, especially individuals who may suffer from medical complications due to the smoke.
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Open doors and windows to clear out any lingering smoke. Open at least two windows or doors on opposite sides of the room. This creates a cross breeze that will suck fresh air in through one opening and push the smoke out of the other.
- If the smoke isn’t moving toward the window on its own, use something like a blanket or towel to fan the smoke in the right direction.
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Place a box fan in a window to clear stuck smoke. Place the fan inside a window so that the air is being pushed outside and turn it on. The spinning blades should suck the trapped smoke into the air outdoors. If the smoke is in your kitchen, turn on your stovetop fan as well.
- Another option is to set up a stand fan and position it so that it’s blowing the smoke out through an open door or window.
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Scrub your walls, floors, and other hard surfaces with mild soap. If the smoke was particularly heavy, it may have seeped into your walls, floors, and other hard surfaces like countertops and cabinets. Add 1 or 2 drops of mild dishwashing soap to a half gallon (1.9 L) of warm water and use a sponge or clean rag to wash any hard surfaces. [1] X Research source
- Another option is to combine ½ cup (118 ml) of white vinegar with 2 cups (473 ml) of water and pour the solution into a spray bottle. Spray the diluted vinegar onto hard surfaces and use a clean rag or sponge to scrub the area.
- Or, mix 4 teaspoons (4.9 ml) of bleach with 4 cups (946.4 ml) of room-temperature water and use this bleach solution on counters, tables, and floors. [2] X Trustworthy Source Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Main public health institute for the US, run by the Dept. of Health and Human Services Go to source
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Throw fabrics and upholstery into the washer. Launder all pieces of clothing and other fabrics like curtains, tablecloths, bedding, and upholstery. Check to make sure that each item can safely be washed in the washing machine. To clean your items, use bleach during the wash cycle if you know it won’t damage the fabrics you’re washing. Or, pour ½ cup (78.8 ml) of vinegar into the washer during the rinse cycle to help get rid of the smoky odor. [3] X Research source
- Another option is to add ½ cup (136 g) of baking soda during the rinse cycle to help remove the odor. [4] X Research source
- You may need to run your clothes and other fabrics through multiple wash cycles before the smell disappears.
- If have a dryer, use dryer sheets to further eliminate and mask the smoky odor.
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Use baking soda or vinegar to clean carpets and upholstery. If you’re using vinegar, combine 1 part white vinegar with 2 parts water in a spray bottle and spray the solution onto your upholstered furniture and carpet. If you’re using baking soda, sprinkle a liberal amount on your carpet and upholstery and let it sit for about 15 minutes before vacuuming it up. [5] X Research source
- Both baking soda and vinegar will naturally work to remove and neutralize odors, and white vinegar acts as a mild disinfectant.
- When spraying the vinegar solution, spray the affected area lightly and avoid overly saturating your carpet or furniture.
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Wash smaller personal items that may have been affected. Any items that were in the room likely have some smoke still on them or may have a lingering odor. Clean things like toys, picture frames, and trinkets with soap and water. If the smoke was in the kitchen, wash any pots, pans, cutlery, and serving dishes that might have been left out. [6] X Research source
- If you have anything made of leather in the room, such as shoes or purses, wipe them with a damp rag and let them air dry away from direct sunlight or heat. Then, clean them with saddle soap once they’ve dried.
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Call a professional cleaning service if the smoke damage is severe. If the smoke was really thick and left pretty extensive damage to your walls, floors, and other surfaces, it might be most beneficial to contact a professional company to do the cleaning. They’ll have professional-grade tools and cleaning chemicals to remove the smoke safely and will know how to avoid damaging certain surfaces.
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Use an air purifier to pump the smoke smell out of the room. Air purifiers remove unpleasant odors from the room and replace them with fresh air. Well-maintained air purifiers that have HEPA filters are also effective in removing hazardous smoke particles from the air. [7] X Research source
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Place bowls of vinegar or baking soda around the room. White vinegar and baking soda are both incredibly effective deodorizers. Pour either of these household ingredients into a couple bowls and place them throughout the rooms where the smoke smell is the worst. Leave them out for a couple of hours or overnight. [8] X Research source
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Boil citrus and spices to make a simmer pot. Slice up one to two lemons (or another citrus fruit of your choice) and drop them in a pot filled with water on the stove. Throw in a cinnamon stick or some cloves, then bring the whole thing to a boil. Once everything is boiling, reduce it to a simmer and let the mixture work its magic. Citrus will deodorize the odor while the spices will mask the scent with something more pleasant. [9] X Research source
- Make sure to leave on the peels of your lemons since they contain lots of natural oils that will combat the smoky odor.
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Place coffee grounds around the room. Not only does coffee have a heavenly scent, it also works as a deodorizer against unpleasant smells like smoke. Just pour some coffee grounds into a few bowls and set them out around the room or any other parts of your house where the smoke smell is strong. [10] X Research source
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Put a small bag of activated charcoal in the room. Activated charcoal, also called activated carbon, is super effective in neutralizing the smell of smoke. You only need a little bit to get rid of a majority of the odor. Purchase a small bag and place it near where the smell is the strongest.
- Some air purifiers also have activated charcoal filters that will help draw out the bad smell and pump fresh air into the room.
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Soak cotton balls in vanilla extract to mask the smell. If the idea of smelling vinegar sounds worse than smelling smoke try something more pleasantly fragrant. Soak cotton balls in a bowl of vanilla extract and set them out in the smelly room. Another option is to bake 2 to 3 tablespoons (29.6 to 44.4 ml) of vanilla extract in the oven for about 1 hour at 300ºF (148.9ºC).
- Not a fan of vanilla? Use extracts like almond, orange, coconut, or anise instead.
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Use commercial aerosols to mask any lingering odor. Commercial air fresheners like Lysol , Febreeze , or Glade will easily cover up any lingering smoke smell. Just keep in mind that these products mostly mask odors rather than actually neutralizing and eliminating them. Use vinegar, baking soda, or citrus to deodorize the room before spraying any air fresheners. [11] X Trustworthy Source Consumer Reports Nonprofit organization dedicated to consumer advocacy and product testing Go to source
- If you’re sensitive to strong scents, use these products sparingly.
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Make the room a smoke-free zone to prevent future tobacco smells. Stop smoke from accumulating in the room at all by reminding all guests that smoking is not allowed. Go ahead and post a “No smoking” sign if needed. If you have friends or family members who smoke, this will prevent you from having to struggle with the smoke smell after they leave.
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Open windows before you begin cooking. If you know your stove has a tendency to run high and smoke is pretty much guaranteed every time you cook, get ahead of the plume by opening the windows and turning on the fans beforehand. If you know the smoke tends to get pretty bad, set up an extra fan just in case. [12] X Research source
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Combat regular kitchen smoke with a range hood. A range hood is a vent system that can be installed above the stove to quickly remove smoke that results from cooking mishaps to the outdoors. Leave this on while you’re cooking to immediately suck the smoke out and leave your kitchen clean and pristine. [13] X Research source
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Replace heating and cooling filters regularly to keep your air clear. The filters in your heating and cooling ducts are perfect for trapping odors. If you don't regularly replace these filters the smells will get recycled throughout the air, including smoky odors from things like burned food or tobacco. Most manufacturers recommend changing filters every 60 to 90 days. [14] X Trustworthy Source United States Environmental Protection Agency Independent U.S. government agency responsible for promoting safe environmental practices Go to source
- Refer to your manufacturer’s specific recommendations when figuring out how often to replace your filters. The product you purchased as well as other environmental factors can affect your specific timeline.
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Welcome home some air-purifying plants. Some plants have been reported to be able to improve air quality indoors. Purchase them online or in specialty nurseries. Some options include the snake plant , peace lily , spider plant , Golden Pothos, Neon Pothos, and Tillandsias. Plus, they can add a nice aesthetic touch to your home decor. [15] X Research source
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References
- ↑ https://thirdhandsmoke.org/how-can-i-remove-thirdhand-smoke-from-my-home/
- ↑ https://www.cdc.gov/hygiene/about/cleaning-and-disinfecting-with-bleach.html
- ↑ https://inthewash.co.uk/laundry-and-ironing/washing-clothes-with-vinegar-how-to-use-vinegar-in-laundry/
- ↑ https://oconto.extension.wisc.edu/files/2011/02/Baking-Soda.pdf
- ↑ https://oconto.extension.wisc.edu/files/2011/02/Baking-Soda.pdf
- ↑ https://www.redcross.org/content/dam/redcross/atg/PDF_s/Preparedness___Disaster_Recovery/General_Preparedness___Recovery/Home/picking-up-the-pieces-after-a-fire.pdf
- ↑ https://thirdhandsmoke.org/how-can-i-remove-thirdhand-smoke-from-my-home/
- ↑ https://www.thekitchn.com/5-tips-for-getting-rid-of-cooking-smells-tips-from-the-kitchn-202927
- ↑ https://www.thekitchn.com/5-tips-for-getting-rid-of-cooking-smells-tips-from-the-kitchn-202927
- ↑ https://lifehacker.com/use-coffee-grounds-to-eliminate-household-odors-1845653775
- ↑ https://www.consumerreports.org/cro/magazine/2012/11/does-febreze-air-effects-give-odors-the-boot/index.htm
- ↑ https://www.myrecipes.com/how-to/remove-smoke-from-your-kitchen-quickly-with-this-inexpensive-item
- ↑ https://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/01/garden/01fix.html
- ↑ https://www.epa.gov/indoor-air-quality-iaq/guide-air-cleaners-home
- ↑ https://www.nwf.org/Magazines/National-Wildlife/1999/Spider-Plants-and-Clean-Air
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