Get Rid of Smoke Smell: How to Remove Smelly Smoke from Your Home

The smell of smoke, the typical “scent” of cigarettes, is not only difficult for non-smokers to find. Even active smokers are disgusted with the cold, stale smell of smoke. Whether in the apartment or in the car: the penetrating smell of smoke settles deep in the fibers of all kinds of textiles. And not only that: Clinical studies have shown that secondary, highly carcinogenic toxins are produced by chemical reactions from the residual dusts of tobacco smoke. So far, such “delicious” substances as nitrosamines, phenols, cresols, naphthalene or formaldehyde have been detected here. No wonder that the smell of smoke from both smokers and non-smokers should be removed from the environment as quickly and sustainably as possible. In this guide, we’ll show you how you can get rid of smoke odor with all kinds of home remedies – and why one air cleaner is indispensable in some cases.

How do you remove the smell of smoke from the apartment?

Smell of smoke is the typical side effect of apartments in which people smoke continuously. The nicotine from the cigarettes settles on the walls, furniture and in carpets and permanently discolors them in an ugly, brown-yellow tone. The smell of smoke also collects in clothing – and is really persistent. In order to get rid of this smell of smoke, you can use a wide variety of “weapons” (which we will of course show you in a moment). However, there is the most effective tip against the smell of smoke in the apartment right at the beginning:

The best remedy for the smell of smoke is not to let the smell arise in the first place!

Smokers who use the garden or the balcony to enjoy a cigarette can only carry the smoke inside with their clothes. Even if this smell of smoke can still be annoying: It does not persist, but disappears with the next wash at the latest. Smoking outdoors may not seem as comfortable as the cozy cigarette on the couch – but you don’t need to think about buying one for that Air purifier or other methods that remove the smell of smoke.

Remove the smell of smoke from the apartment with home remedies

The morning after a smoking party, the smell of smoke is heavy in the air. Effective means are now required to get the stench out of your own four walls.

Ventilation: The classic among the tips against odors of all kinds is the well-known ventilation. Open windows also work wonders if there is a smell of smoke. However, you should not tilt your windows to ventilate, but open them completely. The air exchange works best if you open several windows at the same time. In this way you achieve a draft that virtually “sucks” the smell of smoke out of the apartment.

Coffee: Coffee is not only great for waking up in the early morning, but also for getting rid of the nasty smell of smoke! To do this, place fresh coffee powder (important: use powder, because the tip does not work with whole beans!) In small bowls distributed around your apartment. Coffee has the great ability to bind odors. You will completely get rid of the smell of smoke in just a few hours. You can of course also try the tip in your car!

Lemons: Sour makes fun – or the air is fresh! Lemons are used in many households for a wide variety of tasks. And from you now also in the fight against the smell of smoke! To do this, cut a lemon into slices per room and place them in bowls with boiling water. Now distribute the bowls in your rooms and wait for a while. After 24 hours at the latest, you will notice a significant improvement in the indoor climate!

Vinegar: Granted, the scent of vinegar is by no means the most pleasant smell on earth. However, vinegar is one of the most effective home remedies for smoke odor! It is very easy to use: put a bowl of hot water in it, add a few dashes of vinegar and wait a few days. Over time, the vinegar binds the smell of smoke and your home smells pleasantly fresh again. If you are a heavy smoker or have had a dissolute party with many smokers, you should put several bowls of vinegar water on the table. It also doesn’t hurt if you also wipe your furniture with the vinegar-water mixture.

Simply cover up the smell of smoke

If you want to mask the smell of smoke for a short time, scented oils and scented candles are particularly recommended. Both variants displace the smell of cold smoke with fragrances – but mind you: they only cover up! Above all, use fresh scents such as lemon or orange. Because heavy scents such as patchouli can “combine” with the smell of smoke – with the result that your apartment smells even more than before the scented candles or oils were used.

Air purifier against smoke odor

air cleaner have been known to you since the corona pandemic at the latest – because air purifiers are successfully used in schools in many countries to rid the air of the corona viruses. In Germany, it is true that ventilation is “completely sufficient” to protect children, but air purifiers are undoubtedly highly efficient when it comes to removing particles from the air. And since the smell of smoke is ultimately nothing more than a collection of the smallest particles, air purifiers are also ideally suited to the fight against bad smells. However, it depends a lot on the air purifier whether you win this battle too!

How do air purifiers work?

The way air purifiers work is quite simple: A large, slow-running fan draws in the outside air and directs it through various filters. The air inside the air purifier is cleaned by the filters and flows back outside on the other side of the air purifier.

Air purifier with filter systems

Many common air purifiers are equipped with multi-layer filter systems. For example, a pre-filter removes hair and coarse flakes of dust, while a HEPA filter removes even the smallest particles (smoke smell!) And even bacteria and viruses from the air. These air purifier filters are often supplemented with activated carbon filters. You can think of these filters like a sponge with an enormous internal surface area. The cleaning effect of these air purifiers is achieved on the one hand by the fact that particles adhere to the activated carbon and on the other hand by the catalytic properties of the activated carbon. These properties ensure that some substances are simply broken down.