How to Get Rid of Tobacco Smell Fast

Easy ways to eliminate an unpleasant tobacco smell from your home and belongings

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: November 23, 2022 References Approved

Quick Fixes

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Removing Odor from Carpet and Upholstery

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Utilizing Alternative Methods

Need to get rid of cigarette smell on your belongings or yourself quickly? Tobacco smell is strong, but it's not invincible. There are a variety of effective ways to get rid of smoke smell fast no matter the situation. Keep reading for some quick fixes and some long-term strategies for getting rid of lingering tobacco smell.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Quick Fixes

1
Open up all the windows and run fans. The more that you ventilate the room, the less it will smell like tobacco. Turn on all the fans in the room that you're in. If there isn't a ceiling fan, get desk fans and point them so that they blow air out of your windows.^{[1]
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2
Dampen a dishrag with vinegar and wave it in the air. Fill a small bowl with 2 cups (473.17 ml) of white vinegar. Dampen a rag or washcloth in the vinegar and then ring it out so that it doesn't drip in your house. Go to the room where the tobacco smell is. Wave the damp rag around your head to remove some of the initial tobacco smell.^{[2]
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3
Use an air freshener to try to mask the smell. Purchase an air freshener from a department store or online and spray it in the affected rooms. This is a good quick fix if you don't have time to clean your house and quickly get rid of the tobacco smell.
- Certain commercial products like Vamoose and OdoBan are created specifically to remove tobacco smells.^{[3]
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- You can also use a scented candle or incense to mask the smell.
4
Brush your teeth and wash your hands. If you were the one smoking, or you've been handling the ash or butts of cigars or cigarettes, your hands can smell like tobacco. To remove the scent from yourself, brush your teeth and wash your hands.^{[4]
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5
Wipe down the walls and upholstery with vinegar and water. Pour 2 cups (473.17 ml) of white vinegar into a bucket and add a half-gallon (7.57 l) of warm water to it. Dip a rag into the solution or put the solution into a spray bottle. Use this solution to wipe down the floors, walls, and upholstery.^{[5]
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- The vinegar smell should dissipate over time.
6
Throw away cigarette butts and ash. Cigarette butts, half-smoked cigars, and ash can leave a strong lingering smell of tobacco indoors. Throwing the butts and ashes into indoor trash bins will only transfer the smell into another room. Dispose of the butts and the ashes in a bag and move the bag outside. This will eliminate some of the initial smell.^{[6]
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- If you have ashtrays, wash them with warm water and dish soap to fully remove the smell.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Removing Odor from Carpet and Upholstery

1
Sprinkle baking soda over furniture and the floors. Take baking soda and sprinkle it over your furniture and floors that smell like tobacco. Try to cover each of the surfaces with a thin coating of baking soda.^{[7]
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- You can pour the baking soda through a colander if you are having difficulty spreading it around.
2
Let the baking soda sit for 60-90 minutes. The baking soda will absorb some of the unpleasant tobacco odors from upholstered furniture and carpet as you let it sit. You can use a rag or towel to help push the baking soda into your furniture or carpet.^{[8]
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3
Vacuum up the baking soda. Run a vacuum and try to suck up all of the baking soda. Use the vacuum's attachments for hard-to-reach places and to vacuum down upholstery. Once you've vacuumed up all the baking soda, make sure to empty the vacuum bag outdoors.
4
Leave and come back to assess the smell. Leave the room or house for an hour or two and come back. Sometimes it can be difficult to determine if the tobacco smell is gone once you've been around it for a long time. If the room still smells strongly of tobacco, you can repeat these steps until all of the odors are gone.^{[9]
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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Utilizing Alternative Methods

1
Purchase an air purifier. Air purifiers made with a HEPA filter can help eliminate the particles that create odors from tobacco. Purchase an air purifier online or at a department store. Look for purifiers with the Clean Air Delivery Rate on the packaging because these purifiers are the best for eliminating bad smells.
2
Pour white vinegar on a piece of bread in a bowl. Place a slice of white bread in a bowl and pour enough white vinegar so that the bread is totally saturated. The wet bread will absorb some of the smoke smell. Once a day has passed, throw away the bread.^{[10]
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3
Leave charcoal in a bowl. Carbon can help absorb some of the unpleasant odors left by tobacco products. Leaving a piece of charcoal in a bowl in your house can help absorb the smell of cigarettes. This method may take up to a week to be effective.^{[11]
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4
Replace your blinds, curtains, and light bulbs. Scrub down your blinds and wash your curtains to remove the smoke smell from them. The heat from light bulbs can disperse the tobacco smell throughout your house, so replace them if they smell like tobacco.^{[12]
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