These tips can help you get rid of that smoke smell
Whether you’ve rented or bought a house where the previous owners used to smoke or you bought a used car that smells like an ashtray; cigarette smoke smell is never pleasant. It can take a long time for the smell to go away on its own. A burnt pan or barbecue can also cause a nasty smoke smell for a long time. You can try masking it with all kinds of air fresheners but there are some things that could actually help you get rid of smoke smell permanently. Here are five tips.
With these tips, your house or car will smell fresh once again.
1. Apples
Apples are very good at absorbing smells, which makes them perfect for this purpose. Take an apple and slice it in half. Place the two halves in the space that smells like smoke and leave them there for a night. If all goes well, the apple will absorb the smoke smell.
2. Vinegar
The smell of vinegar will neutralise the smoke smell, which causes the smell to go away entirely. Do open up a window and make sure any pets are locked in another room because the smell of vinegar is quite pungent as well. Place a pot filled with vinegar on the stove and bring it up to a boil. Let the smell of vinegar drift through the entire house to eliminate the smoke smell. You can also mix together one cup of vinegar with two litres of warm water and use this to wipe down furniture, floors and walls. Do your clothes smell like smoke? Put them through the washing machine but add some vinegar as a fabric softener. It will do the trick.
3. Baking soda
Baking soda is the ideal solution for carpets, fabric sofas and fabric upholstery in your car. Sprinkle a generous amount of baking soda over the smelly surface and leave this to sit there for 12 to 24 hours. Do keep an eye on small children and pets and keep them away from the baking soda. After the waiting period is over, vacuum the baking soda from the fabric in question. Is the smell still there? Repeat the process. Baking soda absorbs smells and moisture, which means both the smoke smell and other nasty smells will disappear.
4. Coffee
If you drink coffee regularly, you’ve got a very easy solution to the smell of smoke ready in your kitchen. Dry leftover coffee grounds after you’ve made coffee and divide the grounds over small bowls. Place these bowls around your house or car. Replace them every 24 hours and the smoke smell will disappear. Coffee grounds will absorb the smell and spread the nice smell of coffee itself.
5. Ammonia
If none of the previous, milder, solutions seem to work, it’s time to bring in the big guns. Take out the ammonia! Yes, ammonia smells as well, but this smell fades much more quickly than smoke smell. Especially if the smoke smell has really settled in the walls and floors of your home. If you’re going to use this method, you should wear a mouth cap or tie a tea towel around your mouth and nose and make sure no pets or small children are around. Mix one cup of ammonia with four litres of water and use this to scrub the floors, walls and ceilings. If you think the smell of ammonia is a bit too intense, you can use baking soda to absorb the ammonia smell. Sprinkle the baking soda around the room and vacuum it up after a few hours.