Get Rid of Smoke Odors

You could almost call cigarette smoke the houseguest that just won’t leave. A smoke molecule has an extremely fine particulate structure that allows it to be attached to virtually anything. The size of a smoke particle is extremely small - about .01 to 1 micron (a human hair is 75 microns), and they have the ability to penetrate even the tiniest spaces. Therefore, the noxious smell of tobacco smoke often lingers in the air and permeates into porous surfaces such as draperies, furniture, and clothing. Smoke can even cause discoloration and damage to the surfaces of walls and home furnishings.

Besides being annoying, smoke can also worsen symptoms in those with allergies or asthma, and the long-term effects of smoke exposure can lead to cancer and lung problems. However, getting rid of smoke odors can be arduous and costly. There are four principles for removing tough odors such as tobacco: get rid of the source, clean all surfaces, use sealants to cover hard surfaces (if necessary), and neutralize any remaining odors.

For hard surfaces such as walls and fixtures, cleaners that include an alkaline builder such as ammonia and a glycol solvent are excellent at removing smoke odors. For walls and ceilings, washing should be followed by a fresh coat of paint and a stain-blocking sealer/primer. The undercoat prevents nicotine particles from bleeding through.

For porous surfaces such as carpets, steam cleaning or shampooing may be able to work, although this may not be sufficient for heavy, set-in smoke odors. Upholstered furniture should be professionally cleaned and deodorized, as the wrong cleaner could cause damage and even result in color bleeding.

In order to neutralize any persisting odors that remain after cleaning, there are two options: a furnace filter or an air purifier. Furnace filters are an affordable option, and can improve indoor air quality by catching 90% of contaminants and particles as small as one micron. As well, furnace filters can oftentimes prolong the life of your heating and cooling system. However, for greater odor control, an air purifier using Activated Carbon, one of the most adsorbent materials known to man, can filter out smoke molecules. In fact, there are air purifiers on the market that are specifically designed to remove smoke, such as the Airpura T600. This air cleaner has the ability to remove odors and the 4000 chemicals and 60 carcinogens that are found in tobacco smoke.

Nevertheless, to eliminate tobacco smoke odor, the most obvious trick is the most effective - smoke outside.