How to Remove Cigarette Smells From Clothes & Carpet

Treat the clothing as soon as possible to prevent the problem from worsening

Project Overview
  • Working Time: 20 - 28 mins
  • Total Time: 1 hr - 2 wks
  • Skill Level: Beginner
  • Estimated Cost: $0-10

Stale cigarette and cigar smoke odors in clothing or around your home are never pleasant. If you've had a smoky encounter, treat your clothing and home as soon as possible to remove the smoke odor so the nicotine residue does not begin to build up over time.

There are a few easy methods using common household supplies to dissipate the odors, but it can be a slow process to regain freshness.

Read on for sure-fire ways to get cigarette and other smoky stains and smells out of clothes, carpets, and upholstery.

closeup of an ashtray

The Spruce / Ana-Maria Stanciu 

Odor type Smoke
Detergent type Heavy-duty laundry detergent
Water temperature Warm

Before You Begin

If the clothing is labeled as dry clean only, follow the steps for airing the clothing outdoors or inside. You can also use a home dry cleaning kit to refresh fabrics or take your garments to a professional cleaner. For odor removal from vintage upholstery, consult a professional.

How to Remove Cigarette Smells from Clothes Without Washing

You may not need to wash your clothing to remove smoky smells. Here are a few things to try before washing your smoky items:

  • Air them out: Hang the smoke-laden clothing in the open air or a room with many green plants. Use a fan to create air movement. The length of time you need to air clothes depends upon how saturated they are with smoke and how sensitive you are to the odor. The length of time you air the garment can be as little as a few hours to two weeks.
  • Bag them up: Do not store clothes away with any type of strong odor. Use a sealed container to trap odors by placing the garments in a sealed plastic tub or heavy-duty plastic bag with a box of baking soda. Leave the container sealed for a week or so. The baking soda should absorb the odors.
  • Steam them: Hang your garment in the bathroom and turn on the shower's hot water to create steam. Let the item stay in the steam for 15 to 30 minutes, then air-dry. If you have a portable clothes steamer, use it as a way to remove the odor. Use a steamer to remove smoke odors from upholstery and carpet, too.
  • Use an odor-eliminating spray: Sprays, such as Febreze Fabric Refresher, help trap odor molecules and reduce the offending smell. You will still need to clean the garment (or upholstery/carpet) to fully remove the smell.
materials for removing smoke smells

The Spruce / Ana-Maria Stanciu 

What You'll Need

Equipment / Tools

  • Soaking basin or sink
  • Clothesline or clothes rack

Materials

  • Baking soda
  • Distilled white vinegar
  • Unscented heavy-duty laundry detergent
  • Water
  • Fabric refresher (optional)

Instructions

How to Remove Cigarette and Cigar Smells From Clothing

If your washable clothes and linens are smoky due to exposure for only a short time, such as a weekend visit, these methods work particularly well. Extended exposure will take repeated treatments. These treatments can be used for other smoky smells from clothing, as well.

  1. Soak in Baking Soda and Water Solution

    To remove the odor, soak washable clothing in a sink or washing machine filled with warm water and 1 cup baking soda before washing. Overnight is usually sufficient. 

    mixing a baking soda soaking solution
    The Spruce / Ana-Maria Stanciu  
  2. Machine Wash

    After soaking, wash according to the garment care label instructions using unscented laundry detergent. Add 1 cup of distilled white vinegar to the rinse cycle and stop the cycle. Let the laundry soak for an hour in the vinegar and water solution before completing the rinse cycle. If the clothes should be hand-washed, follow your usual routine but add vinegar to the rinse water.

    placing items into the washer
    The Spruce / Ana-Maria Stanciu 
  3. Air-Dry

    Dry the freshly washed clothes and linens on a clothesline or clothes rack in the sunlight. If you must dry in a clothes dryer, use a low-temperature setting because excessively high heat can actually cause any remaining odor molecules to bond with the fibers.

    Tip

    The ultra-violet rays of the sunlight will help remove odors and smells; however, bright sunlight can cause dyes to fade, so hang dark colors in the shade. Line drying your clothes will also provide a final opportunity for clothes to air out.

    items drying on a rack
    The Spruce / Ana-Maria Stanciu  
  4. Use a Fabric Freshener

    If the smoke smell lingers, use a fabric refresher in either scented or unscented formulas to mask the odors. Some in-wash formulas or sprays bind with the odor molecules. If spraying, spray the clothing outside and let it continue to air.

    spraying a garment with deodorizer
    The Spruce / Ana-Maria Stanciu  

How to Remove Cigarette and Cigar Smells From Carpet and Upholstery

If you have a frequent indoor smoker in the house, it is nearly impossible to remove all of the smoke smell from carpet and upholstery. But it can be done if the smoke exposure was brief.

  • As soon as possible, empty all ashtrays and dispose of the trash bags.
  • Open as many windows as possible and turn on circulating fans to help bring in fresh air.
  • Pour some undiluted distilled white vinegar into small bowls or cups and place in the affected rooms.
  • Toss any washable curtains, small rugs, pillows, and throw blankets from the room in the washer.
  • Sprinkle plain, dry baking soda on carpets and area rugs. Allow the baking soda to remain on the carpet for about an hour and then vacuum up. Be sure to toss the vacuum bags after cleaning or empty the vacuum cup.

Alternative Methods to Remove Cigarette Smells

Usually, all it takes is one round of these steps to remove strong smoke odor. But, if your clothes, carpet, or upholstery still have bothersome cigarette or other smoky odors or nicotine stains, repeat the steps. If repeating the steps still does not work, try these alternative methods:

  • Lemon juice: Spray lemon juice onto only white garments to remove smells. First, test a hidden spot of the garment to make sure there is no damage, and do not use it on colored fabrics.
  • Vodka: Spray straight vodka onto a garment to eliminate the odors and freshen it up. Test a hidden spot beforehand. You can always wash the item after you spray it as an odor-releasing boost. Use a vodka spray on upholstery or carpet, as well. If you don't have vodka, use rubbing alcohol instead.
  • Essential oils: Add drops of essential oil, such as lemon, to your laundry to get rid of smoky smells.
  • Laundry scent boosters: Scent boosters are laundry additives in the form of beads or crystals that give clothes a strong scent after they come out of the washer.
  • Oxygen bleach: Presoak your garment in oxygen bleach per the product's instructions before you wash the item. There are several other types of odor removers in addition to oxygen bleach that you can also try.
  • Laundry stripping: Make a DIY laundry stripping mixture to reset and clarify your clothing, which should remove smoky odors.
  • Charcoal: Try a commercial odor remover for upholstery or carpet that uses activated charcoal.
FAQ
  • Can smoke and cigarette smells wash out of clothing?

    Yes, you can wash away smoke and cigarette smells from clothing but you may need to repeat the process and possibly use additives as a smell-removal boost.

  • How long will it take for cigarette odors to get out of clothing?

    It usually takes one wash cycle for cigarette odors to be removed from clothing.

  • What can neutralize the smell of smoke?

    Charcoal and distilled white vinegar placed in bowls can neutralize the smell of smoke in a room. Neutralize the smell of smoke with a fabric refresher spray for clothing, upholstery, and carpet if you have it on hand. These sprays trap and mask the odor until you can properly dispose of the smoky smell.