There’s nothing worse than that old smoky smell wafting around your home. The most common of these offenders is the good old cigarette It may smell like a simple thing, but one of the reasons you can see smoke in the first place is due to is physical make up.
What are actually being expelled are the unburnt chemicals that slowly dissipate in concentration. The chemicals then find themselves on to all aspects around the area they’re located in, like fabrics, organic material like plants, and if strong enough, metals and paints.
Instructions
- The plan of action to get rid of this olfactory menace starts with all that’s around us, air. The major reason for the smell is that there is enough of a concentration in the vicinity, thus the most basic solution is to reduce that level. Simply opening windows and letting the air in will dilute the scent. You can help it along by adding a fan to suck or push the air through out of the area needing the attention.A high-tech version of the humble window/fan combination is an Ozone generator or an electronic air filtering system. Since the smell is caused by chemicals both devices work by removing them. In the case of the Ozone, it bonds with the chemicals in the air around it while creating Oxygen further diluting scent concentration. The air filter uses a bunch of chemical screens that traps the harmful elements, leaving fresh air.
- If high-tech isn’t an option there have been lots of low tech remedies starting with cleaning the source of the smoky smell. Washing items that came in contact with the cigarette smoke essentially does what technology claims to do, remove the chemical particles.Cleaning clothes, fabrics, carpets and even wiping down the room where the smell is found can significantly help. Using cleaning products that have odor neutralizers also go a long way to freshen things up.
- The number one home solution, other than relegating an area non-smoking, is baking soda. It can be used in a variety of ways which are just as effective as more expensive options. The downside is that baking soda takes a while to work.Baking soda can be added to other cleaning agents, or mixed with water to do a job similar to, but less offensive than vinegar. Taken in dry form it can be sprinkled into hidden areas or a well placed open box used to absorb the scent from the surroundings. A close cousin to baking soda is activated charcoal.
This compound is the key element in many electronic air/ water purifying systems. It can’t be diluted or used in washing like baking soda, but can be placed in ash trays for scent control.
Tips and warnings
- Use good old vinegar on non-fabric surfaces.
- Small inconspicuous trays of activated charcoal work like baking soda
For more information on keeping a clean home, visit How to Clean It.