How to Get the Smell of Smoke Out of Your Closet

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Things You'll Need

  • Laundry detergent

  • Household bleach

  • White vinegar

  • Water

  • Bucket

  • Vanilla extract

  • Bowl

  • Baking soda

  • Vacuum

  • Household odor neutralizer

  • Charcoal briquettes

  • Newspaper

Placing crumpled newspapers in closets absorbs smoke odors.

The smell of cigarette, cigar and pipe smoke affects the walls, floors and shelving of your closet. Smoke smell also permeates your clothing, shoes and other stored items. You can mitigate this problem by using inexpensive household products and cleaners that you probably already have in your home. If you fail to resolve the smell of smoke in your closet, the smell will worsen and affect the entire room.

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Step 1

Clear out your closet. Before you can get the smell of smoke out of your closet, you need to clear out all your items. If clothing and other fabrics smell like smoke, launder them with laundry detergent and color-safe household bleach or have them dry cleaned. For smoke-affected shoes, place a charcoal briquette in each shoe to absorb smoke odors and then spritz them with a household odor-neutralizing spray.

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Step 2

Wash walls. Add 1 cup of white vinegar to a gallon of hot water, and wipe down walls, shelving and hard floors. If your closet is carpeted, liberally sprinkle baking soda onto the carpet and let it sit overnight, then vacuum thoroughly. Baking soda neutralizes and absorbs smells.

Step 3

Spray household odor neutralizer. Spritz inside the closet, on closet walls, floors and shelves, with a scented odor neutralizer. These can be purchased at many retailers, such as grocery stores, drugstores and family retailers.

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Step 4

Open the windows. Keep the room ventilated by opening windows. Open opposite windows to get beneficial cross breezes. The fresh air will weaken smoke smells in the closet and freshen the room.

Tip

Bring out the vanilla. Saturate cotton balls with vanilla extract, and place them in a bowl in your closet. Vanilla absorbs smoke odors and and leaves behind a soft scent.

Don't smoke. The smoke smell in your closet will persist if you continue to smoke in the house. Quitting smoking will prevent this and provide you with enormous health benefits.

Warning

If the smell of smoke in your closet lingers, despite your efforts, repaint your walls to seal in the smoke smell. If you fail to do this, you risk ruining your items from persistent, noxious odors.

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