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We dropped by the Yahoo! Cleaning category and also searched on "remove cigarette smell" in the hopes of smoking out a few odor-fighting suggestions. Here's what we learned: Commercial air fresheners only mask odors with an artificial scent and don't provide a long-term solution. Instead, try to prevent and neutralize odors. One of the most effective ways to deal with the smell of cigarette smoke is to air out the room for a short time every day. This will also help prevent new odors from building up. To neutralize the smoke smell, place saucers of white vinegar around the room and
near affected furniture. Charcoal or baking powder has a similar effect. Leave it in the room overnight or for several days, preferably with the room closed off. Then thoroughly air out the room again. To remove the smell from fabrics, such as furniture upholstery, sprinkle the fabric with baking soda. Leave it for a few hours, and then vacuum it off. If you're concerned about baking soda messing up your fine materials, test it first in an inconspicuous area of the fabric. Upholstery shampoo, either a commercial brand or a one you make yourself using liquid dish or laundry detergent and warm water, can also help remove smells from furniture. Be careful that you
don't get the furniture too wet while you're cleaning it, and speed the drying by keeping windows open and using a fan. Don't forget the carpets. These can suck up smells too. Sprinkle the carpet with a mixture of 1 cup Borax and 2 cups cornmeal, wait an hour, and then vacuum. If the odor has really sunk in and these tricks don't help, you'll need to wash all the surfaces of the room thoroughly. Smoke can leave a residue that causes the smell to linger, so you need to wash it away. For painted walls and ceilings, try a solution of 1 gallon of
warm water, 1/2 cup plain ammonia, 1/4 cup white vinegar, and 1/4 cup washing soda (which can be found in the laundry additives area of supermarkets). Refresh this solution frequently while washing, and you won't need to rinse. Start at the bottom of a wall and work your way up. How you clean wallpaper will depend on the specific type of paper. Newer vinyl papers can be washed with water, but older papers may be more delicate. If you have machine-washable curtains or other fabrics in the room, try washing them with heavy-duty, phosphate-based detergent plus 1 cup water conditioner and 1/2 cup bleach. Other fabrics may need to be professionally cleaned.
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