How Do You Get A Smoke Smell Out Of Furniture

• What causes furniture to smell of cigarette smoke?
• The dangers of thirdhand smoke
• Can you get a smoke smell out of furniture?
• How to prevent a smoke odour in your home
• Get in touch

Cigarette smoke odours cling to surfaces, particularly soft materials like fabric and upholstered furniture. Removing the smell is very challenging without professional equipment and the smell can last for several months. But the odour is not just stubborn - it can put people's health at risk, too. 

Our cigarette smoke odour removal services can help eliminate the unpleasant smell and make your home safe again. Our six-stage odour neutralisation process also includes cleaning the nicotine and tar stains from the surfaces around your home. 

Keep reading to find out why the odour is so stubborn and how to get a smoke smell out of furniture.

What causes furniture to smell of cigarette smoke?

The unpleasant odour that sticks to your furniture after exposure to cigarette smoke is primarily due to thirdhand smoke.

Thirdhand smoke consists of all the chemicals that settle on surfaces when a cigarette is smoked. Unlike firsthand or secondhand smoke, thirdhand smoke is not airborne but lands on surfaces. As the remnants linger, they mingle with indoor pollutants to create cancer-causing substances. 

Because the particles are tiny, they can settle like dust on hard surfaces and embed themselves into soft surfaces like fabric and upholstery.

The accumulation of nicotine and tar staining can cause the odour, too. Nicotine is a colourless liquid that turns yellowish when exposed to oxygen; this discoloration often transfers onto fabrics and other materials it comes into contact with. Tar, another component found in cigarettes, similarly adheres strongly onto surfaces and leaves behind noticeable stains as well as strong odours.

The dangers of thirdhand smoke

Research indicates that thirdhand smoke is harmful to be exposed to. It generates carcinogens which may cause cancer, and some studies have indicated that exposure can cause DNA damage and reduce DNA repair. It is also linked to diseases like heart disease and atherosclerosis. 

Young children are particularly vulnerable to thirdhand smoke as they are likely to touch contaminated surfaces and then put their hands in their mouth or put contaminated objects in their mouths. 

The removal of all thirdhand smoke particles from a property is essential to protect people's health, especially as it can last for months and even years in some cases depending on how much smoking occurred in the property.

Can you get a smoke smell out of furniture?

Removing the odour of cigarette smoke from furniture involves tackling both the invisible thirdhand smoke particles and the visible nicotine and tar staining. 

Many recommend DIY odour removal solutions to get rid of the cigarette smoke smell, such as sprinkling baking soda over the affected surface or spraying it with white vinegar. But these solutions lack the chemical properties needed to break down the tar and nicotine embedded in furniture fibres, and cannot eliminate the thirdhand smoke particles that have sunk deep into the furniture.

Lots of these solutions just cover the smell, as well, which will eventually return. Masking the odour will not get rid of the dangers of the thirdhand smoke, either. 

Smoke odour removal should always be left to the professionals. Specialist cleaners will have the specialist equipment and expertise required for a thorough removal of all the thirdhand smoke, including particles on hard and soft surfaces, and to cut through stubborn, greasy stains. They will even be able to get the smoke smell out of wood furniture and other delicate surfaces. 

They can give you peace of mind the odour will be gone for good, considerably improving the value of the property and keeping residents safe. 

How to prevent a smoke odour in your home

The most obvious way to stop your home smelling like smoke is to stop smoking indoors. Smoking outside significantly reduces the risk of tar and nicotine stains embedding themselves into furniture fabrics and onto other surfaces, too. It also protects people against secondhand smoke and reduces the chances of a house fire. 

When you do smoke outside, make sure you are a short distance away from the property to stop the smoke from being blown back into your home. 

Sticking to a consistent cleaning routine is crucial for warding off dust and tiny particles prone to clinging onto bad smells, as well. You should vacuum soft furnishings such as sofas, curtains, and carpets regularly, for example.

Get in touch

We have odour removal specialists stationed across the UK who are ready to tackle your smoke odour problem. If it is an emergency, we can be on site within hours, no matter where you are. 

Contact our helpful team today on 0203 826 8135 or send an email to contactus@icecleaning.co.uk to learn more about our smoke odour removal services. They will be happy to schedule your free site survey and give you a no-obligation quote.