Good morning everyone and happy Sunday.
I just wanted to start by saying thank you to everyone who responded to my post yesterday/sent me messages. Y'all are so supportive, and it is so nice to have a network of people behind me. Today is day 4 for me and it's much better than day 3.
I just wanted to ask if anyone had any ideas on how to remove the smell of cigs from your home. I can't seem to get the lingering smell out no matter what I do.
Anyone had any luck with this?
Thanks for reading!
Pretty much what Nancy said. You can't mask it, just think about hotel rooms. Even though most have been non-smoking for years, I have walked in some that I could still smell the tar and nicotine. It soaks in and just won't leave.
I have always heard cleaning with vinegar is very effective. And that means walls and ceilings too. Light fixtures, drapes....pretty much every hard surface. Washing or febreezing anything fabric as well. Opening all the windows as weather allows.
After all that, you'll probably never even want to hear the word cigarette!
Keep rockin'!
Dian
Thank you both, this is helpful information. All of the smell seems to be only in the kitchen (where my smoking area was). I definitely have some work in front of me though.
That's always seemed like one of the easier rooms to clean for me, especially if you have a dishwasher. Or like cooked cabbage. That god- awful smell would probably overwhelm everything!
Hard surfaces are easier to clean than fabrics and carpets so maybe it's good that it's a kitchen rather than a bedroom or living room. I used all of the above especially vinegar but I also used baking soda and/or borax. Both baking soda and borax are alkaline and vinegar is acidic - they sort of cancel each other out.
So you used baking soda and borax and scrubbed out the surfaces?
oops! Sorry! I stepped away from my Computer...
Yes, and it smells better if you don't like the smell of vinegar.
Thanks, Thomas! It's a work in progress now
if you smoked in your car, put am apple cut in half facing up under the front seats and change them out as necessary.
jonescarp.aka.dale.Jan_2007 That was also suggested by Youngatheart.7.4.12 I was afraid that it would smell like garbage and draw fruit flies...uh, never thought of just CHANGING it. I think I am brain damaged.
Where do you think Nancy gets...never mind...she didn't mention the car.. :-)
ROFL....I was waiting for that!
I thought we could only belong here if we were challenged in the brain department...?
I also thought "But what about fruit flies after a couple of days and then what about when I have a friend in the car? What would they think of my extra "passengers?"
So El, don't feel alone - (head hanging in amazement at my own blondness)
LOL!!!! I always tell people I was born blonde but I out grew it. Surprisingly hair color appears to have nothing to do with those, "duh" moments. Now I blame it on age...
Fortunately the car is not an issue, just the kitchen for me. Boy does that stale smoke smell linger though!
Ok then. Put apples in other peoples cars. :-)
Never Ever Forget! When you do your own scrub out it's another reason down the road to protect your Quit! You never want to have to do that again!
Fresh air. Vinegar--the odor of vinegar dies down fairly fast. High proof rubbing alcohol on latex wood work. Wash and hang dry fabric in the sun. Pillows in the sun and fresh air. Rugs fresh air and sun --bat and repeat. For legal or important docs that you must keep into air tight bin.Time and good smells and cleaning will end the odor.
Congrats on your quit...and Welcome!
Dani_2017 Welcome to EX, Dani, so glad you are here. I honestly cannot offer any more advice than the rest of the people here...I didn't smoke in my house so that was not an issue when I quit. I got a new to me car several months after I quit and I had any clothing that needed to be dry cleaned taken care of...some I used the dry cleaning sheets and did at home, others I sprayed with Febreze and hung outside. The smell of smoke is very hard to get rid of, it settles in curtains, carpets, furniture...guess you already know that.
Again, welcome to EX.
Ellen
No advice on the odor ! Congrats on your 4 days and just think you have the hardest 3 days behind you and you never have to do them again ! NOPE and SINAO !
You may actually have to do a deep, thorough housecleaning! I'm talking shampooing all the carpets, washing/drycleaning all the curtains, washing all the bed and bathroom linens, maybe even washing the walls and the tables (yup - even the TABLES and wood things STINK-I know from my Mom's (who chainsmoked in every room of her apartment) stuff ). You can also put slices of apple or bowls of vinegar in the less smoked in areas if they smell, too. If you only smoked in one room or area, just doing that should do the trick, but if you smoked everywhere, you have a job in front of you. The good news is that it will help to keep you focused on never smoking in there again once you've done all this work. The OTHER good news is that you have extra time you used to waste smoking in which to DO it!!
Sorry to be the bearer of bad tidings - but it is what it is!
Nancy