Tips! - Cigarette Smoke: Natural Ways to Remove the Smell From Wood Furniture

Tips! From Time Saver Maids

Cigarette Smoke: Natural Ways to Remove the Smell From Wood Furniture
Browse any flea market or yard sale for secondhand furniture and you are bound to discover beautiful wood pieces at fantastic prices. Unfortunately secondhand wood furniture that looks fantastic might come with unpleasant extras that are sometimes not initially apparent. In closed areas where cigarettes are smoked on a regular basis, furniture and other home furnishings take on the unpleasant smell of cigarette smoke. Walls, window treatments, and everything in between is permeated with the odor of cigarette smoke, but fortunately it can be removed. With proper cleaning and a few natural odor removing tips and tricks, it is possible to remove the smell of cigarette smoke from wood furniture without stripping, sanding, and completely refinishing.

Begin by Cleaning the Wood

When attempting to remove any type of odor, the source of the odor must be removed or the odor will remain. Wood furniture infused with cigarette smoke and sprayed with floral deodorizer will end up smelling like cigarette smoke and flowers. Do not attempt to cover up the smell of cigarette smoke. Get to the bottom of the problem and remove it for good by cleaning the wood with high-quality and completely natural oil soap and water. Follow product label instructions and precautions, and thoroughly clean the smoke residue and all other dirt or grime from the inside as well as the outside of doors, drawers, and all other finished wood surfaces. Once the wood furniture has been thoroughly cleaned, absorb excess moisture with clean dry rags and try one or more natural odor-removing options to completely remove the smell

Air-Dry Wood Furniture Outdoors
If possible, allow wood furniture to air-dry outdoors after thoroughly drying by hand. On a warm clear day, place wood furniture out of direct sunlight for several hours. Not only will the wood furniture dry more thoroughly than it would when drying with rags alone, but air-drying will also help remove the smell of cigarette smoke that has pervaded the wood. Remove all drawers and prop open doors for best results. Follow up with one or more of the following easy, inexpensive, and natural odor-absorbing techniques.

Natural Odor Absorbing Techniques

Vinegar is one of the best natural odor removers, and it does a fantastic job of absorbing the smell left behind by cigarette smoke. Carefully place bowls of ordinary white vinegar in closed drawers and cabinets. The vinegar will gradually absorb the smell of any cigarette smoke residue trapped inside. Allow the vinegar to remain undisturbed for a few days before careful removal.

Newsprint is also a great natural odor-absorbing material, and ordinary sheets of black and white newspaper will remove the smell of cigarette smoke from the interior of wood dresser drawers and cabinets. Loosely crumple several sheets of black and white newsprint, and place them inside tightly closed cabinets and drawers. Keep the papers inside the closed areas for several days. The newspaper will absorb any remaining moisture as well as bad odors caused by cigarette smoke.

Ground coffee had been used for decades to remove bad odors from semi trailers, and it is one of the best natural chemical-free ways to remove the smell of cigarette smoke from wood furniture. To remove the smell of cigarette smoke from the outside as well as the inside of wood furniture, place each completely dry piece separately inside plastic trash bags, and include a bowl filled with freshly ground coffee in each tightly closed bag. Allow the bags to remain closed for at least three days, depending on the severity of the odor problem. The smell of coffee will eventually dissipate after removal, and when properly cleaned beforehand, the furniture will no longer harbor the lingering smell of cigarette smoke.

Baking soda is also a natural odor absorbing material that is very inexpensive. To remove the smell of cigarette smoke without leaving behind another odor, place open boxes or shallow bowls of natural baking soda inside closed drawers and cabinet doors. Allow the baking soda to work for several days to absorb the smell of cigarette smoke before removing. If the baking soda is kept inside tightly closed drawers and cabinet doors for an extended period of time it will leave behind nothing more than a natural fresh scent.

Clay kitty litter is a fantastic natural odor-absorbing material, and it works quite well to remove the smell left behind by cigarette smoke. Place shallow bowls or open paper sacks filled with kitty litter inside closed cabinet doors and drawers. The natural clay litter will draw out any moisture left behind after cleaning the wood furniture, and it will also pull out and absorb the smell left behind by cigarette smoke.

Try one or more of these natural and inexpensive ways to remove the smell of cigarette smoke from wood furniture. Natural methods of odor removal are always best, and sometimes it takes more than just a few days to completely remove the smell. Remove the source of the odor first, and with natural odor-absorbing techniques, the smell left behind by cigarette smoke will eventually be gone for good!