How to Smoke in Your Home and Eliminate the Smell (10 Tips)

Whether it annoys you or someone in your household, cigarette smoke doesn’t have to be a source of conflict anymore. There are several ways to remove it from your home, and in this article, you will find out which ones are most effective.

Ideally, you shouldn’t smoke indoors, but I have many smokers in my surroundings, and I’m aware that it isn’t always an option. There is just something about smoking inside; it’s akin to drinking coffee: “it forces” people to socialize.

If you’re a smoker, you’re not only harming your health but also the health of those around you at that time (secondhand smokers). According to the study by the CDC, about 34,000 people, on average, die from the consequences of secondhand smoke in the US each year.

And not only that, whether you are a smoker or not, you will agree that the smell of cigarette smoke isn’t very pleasant. That’s exactly why I wrote this article, in which I will list some tricks you can use to quickly and efficiently remove cigarette smoke from your home, as well as tips for preventing it from spreading elsewhere in your home.

1. Use an Air Purifier

One of the most effective ways to combat cigarette smoke is by using an air purifier. However, you can’t buy just any air purifier. You need a device equipped with high-quality filtration technology, specifically one that includes a HEPA filter and a pellet-based activated carbon filter.

High-quality HEPA filters are capable of capturing small particles. Typically, air purifiers use H13-rated HEPA filters that capture 99.97% of airborne particles as small as 0.3 microns in size. However, a high-quality activated carbon filter is essential to neutralize cigarette smoke’s smell efficiently.

The effectiveness of the filtration increases with the weight of carbon pellets inside the carbon filter. Activate carbon adsorbs cigarette smoke as it passes through it.

I actually have written an article on the best air purifiers for cigarette smoke based on all the devices I’ve tested so far. I strongly recommend reading it to better understand how air purifiers can effectively work against smoke.

2. Place a Wet Towel Under the Door

When smoking indoors, it’s crucial to prevent cigarette smoke from spreading throughout your home. One effective method to achieve this is by placing a wet towel under the door. This simple action can help contain the smoke within the room you’re smoking in, preventing it from escaping and dispersing through the house.

By doing so, you’ll find it easier to manage the smoke and stop it from entering other rooms, especially bedrooms.

3. Block All Ventilation

Putting a wet towel under the door is one effective method to prevent smoke from spreading. Another useful hack is to block all air vents that could potentially draw the smoke and disperse it through the HVAC system to other rooms in your home, which could lead to unwanted outcomes.

Both this tip and the towel hack are particularly crucial if you’re trying to keep your smoking hidden from household members. It’s better to take preventive measures than to risk being caught smoking.

4. Light a Candle or Incense

Candles or incense can function similarly to sprays for odor elimination. 

However, the recommendation is to light candles while you are smoking and to leave them burning for some time after you finish. This practice helps mask and eventually reduces the smell of smoke more effectively.

5. Open a Window While Smoking

This is the simplest and one of the most effective methods to handle cigarette smoke. By keeping a window open, you allow the smoke to exit your home while fresh air flows in.

The next level would be smoking as near the windows as possible; that way, almost no smoke will stay inside.

6. Leave a Window Opened After Finished Smoking

Okay, you’ve kept your window open while smoking, but it’s also beneficial to leave it open for an additional 10-20 minutes afterward to ensure your room is thoroughly ventilated with fresh air.

Combining this practice with an air purifier running together, I’m sure you can restore your room to its pre-smoking freshness in no more than 20 minutes.

7. Put Your Hair Up

Cigarette smoke easily sticks to hair and clothes, and it’s necessary to diminish its impact. One way to start is by putting your hair up, thereby preventing the smell of cigarette smoke from permeating your entire hair.

This tip is particularly important for individuals with long hair, as you wouldn’t want to wash your hair after every smoking session.

8. Spray Smoke Odor Eliminator

Another way to attack cigarette smoke after smoking is by using a spray smoke odor eliminator. This product helps neutralize the odor of cigarette smoke and imparts a fresh and clean scent to the air.

9. Allow Smoking Only in One Room in Your Home

I’ve noticed that many people decide to smoke only in one room, typically the kitchen or the living room, to minimize impacting other areas of their home.

Cigarette smoke negatively affects furniture, clothes, curtains, and any other physical object capable of adsorbing the smoke. You may have observed white furniture turning yellowish over time due to exposure to cigarette smoke.

Please avoid smoking in bedrooms, children’s rooms, or similar rooms at all costs. Even smoking in your bathroom is a better and less harmful option.

10. Dispose of Your Cigarette Butts

Cigarette butts left on the desk can continue producing odors even after you’ve finished smoking.

Promptly disposing of them immediately after smoking is an effective way to prevent additional smells from spreading around the room or house.

Final Thoughts: What Would Be the Best to Do?

I believe you’re already familiar with some of the tips I’ve listed in this article. However, I also think that some of these tips may be completely new to you and will definitely help you manage the unpleasant smell of smoke.

Ideally, the best would be to smoke outside and not allow anyone to smoke inside your home. However, in practice, this isn’t always possible. Therefore, you must do as much as you can to eliminate the smoke or, at the very least, prevent it from spreading within your home.

If you have questions about the topic, please use the comment box below.