The Genius Hack To Get Cigarette Smoke Out Of Vintage Furniture

Finding the perfect used vintage furniture is a major win, but there is a little bit of extra work that goes into getting these pieces ready for your home. Oftentimes, there are unpleasant smells left behind from cigarette smoke thanks to previous owners. This is a common problem regardless of where you shop for vintage furniture. Thankfully, there is a genius hack you can use to get cigarette smoke out of upholstery or wood pieces so the smell doesn't stink up your living space. According to Kathy Cohoon, operations manager at Two Maids, sprinkling baking soda onto the furniture and vacuuming it up should remove the smell.

Besides keeping mold out of your fridge, the powdery substance can refresh used furniture. "Baking soda is a tried-and-true household staple that has many uses; in this case, to eliminate cigarette smoke odors while not harming the vintage appeal of the furniture," Cohoon shared while speaking exclusively to House Digest. "I absolutely recommend trying this but understand that it may take several attempts before the odor clears." The great thing about baking soda is that it actually eliminates odors from porous surfaces rather than simply masking them, according to the expert. She also explained that the odors left behind by cigarette smoke particles tend to linger more than other scents, making them difficult to get rid of. However, baking soda has the power to eliminate this harsh smell.

After you successfully buy antique furniture for your home, you can safely use baking soda to remove cigarette smells as long as you follow the tips Kathy Cohoon shared. First, make sure you allow the powder to sit on the furniture for the correct amount of time. "The baking soda should not damage vintage furniture whether its wood or cloth, so to allow it to really do its job, I recommend letting the baking soda sit for up to 24 hours, then carefully vacuuming it up," Cohoon explained exclusively to House Digest. "Again, this process may need to be repeated multiple times to fully remove the smoke odor from the fabric/wood."

If you don't have baking soda on hand, you can try out this hack with another household product, but note that the results may not be the same. "Epsom salts can be used," the expert confirmed. "But to eliminate the damaging odor from within the fabric, baking soda is an effective method to lift the smell."

Let's say you do not keep baking soda in the house or would simply prefer not to use it. In this case, there are a few alternatives you can turn to. "Professional cleaning is an effective way to remove cigarette smoke odor, and a reputable upholstery cleaning service will handle vintage furniture with care," Kathy Cohoon shared while speaking exclusively to House Digest. "However, before investing in professional services, consider the power of fresh air and sunlight."

That's right, you can use an eco-friendly method to remove cigarette smells from your furniture naturally. Cohoon shared the details on how to do this the right way. First, choose a clear and breezy day and take your furniture outside on your patio or in your yard, with a tarp or sheet placed under for protection. "If possible, remove the cushions to allow the airflow and sunlight to naturally dissipate the odor," she suggested. According to the cleaning pro, you may need to allow your furniture to air out multiple times to get rid of the odor completely. All in all, this is a great natural choice that will actually remove the smell of cigarette, unlike fragrance sprays that just cover it up.