How to Remove Cigarette Stains and Odor In Clothes and More
Smoking can leave stubborn yellow stains and strong odors on clothing, carpets, and upholstery. Unfortunately, it is difficult to remove nicotine stains.
Before you think about removing stains, wash or dry clean any clothing you don't wear regularly. Then store them in hanging cloth bags (not plastic).
This will help protect them from the nicotine that settles on the fabric and causes stretch marks and yellow spots.
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If you don't have nicotine stains but still need to remove cigarette or cigar smell, follow these steps to make your clothes smell fresh.
Cotton or linen clothing
Combine 1 liter of warm water and 1/2 teaspoon of liquid laundry detergent (Tide or Persil). Soak nicotine-stained clothing in the mixture for 15 minutes before wiping off excess water.
Sponge the stained area with rubbing alcohol until the stain is removed and wash as usual.
Polyester, rayon, acrylic, or nylon garments
Make a wet spot cleaner by combining one part glycerin, one part liquid dish soap, and eight parts water in a large jar. Label and keep tightly closed to avoid evaporation.
Dampen the stained area with a sponge, applying gentle strokes starting in the center of the stain and working outward.
Apply a few drops of damp stain cleaner and a few drops of distilled white vinegar directly to the stain. Cover the stain with a cotton cloth or white cloth and allow the cloth to dry, trapping the stain.
Keep the stain wet until it disappears, then rinse the area with water and wash normally.
However, if you've tried to remove the stains, but they remain, and then tumble dry your clothes, the stains may have permanently hardened. You can still try these tips before throwing out your clothes.
Whitening nicotine-stained clothing
For any washable fabrics that need to be rinsed after stain treatment, mix an oxygen bleach solution (OxiClean, Clorox 2, Country Save Bleach, Purex 2 Color Safe Bleach are brands) and cold water.
Follow package directions for the amount of product per gallon of water. Completely soak clothing and allow it to soak for at least eight hours. Check the color.
If it is white enough, wash it as usual. If it remains yellow, mix a new solution and repeat. It may take several dives to clear completely.
Dry cleaning clothes only
If clothing is only dry-cleaned, indicate and identify the stain to your professional cleaner. If you are using a home dry cleaning kit, be sure to treat the stain with the provided stain remover before putting the clothes in the dryer bag.
You will have much better luck with a professional cleaner to remove stains.
Carpet and upholstery
If you have a regular smoker at home, a film of nicotine and tar will spread on the carpet and upholstery. Regularly cleaning the entire surface of your carpet or furniture is the only way to remove stains.
Use a professional cleaning service or rent a carpet/upholstery cleaning machine at least twice a year.
For occasional stains on a guest's tobacco, make the same stain cleaner used for polyester clothing by combining one part glycerin, one part white dish soap, and eight parts water in a large bottle. Add 1/4 cup white distilled vinegar to help control odor and mix well before using to treat the stain.
Use a clean white cloth or paper towel to work from the outer edges of the stain toward the center. Continue cleaning until no stains transfer to the cloth. Air dry away from direct heat. Repeat if necessary.
If you are cleaning a tobacco stain on upholstery, do not over-saturate the fabric. If the upholstery is silk or vintage, hire a professional.
For carpet burn marks, use very small scissors to trim the burned fibers. Then moisten the area with distilled white vinegar or remove burn marks and odors.
For upholstery burn marks, try rubbing the area gently with sandpaper. If the burn is deep, it is permanent.
We hope you enjoy watching this video about How to Quickly Get Rid of Cigarette Smoke
Source: Heather Lewis
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Last update on 2025-07-09 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
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