Smoke, it sticks to fabric, it hangs in the air. Many people like to think that simply opening up a window and letting fresh air in will get rid of the smell; unfortunately, that’s far from the actual reality of the situation. You can open a window and try to air out the place, but the smell will probably still linger for hours or even days after, depending on your sensitivity to the smell. Luckily, there are a few ways to permanently get rid of the smell of smoke, even from your walls, carpet and furniture.

Vinegar

Smoke smell is left behind even after the all the smoke has cleared because of all the tars and resins have decided to make a little home for themselves by clinging to the walls or furniture. For getting the smells out of surface areas, vinegar cuts right through all that tar and leftover resins like a hot knife through butter. But why replace the smell of smoke with the smell of vinegar? The answer is simple: the smell of vinegar will eventually go away, taking the smell of smoke with it; but left alone, the smoke smell will continue to linger.

A Carpet Cleaner

For smoke that has found its way into your carpet, a thorough washing is the only true remedy. And, if smoke likes to stick anywhere, it’s your carpet. Hiring a professional carpet cleaner is not necessary; most local hardware stores will rent carpet cleaners for a lot less, and these are efficient enough to get the smell of smoke out.

Baking Soda and Fresh Air

Nothing works better at absorbing foul odors than baking soda and fresh air. First, take some baking soda and sprinkle it on the floor, furniture and window sills. The more surfaces covered, the better it will work, so be generous when spreading the baking soda around. Let it sit overnight and absorb all the leftover tar and resins, then let the room or area air out for a day. The baking soda works like a charm and what ever small amount is still lingering in the air can be blown out with a fan. Adding an oil-based air freshener after you’ve aired everything out is a good way to follow up the cleaning.

Odor Removal Products

Odor removal products work well as long as they have some kind of cleaning agent in them to cut through the tars and resins. The only downside is that using them can get pricey really quickly. If you have to rely on professional odor removing products to constantly clear your house or work space of the smell of smoke, be prepared to bust our your wallet on a regular basis.