How to Get Rid of Wood Smoke Smell

Wood smoke particles linger, leaving an unpleasant, lasting smell.

Maybe you came close to losing your home in a fire or purchased furniture from a home or insurance sale that came with some unwelcome, lingering smoke fumes included. Whatever the case, remove that bad smell with a little patience and some trusted freshening methods.

1. Place smoky furniture or spread camping gear outdoors for a few days. Fresh air helps to lift bad smells from fabrics and wood. If the whole home suffers from the stench of smoke, open all windows and doors during the day while you are at home. Do this for many days if the weather permits.

2. Sprinkle furniture and carpets, camping gear and the insides of hiking shoes with baking soda. Baking soda is a natural odor remover and is often the main ingredient in carpet deodorizers. Let the baking soda remain on the dry material for a few hours before vacuuming it back up.

3. Burn incense sticks or scented candles to replace the smell of smoke in a home with a pleasant aroma.

4. Spray a deodorizing product around the home or on camping gear. Odor-neutralizing products aid in removing offensive smells.

5. Fill bowls with charcoal, vinegar, baking soda or fresh coffee grounds to absorb or replace a lingering smoky smell from the air. Sit the bowls near the affected furniture, camping gear or throughout the home. Allow a few days for the absorption of the pungent, smoky odor. After a camping trip, set the tent back up in the yard to air out and place a bowl of your choice of freshening agent inside.

6. Wash walls, blinds, windows, ceilings, floors, camping gear and wood furniture with a solution of warm water and lots of vinegar. The acid in vinegar safely cuts through the bitter, tarry reside left behind by smoke.

7. Pre-soak and machine-wash curtains and bedding with strong scented laundry soap, 1/2 cup of color-safe bleach and 2 tbsp. of baking soda according to the washing instructions on the labels.

8. Rent an industrial steam cleaner or hire a professional to clean carpets and furniture. Use a pet-odor removal carpet shampoo. The neutralizer in a strong odor removal shampoo should lift most bad odors, such as wood smoke from your home’s heavy fabrics, such as the carpets, rugs and durable fabric furniture.

9. Repaint walls and ceilings. A fresh coat of paint blocks smells that can adhere to old painted surfaces.

10. Rent an ozone generator to rid a home of deeply embedded smoke stench, if no other methods seem to work. An ozone generator rental could cost a couple of hundred dollars and you will have to temporarily evacuate the home, but this might be the only way to get rid of that stubborn, smoky smell. Speak to a restoration or insurance company to find out more about renting and using this type of machine. The ozone generator breaks down and eliminates smoke molecules.

Warning

Test inconspicuous areas on fabrics, wood furnishings or painted surfaces before proceeding to use any cleaning solution.