How to Get the Cigarette Smell Out of Pillows

How to Get the Cigarette Smell Out of Pillows
Published: Aug 18, 2011
Updated: Nov 20, 2021
2 minute read

There are a few common deodorizing techniques that, when combined, will get rid of that persistent cigarette odor and get your pillows smelling fresh and clean again.

Things You Will Need

  • Baking soda
  • Bag
  • Dryer sheets
  1. Place the pillow in a bag, and pour baking soda over the pillow. About 1 cup will do the trick, but there's really no such thing as too much baking soda in this case.

  2. Shake the bag vigorously to help the baking soda permeate the pillow. Unless the outer layer of fabric on your pillow is quite porous, don't be shocked if you're left with a large amount of baking soda left in the bottom of the bag. Shift the bag so the pillow is sitting on the baking soda.

  3. Allow the pillow to remain in the bag overnight. You do not have to seal the bag. In the morning, take the pillow outside, and shake the baking soda out of it.

  4. Hang the pillow from a clothesline outside during a sunny, breezy day. The warm air will circulate through the pillow and blow out the cigarette smell.

  5. Place the pillow in your dryer with two or three of your favorite dryer sheets. Set the dryer to a non-heated setting. Run the pillow through one or two drying cycles. When you are finished, the pillow will be odor-free. If the smell lingers, repeat the entire process until the smell is completely gone.

The Drip Cap

  • The smell of stale cigarette smoke is not generally associated with a good night's sleep.
  • Getting this odor out of clothes and other fabrics is as simple as doing a wash, but if your pillows have fallen victim to this stench, your options for deodorizing become somewhat limited.
  • Shift the bag so the pillow is sitting on the baking soda.
  • Allow the pillow to remain in the bag overnight.

Photo Credits

Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images

Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images

Jarrett Melendez

Jarrett Melendez is a journalist, playwright and novelist who has been writing for more than seven years. His first published work was a play titled, "Oh, Grow Up!" which he wrote and performed with a group of his classmates in 2002.

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