How to Get Smoke Odors Out of Clothing

Summary: Removing smoke odor from clothing can be tough due to its sticky nature. Methods like using baking soda, scented dryer sheets, deodorizing sprays, air drying, fabric softener, scent boosters, white vinegar, and washing in hot water can help freshen up your garments effectively. Choose what works best for you to eliminate stubborn smoke smells from fabrics.

Smoke Odors in Clothing

When smoke seeps into fabrics like clothing, it can be quite challenging to eliminate. If you’ve spent time near a campfire or in a smoky bar or restaurant, you’re familiar with how easily the smell of smoke lingers on your clothes. Removing the smoke odor from clothing can be a difficult task that requires time. In this blog, we will explore the reasons why smoke clings to clothing and effective methods to eliminate it once it has become embedded in your garments.

Why does smoke stick to clothing?

When dealing with wood or tobacco, the smoke clouds carry harmful residues like tar, oil, ash, and other chemicals that cling to clothing. Although white and black smoke may appear distinct and have different odors, both types contain sticky molecular compounds that bind to materials like curtains, carpets, and upholstery.

How to Get Rid of Smoke Smells from Fabrics

Smoke residue can be stubborn to eliminate due to its sticky nature. Yet, there are effective methods to restore freshness to your laundry. These techniques will aid in eradicating smoke odors and rejuvenating the scent of your garments. Prior to attempting any of these solutions, review the care label on your clothing for appropriate washing instructions to prevent any potential damage to your items.

• Add baking soda to your washer:

Most households already have baking soda, so this is a great and cheap way to remove smells. As most of the smells are acidic, baking soda will neutralize the pH and fight tough odors. It is best to add a cup of baking soda to your regular wash cycle and that will help trap and neutralize any smoke odors.

• Use dryer sheets that are scented:

Dryer sheets can freshen up your laundry as it dries and help with static clinging and softening your clothing. Just add a scented dryer sheet to your damp laundry in the dryer and use the appropriate drying cycle. However, always make sure to first neutralize any odors in your laundry before the wash as dryer sheets may just mask the current odors instead of getting rid of them.

• Use a deodorizing spray:

This is a great way to remove tough smoke odors from clothing and fabrics such as carpets and curtains. Deodorizing sprays contain specialized odor eliminating agents which will bind to the individual molecules of the odor and change their chemical structure. Once you’ve changed the structure, it can no longer bind to the odor receptors in your nose, getting rid of the smell. Whole-room deodorizers are available everywhere and can be used on clothing items as well as on jackets or even on curtains affected by smoke odor.

• Air dry your clothing:

If you have the opportunity, a great way to dry your laundry is to air dry it on a clothesline outside. It helps with your laundry smelling great and it is also better for the environment. Dryers account for 3% of electricity usage in the United States which is equivalent to all the solar panels that are currently installed in America. Many studies show that hanging your clothing outside in the sun is the best way to dry your clothing. The UV rays from the sunlight react with the water in the clothing which creates a great aroma and freshness that lasts a long time.

• Use a fabric softener:

Fabric softener is a great laundry aid that you can add to your wash to get rid of odors and static cling, so your fabric is soft to the touch. This is a great choice when you are dealing with tough odors so you can bring freshness to your fabrics.

• Add a scent booster:

There are many ways you can add a pleasant smell to your laundry. This includes scent boosters, fragrance boosters, or booster pellets that are really scented beads you put into the laundry. All these scent boosters dissolve in the laundry and the pleasant scent adheres to the fabrics which eliminates any type of bad odors.

• White vinegar:

Like baking soda, white vinegar is usually available in most homes and is a great way to get rid of smoke smells in clothing and other fabrics. Distilled white vinegar contains acetic acid and is effective at neutralizing bad odors. Just pour a cup of distilled white vinegar to the wash cycle or you can dilute equal parts vinegar and water, put it in a spray bottle, and spray the clothing to get rid of bad odors.

• Wash clothing in hot water:

Even though not all clothing can be washed in hot water, heat does help fabric fibers to loosen up which will allow cleaners to better clean and neutralize smoke molecules as they wash away. Always make sure to take care of your clothing when washing in hot water so you can prevent damage and shrinking. Check the care label on your clothing before you add them to hot water.

Professional Smoke Removal Services

If you’ve experienced a fire at your home or business, you know that the leftover smoke and soot can ruin various materials after a fire. As smoke and soot settle on surfaces, the corrosive byproducts can cause materials to corrode, warp and stain. Smoke can also leave bad odors behind. This type of odor needs specialized cleaning by professionals.

Fire and smoke damage restoration professionals are properly equipped to remove bad odors from your property. In addition to cleaning and restoring your home following a fire, they will also use advanced deodorization methods to remove any lingering smoke odors. Some restoration professionals can even provide restoration dry cleaning to treat clothing with smoke odors.

About Vince Sandri

Vince Sandri is a content writer and blogger with more than 12 years of experience. His expertise is in creating content related to disaster restoration, including information about preventing and reacting to natural disasters like flooding, water damage, fire and smoke damage, mold growth, storm damage and more.
Vince has been the main contributor to RestorationMasterFinder.com since 2014. Over that time, he has written numerous service pages and blogs for disaster restoration providers featured on RestorationMasterFinder.com. Vince has done extensive research and covered a wide range of topics relating to disaster restoration to help homeowners, business owners, and property managers better protect their property. He understands the problems that disasters like flooding, fire, smoke, and mold can cause as well as the best ways to respond to these issues to limit the damage.
Vince completed his Bachelor of Arts degree at Aurora University and his master’s degree at DePaul University. He has been writing SEO website pages, blogs, and press releases since 2012. Vince is also a musician and can be seen playing in the Chicago, IL area.