There are a few different ways to use vinegar to neutralize and remove bad odors like cigarette smoke: Just leave some bowls of vinegar around the house or in the car to neutralize the odor of smoke. Your environment should smell better by the end of the day.
Vinegar can also be used to remove sticky smoke residue which can be left behind by smokers. To use, fill a spray bottle with vinegar, and spray away on every surface. Then wipe everything down with lint-free towels. Vinegar can safely be used on floors, walls, blinds, doors, mirrors, windows, and sills.
The vinegar odor will permeate the house, and the smoke odor should be gone in less than a day. If you want to speed the process, soak a towel with vinegar and wave it around the room [source: Readers Digest].
White vinegar cuts through odors naturally. Try wiping down furniture, washable walls, floors, etc. with white vinegar. Also, try placing several bowls of vinegar around the room with the smoke damage, leaving them there for several days.
White vinegar is another nontoxic household staple that works to neutralize, not mask, bad odors such as smoke. Its low pH “attacks” the higher-pH smoke molecules, altering them just enough to reduce their smell. Don't worry, the smell of vinegar itself will naturally dissipate once it dries or is removed.
Air purifiers equipped with HEPA filters specifically can reduce particle concentrations by up to 85%, according to the EPA. This is because smoke particles (like from cigarettes) tend to be between 0.1 and 1.0 microns in size, but a True HEPA filter can remove 99.97% of particles up to 0.3 microns in size.
Use baking soda, white vinegar, activated charcoal, and ozone treatment to absorb and neutralize smoke odors on surfaces. Clean fabrics with vinegar, use a steam cleaner, replace air filters, and consider repainting and replacing heavily affected items to completely eliminate smoke residue.
There's another thing you can do, though: Pull out a bottle of distilled white vinegar. The acetic acid in vinegar neutralizes alkaline odors, which means it can help get rid of cooking smells cheaply and easily. Some people make a diluted solution of vinegar and keep it in a spray bottle to mist around the room.
'Leave a bowl of vinegar out overnight,' advises Saskia Gregson-Williams, cookbook author and founder of Naturally Sassy. 'In the morning, the vinegar will have absorbed all the unsavory smells and your kitchen will be as fresh as a daisy. '
Unpleasant odors lurk in the carpets, rugs, and upholstery. To remove these musty smells, fill a dish with half an inch of white vinegar and leave it out in the room until the smell dissipates.
Less is more with any cleaning product, including vinegar. Use the least amount of vinegar you can get away with to minimize smells. If you use a light hand with the vinegar, the aroma will go away on its own in 30 to 60 minutes, particularly on solid surfaces. If it's on a soft surface, it may take a day or so.
Baking soda and activated charcoal: Sprinkling either baking soda or activated charcoal powder (sold at pet stores) can remove cigarette odors just as it can mildew smells. If you are trying to reduce the cigarette stench in a room, you can either put the powders in open bowls, or sprinkle on a surface.
So, does boiling vinegar actually clean the air? The short answer is no, as far as current scientific research is concerned. Acetic acid, the active component of vinegar, is capable of killing pathogens, but only through direct contact.
You can use lemon—or another kind of citrus—peel, herbs, spices or essential oils. The choice is yours! Note that the longer you allow these aromatics to sit in the vinegar solution before using it, the more effective they will be.
Using white vinegar to get rid of odors
' Cleaning expert Cristy Harfmann agrees. If you're wondering how to wash towels or clothes that may have a bad odor, then adding 1/4 to 1 cup of vinegar to the washer during the last rinse cycle will get rid of the scent quickly.
You can leave it in a small cup or bowl inside your car overnight. The evaporation process will greatly limit even the strongest of odors. You can also try spraying and rubbing a stinky area with a mix of vinegar and water and a wet cloth.
Not because it has a strong smell itself, but because it soaks up and traps smoke particles from the air. Here is how to use white vinegar to rid yourself of that acrid smoke odor: Wipe your walls and other surfaces (including furniture, floors and ceilings) with the diluted vinegar solution.
baking soda. Sprinkle baking soda over the smoke-affected area and let it sit for a few hours before vacuuming it up. Be sure to test the baking soda on a small part of the surface to ensure that the surface or fabric doesn't react unfavorably to the baking soda.
Absorb the smoke
Place small bowls of vinegar around the rental unit. Similarly, fill bowls with kitty litter and baking soda to help absorb the odor. If you're willing to go one step further, grab some powdered activated charcoal from your local pet store or health food store.
Depending on your steps and diligence in combating the smoke particles, your odor removal timeline could range anywhere from two weeks to a month. But remain patient since your house fire is unique. A precise timeframe will come from your assessment and which steps you determine to be most useful.
Turn on all the fans, even the exhaust fans in the bathrooms and kitchen. Get some cross-ventilation going by sticking box fans in your windows — facing out! — to recirculate your home's air and replace that smoke smell with a fresh, outdoor breeze. Sweep, mop, vacuum, repeat.