How To Get A Cigarette Smell Out Of Leather Furniture
Leather furniture offers a clean and sleek style to any space however this classic furniture choice does come with a few common downsides.
One of which makes it extremely vulnerable to absorbing various odors, such as smoke and cigarette smells.
The main reason why this occurs is because leather is a porous material.
This easily absorbs odors and the smoke particles from the cigarette tend to penetrate the surface of the leather, therefore having the tendency to settle in the fibers of a couch and give off a strong cigarette smell.
The last thing you’d want is to sit on your couch and catch a nasty whiff of that unpleasant scent lingering around your space.
To have a home that smells good, it’s essential to eliminate these unpleasant odors.
In this article, you’ll find effective solutions to remove cigarette smells from the couch and make it smell good again.
Here’s what you can do about it:
Table of Contents
Ways To Get Rid of Cigarette Smells From Leather Furniture
Allow Adequate Ventilation
Proper ventilation and airing of the couch are important for eliminating odors and keeping furniture smelling fresh and clean.
It’s always recommended to open windows and doors to allow the fresh air to circulate throughout the room.
Before trying any other remedy, airing the couch might be all you really need to do if the cigarette smell is still quite recent.
If a room or couch has been exposed to cigarettes for a long period of time, restricting ventilation is a common way for the odor to persist and worsen.
With this simple yet effective method, the fresh air circulating through the room will eventually allow for the cigarette smell to dissipate.
You could also try taking the couch outside to air out completely, as long as it’s not in direct sunlight or heat.
Be sure to keep an eye out on the direction of the sun otherwise, this could be a threat to the leather as heat and direct sunlight can t fade or damage the delicate leather.
The First Test
Before I explain how to go about using any remedy or product, I suggest one thing: always try any natural remedy or solution on a small inconspicuous spot on the couch to test it first.
Apply the cleaner or mixture on a small spot and let it sit for 15 minutes or so.
You’re good to go if there’s no discoloration or damage to that area.
This will prevent any serious or further damage done to the couch. Leather tends to be quite sensitive so it’s a good idea to play it safe.
Leather Cleaner
There are leather cleaners designed to clean, remove, and maintain the quality of a leather couch.
They’re also designed to remove any impurities and dirt that could damage the couch over time.
Investing in the right one for your leather furniture will be a highly effective way to remove any odor or cigarette smell from the couch.
A leather deodorizer is another option you can look at to remove and neutralize various smoke smells, especially cigarettes or fireplace smoke.
Natural Remedies
Baking Soda
There are a few popular natural remedies that can be used to eliminate and remove odors from various furniture items.
Baking soda in particular is a common natural deodorizer that can remove strong odors and clean up an area while also freshening up the couch.
Here’s how baking soda works.
You’ll first need to identify the area that has the strongest cigarette smell.
Take a generous amount of baking soda and sprinkle it on that area.
You can leave the baking soda for a few minutes, hours, or overnight depending on how severe the odor is.
Once the baking soda has been allowed to rest and absorb the smell, you can then use a vacuum to remove the powder.
Always use a soft or gentle attachment so that it does not scrape or tear the delicate leather.
If there is any remaining baking soda on the couch, go ahead and remove it with a damp cloth.
The baking soda should have gotten rid of the smell or at least the majority of it. You may have to repeat this process a couple of times if the smell is persistent.
Vinegar Solution
Another powerful natural deodorizer and cleaner is vinegar.
Creating a solution of equal parts distilled vinegar and water in a spray bottle can be used to neutralize and remove the odor from the couch.
Vinegar is a strong agent so you’ll have to test it out first to make sure it adheres to your couch.
Shake the bottle to mix the vinegar and water solution and then spray it onto the affected areas until it’s lightly damp.
Avoid making the couch or area completely wet with this solution.
Leave the solution to dry naturally on the couch and then you can wipe it away with a clean cloth if need be.
The vinegar will do the work to remove the cigarette smell from the couch.
Use a Leather Conditioner
Taking proper care of leather furniture will save you the headache of having to deal with problems in the future.
Using a quality leather conditioner will help moisturize and add a luxurious, rich shine to the leather couch.
It will definitely help revitalize the couch and make sure it looks its best.
If you get a scented one, this will help mask the odor of any lingering cigarette smells.
Just make sure to follow the instructions of the product when using any leather furniture.
Invest In An Air Purifier
An air purifier is a machine that filters your air. It’s a wonderful investment for maintaining and improving the condition of your space and removing harmful contaminants in the space.
You’ll definitely notice a great difference in the air quality that could be better for your overall well-being.
You can also place the air purifier near the couch so that it can help filter out some of the odors.
Tips For Avoiding Future Odors On A Couch
Dealing with odors can be tough. Especially when they’re as tricky as cigarette or other smoke smells. These tend to penetrate the pores which makes them a difficult and challenging task to remove.
If you’ve finally managed to get your couch back to its proper condition, here are a few essential tips you might want to keep in mind to prevent this in the future:
Avoid smoking in the house – The risk and exposure to cigarettes and smoke smells are bound to make your couch smell bad again. To reduce the risk, it’s best to create a rule of no smoking in this room of the house. And if smoking can’t be avoided, then consider having the rule to smoke as far away from the couch to reduce the impact.
Create a regular cleaning routine – Practice a proper cleaning and maintenance routine so that you can immediately clean up these odors as they happen rather than allowing them to linger and get worse. Cleaning up spills, dirt, dust, and debris can help maintain the condition of any couch for years to come.
Make sure there’s sufficient ventilation – As mentioned earlier, if you want your couch to smell clean, having proper ventilation or at least opening the windows every day for air to circulate will make sure all your furniture stays fresh. This can also remove any bad smells in the space and replace them with fresh air.
Conclusion
And there you have it. Easy, simple solutions to remove a pesky cigarette odor from a couch that will reclaim a pleasant and fresh-smelling couch.
It may take a couple of tries to get it out completely, especially if the couch has long-time exposure to cigarettes but you’re bound to notice a difference.
For a cheap solution, baking soda or vinegar is a fantastic natural remedy to try out or an actual leather furniture cleaner but if you’re still struggling to get the smell out, consider opting for a professional cleaning service.
You could also consult them if you have any issues or questions that are specific to your leather couch so that you can find the best option that will work for your space.
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How To Get Smells Out of A Leather Couch