Natural Remedy for Yucky Cigarette Smell

by Brenda
(Orlando, Florida)

We were all excited about buying a beautiful table and china hutch from these people selling it on Creigslist. Couldn't wait to get it home and put my Mom's china in it. She just recently passed away, so I've been looking hard for a china hutch to display her beautiful china. I bought this china for her years ago when I was sixteen with money I made from my first job.

Well, we got the furniture home and I wiped everything down with a cloth with 409, but when I opened up the cabinet to the hutch, I smelled cigarette smoke!!! I was horrified, because WE DON'T smoke and never smelled it in these people's house..but somehow we bought their furniture, got it home and IT SMELLED like cigarette smoke. Now...I don't know what to do.

Its 2 in the morning and I can't sleep worrying about HOW am I gonna get this smell out of my new furniture. I'm also worried about my mom's china picking up the odor as well

Someone told me about putting a couple pieces of charcoal in a bowel and setting it in an area your wanting to get rid of an odor, so I planned on doing that for the INSIDE of the cabinets, but I need to find a solution for the OUTSIDE of the furniture. The table has long panels of pine wood laying side by side...so I'm thinking the cracks between each panel MUST be harboring the smoke smell...maybe the woods not sealed down in those cracks.

I was lying in bed worrying about this darn table and china hutch..AND the fact my daughter has Asthma and how this smell of cigarette smoke would effect her. So here I am on the computer trying to find a solution to my problem when I SHOULD BE sound asleep. :( Needless to say....I'm NOT happy and my excitement over my new furniture has drastically faded. :(

My sister-n-law swears by white distilled vinegar...so I'm wondering .....could I mix up a solution of one cup vinegar, 1 cup baking soda and 1/2 cup ammonia to One gallon of water water and wipe down the inside and outside of this table??? I got this recipe off another vinegar site that said it could be used to clean woodworks and walls. Didn't specifically say wood furniture...so I'm hoping you can help me with clarifying this for me.

Gosh I hope you can help me and I hope you read this soon...I really don't know what else to do.
Thank you for your time.
Brenda

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Sep 02, 2013
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starstarstarstarstar 		Cigarette odors
by: Cindy

Me an my husband live in a apartment, he smokes and the odor is awful, what can I do?
Jul 16, 2010
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starstarstarstarstar 		Cigarette Smoke and Natural Oder Killer
by: Patricia

Hello Brenda,

I can understand why you're so upset, I'm sure the furniture wasn't cheap and it does sound beautiful.

I'd be concerned with hurting the finish on the wood. I have no doubt the charcoal will help on the inside, even a box of Baking Soda would most likely eleminate the oder inside. As far as the outside I'd be really careful or you're liable to take the shine away. I wouldn't use White Distilled Vinegar because of its high acid content. Instead I'd try putting some Apple Cider Vinegar in a spray bottle with half vinegar and half warm water. Then spray it down and wipe as you go. But then I'd also use some lemon oil or lemon juice in a spray bottle and go over it again. I think this will eleminate the odor you're trying to get rid of. Yet the lemon will keep it's shine and make everything smell fresh and clean.

Good Luck,

Grandma

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