Anyone know how to get cigarette smoke smell out of wood furniture?

[SarahLovesJS]

I naively thought that airing out this great piece of furniture I bought on Craig''s list (that matches my bedroom furniture) would do the trick. Nope. Not a smoker and not from a family of smokers so no experience here with trying to get the smell out...

So far I''ve tried dryer sheets, febreze, and Murphy''s oil soap. It''s mainly bad on the inside of the drawers. Any advice?

 

[HollyS]

Try my trick. (Actually I learned this in the appliance biz; we used it to take the rotting food smell out of old refrigs.) Coffee.

Line the drawers with newspaper, and grind fresh coffee beans (buy something strong and cheap), sprinkle a very liberal amount on the newspaper liners in each drawer. Leave for a few weeks if necessary.

This worked very well for me, but not completely. So after I took up the coffee grounds, I put those scent packets (the ones they sell at Bed, Bath, and Beyond for drawers and closets) in the drawers. These are really strong smelling, so get a scent you like. When they''ve been there awhile, take them out, let the strong sachet scent fade, and see what you''ve got for lasting smells.

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Stick the drawers outside and air them out for a week? Then try Holly's coffee suggestion.

Also, oxyclean gets smoke smell out of most clothes, so you can try it on the drawers. Wash them and let them dry outside.

 

[Hudson_Hawk]

I would definitely try the coffee. You could also try vinegar. Wash them down with vinegar and water and then leave bowls of full strength in the drawers for a few days.

 

[Ellen]

Open boxes of baking soda in closed drawers might help too. BS is known for getting odors out, but this may be more than it can handle.... Cheap try though.

 

[hlmr]

Put bowls of baking soda inside the closed dresser drawers for a few days first, then add water to some fresh baking soda and scrub the inside of each drawer.

Good luck!

eta: Ellen!!

 

[LamborghiniGirl]

I am in a similar situation right now... my BF's roomate just moved out, we never went in his room but he is a smoker. My BF told him never to smoke in there, but he did, and now it smells awful and so strong. He clearly disrespected my BF... another story though.

BUT right now we have painted the entire room with a water/vinegar/baking soda solution (so that is a good thing to try) as well as poured baking soda all over the rug. Now we have bowls of vinegar and Baking soda in the room, so both are good ideas.

I will also add that unless you are completely in love with the finish the piece has right now, you will solve your problem, and I am 99% confident about this: KILZ primer/paint. You can get the clear kind; that isn't white or colored. It seals in the smells SO well. So if the baking soda and the vinegar don't work, I would say the next step is KILZ.

Good luck! After going through this with rescuing this room in BF's house, I resent the ex-roomate ever more!

 

[SarahLovesJS]

Date: 7/20/2009 9:28:06 PM
Author: LamborghiniGirl
I am in a similar situation right now... my BF''s roomate just moved out, we never went in his room but he is a smoker. My BF told him never to smoke in there, but he did, and now it smells awful and so strong. He clearly disrespected my BF... another story though.


BUT right now we have painted the entire room with a water/vinegar/baking soda solution (so that is a good thing to try) as well as poured baking soda all over the rug. Now we have bowls of vinegar and Baking soda in the room, so both are good ideas.


I will also add that unless you are completely in love with the finish the piece has right now, you will solve your problem, and I am 99% confident about this: KILZ primer/paint. You can get the clear kind; that isn''t white or colored. It seals in the smells SO well. So if the baking soda and the vinegar don''t work, I would say the next step is KILZ.


Good luck! After going through this with rescuing this room in BF''s house, I resent the ex-roomate ever more!

Wow what a tool!

Sorry about the ex-roommate.

Anyway just wanted to say thank you all for the tips I am going to cycle through them! Only ones that won''t work unfortunately is anything that involves taking the drawers out..I forgot to note that they don''t come out at all.

But I think something has to work. And I guess I could try sealing the insides of the drawers if none of the other ideas work?

 

[Black Jade]

White vinegar has worked for me.

 

[Ellen]

Date: 7/20/2009 9:25:06 PM
Author: hlmr
Put bowls of baking soda inside the closed dresser drawers for a few days first, then add water to some fresh baking soda and scrub the inside of each drawer.

Good luck!

eta: Ellen!!

 

[luvthemstrawberries]

What are the drawers made out of? Are they wood that would be ruined by moisture? Are they lined with something that would resist water?

 

[SarahLovesJS]

Date: 7/21/2009 10:05:38 AM
Author: luvthemstrawberries
What are the drawers made out of? Are they wood that would be ruined by moisture? Are they lined with something that would resist water?

Hello!!

Yep they are wood..I am thinking maybe birch veneer? Not sure what kind it is..it''s cheap though to be honest, lol.

 

[luvthemstrawberries]

Date: 7/23/2009 12:56:33 AM
Author: SarahLovesJS

Date: 7/21/2009 10:05:38 AM
Author: luvthemstrawberries
What are the drawers made out of? Are they wood that would be ruined by moisture? Are they lined with something that would resist water?

Hello!!

Yep they are wood..I am thinking maybe birch veneer? Not sure what kind it is..it''s cheap though to be honest, lol.

That''s fine. I was just wondering if washing would ruin it, which it sounds like it might in this case. I''d vote to maybe try the baking soda or coffee grounds ideas. I also have used those scent packets that Holly mentioned, and I love those. Don''t know how they are at actually removing scents, but they sure do make an area smell better. You also might could think about maybe lining the drawers with some sort of furniture drawer lining. I doubt that would help too much though - might in the end though after you do the majority of the scent removal. Wouldn''t want your clothes smelling like that just from sitting in a drawer.

Let us know what you end up trying! I''m curious what works for you.

 

[strmrdr]

smells be gone

http://www.hangercity.com/smbegospfr.html