Ways to Eliminate Smoke Smell From Your Short-Term Rental Property

While you might forbid smoking in your vacation rental property and screen your guests carefully, the reality is that some guests will still do it. Fortunately, you don’t have to use harsh or expensive chemicals to clean smoke off walls and out of carpets. 

Cigarette odor removal is key to maintaining an attractive, clean, healthy space for your future guests. If you have a lingering smoke smell on your property, it’s time to eliminate it entirely. 

Figuring out how to remove smoke smells from your rental can be stressful, but it doesn’t have to be. Here are the best non-toxic cigarette odor removal methods to try. 

How to Remove Cigarette Odor: Increase Airflow Throughout the House

While air circulation doesn’t cure your smoke smell problem, it can help quite a bit. If your rental smells like smoke, the first thing you need to try is getting fresh air into the rental. This will remove lingering smoke particles and some of the strong scents that come with them. 

Open Windows and Doors 

On a day with good weather, open all of the windows and doors throughout the property. Make sure you do this on a day free from rain, snow, and other poor weather conditions. 

Allow fresh air to circulate through the rental and remove some of the smoke smell. As the air from the outside circulates through the interior of your rental, it will naturally pull out some of the smoke particles in the air. This is a free and easy way to kick-start the cigarette odor removal process. 

Use an Air Filter

Air filters and dehumidifiers pull toxic compounds out of the air in your rental. The specialized filters in these devices will catch smoke particles, removing them from the air and reducing the nasty smell. 

You can use these machines even as you’re aerating the property. The combination of open windows and doors, along with air filtration, may make a surprising difference in your rental’s air quality. 

Deep-Clean Everything: Furniture, Walls, Cabinets, and More

Unfortunately, cigarette smoke sticks to every surface in a rental property. This means you’ll have to do some scrubbing and soaking to get the smell out. The more you manually scrub furniture and fixtures in your rental, the more likely you are to get rid of foul cigarette odors. 

Scrub Hard Surfaces With Natural Cleansers

Your walls, cabinets, hard floors, and any other hard surfaces need a good scrub after being exposed to smoke. You can easily and cheaply make your own cleaner using vinegar and water. This natural cleaner saves you time and money — and it’s non-toxic!

Create a 1:1 solution with white vinegar and water. We recommend using one cup of water and one cup of vinegar for the best results. Scrub hard surfaces with this solution, making sure to rinse out your cleaning rag often. 

Allow these surfaces to dry naturally over the next few hours. Don’t rinse the surfaces with water, as this will interrupt the vinegar’s natural deodorizing process.

Deodorize Furniture and Rugs With Baking Soda

It can be a bit trickier to figure out how to remove smoke smells from cloth and furniture. Baking soda is a natural deodorizer, and it’s your best friend for cigarette odor removal. It’s cheap, safe, and easy to use. 

Sprinkle a generous layer of baking soda over all of the furniture in your unit. Let the baking soda sit for at least 24 hours to absorb as much of the smoke smell as possible. After it’s done its natural deodorizing, vacuum the baking soda off of the furniture. 

If the smoke scent remains, you may need to use a steam cleaner or other type of wet vacuum on the furniture. This hack works well for rugs, upholstery, and other items with fabric. There are also readily available non-toxic deodorizers like Febreze or other products that contain baking soda.

Wash Curtains, Drapes, and Other Cloth Materials

Throw your window dressings into the washing machine with laundry detergent and white vinegar. We recommend using one cup of white vinegar for each load. Ensure the wash temperature is on the hottest setting to remove as much odor as possible.

Add the vinegar to the washing machine before starting the wash cycle. Avoid letting window dressings and other cloth materials soak up vinegar, as it can cause discoloration. 

Always check each item’s tags to ensure they’re washing machine-safe. You may need to let some items air dry after their wash cycles. 

Use Natural Deodorizers Throughout the Unit

Some natural household ingredients make wonderful deodorizers. Mix them into bowls and let them sit overnight to capture unpleasant odors. If your rental smells like smoke, we recommend starting this process immediately. 

White vinegar is one of the best natural deodorizers available. Fill one large bowl for each room in your rental and allow the bowl to sit for 12 to 24 hours. Over time, the vinegar will naturally capture smoke particles and reduce the scent. 

You can also sprinkle ammonia powder, baking soda, or commercial deodorizing powders over floors and furniture while the vinegar sits. That way, everything will come out fresh and clean at the same time the next day. 

Clean Out the Property’s HVAC Units 

Your rental’s HVAC units likely absorbed some of the cigarette odor over time. Sometimes, all you have to do is change the filters to get rid of the smoke smell. Depending on how long your previous guests smoked indoors, it could take more or less elbow grease to get the job done. 

After each HVAC unit has been cleaned and refreshed appropriately, the air will smell much better. It’s a good idea to either clean them out yourself or hire someone to do so. If you’ve tried replacing the filters and using other cigarette odor removal methods and the smoke smell remains, it’s time to call a professional. 

Restore Healthy Air to Your Rental

Your future guests will be grateful to breathe healthy, clean air the next time they book a stay. You don’t have to use toxic chemicals or expensive commercial products to get rid of smoke smells in your rental. Try these well-loved methods to make the most out of  the property you’ve insured and maintained for years to come.If you’re a property manager that needs some peace-of-mind in your operations, consider Safely’s short-term rental insurance and guest screening services. You’ll be prepared for anything that comes your way, odor-related or otherwise!