How Do You Remove Cigarette Smell From Wood Furniture?

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Nothing is as off-putting as cigarette smell on a nice piece of furniture. In fact, the byproducts from cigarette smoke can saturate wood and leave a stale, strong odor that persists for several days or even weeks. So, how do you remove cigarette smell from wood furniture?

The best way to remove cigarette smoke smell from wood furniture is by cleaning it with OdoBan Disinfectant and Odor Eliminator or Murphy Oil Soap. You can also clean it with distilled white vinegar or use coffee grounds to absorb the odor. You may need to clean each piece multiple times.

A casual wipe with soapy water may not help get rid of the smoke smell from wood furniture. And if you use harsh chemicals, you risk damaging the finish. Let’s get started so you know how to safely clean your wood furniture and remove cigarette smells without damaging the finish.

How to Get Cigarette Smell Out of Wood Furniture 

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Removing cigarette smell from wood furniture is a lot easier if you’re armed with the right supplies and follow the correct steps.

Supplies You’ll Need

Use Murphy Oil Soap and Essential Oil

This method works great if you do it outside on a warm, sunny day, but you can also do it inside if the weather is not conducive. Ideally, you want to put the piece of furniture on a plastic cover mat, a drop cloth, or an old towel to catch any drips.

Follow these steps:

  1. Half-fill a bucket with warm water, add 1/4 cup of Murphy Oil Soap, then work it up to lather. Murphy Oil works great for removing strong odors like that of cigarette smoke from wood furniture.

  2. Dip a sponge or microfiber cloth in the soap solution and use it to gently wipe the wood surface. Do this in repeated circular motions. For best results, work in small sections until you cover the entire surface to be cleaned.

  3. Scrub the wood surface 2 to 3 times until you can no longer smell the smoke when you bring your nose so close to the surface.

  4. Rinse the microfiber cloth with clean water and use it to wipe away the soapy water from the wood surface. Do this as many times as needed until you’ve gotten rid of all the soap residue.

  5. Once you’ve cleaned and dried the wood surface well, place a few drops of your favorite essential oil on a clean microfiber cloth and work it on the wood surface. This process helps deodorize the wood a bit further, but it’s entirely optional.

Since cigarette smoke smell is notorious for permeating the finish and grain of wood furniture, you may have to repeat this process more than once.

Use OdoBan Multipurpose Cleaner

OdoBan multipurpose cleaner is available in a ready-to-use spray bottle and an economical concentrated formula. When using the OdoBan concentrate, you should use a gallon of fresh water for every 22 ounces of the product.

Home cleaning experts recommend that for best results, you should clean the wood surface with a mild, wood-safe cleaner (ideally one with hydrogen peroxide) and a damp microfiber cloth. This will eliminate surface debris and any build-up of microscopic smoke particles.

Spritz a small amount of the OdoBan Disinfectant and Odor Eliminator on a clean microfiber cloth and use it to wipe the finished wood surface.

For some reason, unfinished wood surfaces like the underside of your table or the inside of your drawers can trap cigarette smells like a sponge. To remove smoke odors from these, coat the surfaces with a generous amount of the product, taking care not to oversaturate the wood.

Allow the product to sit on the wood surface for 10 to 15 minutes, then wipe it away with a clean microfiber cloth. Let the furniture sit in a dry area with good airflow.

Clean With Distilled White Vinegar

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Vinegar contains acetic acid, which works great at removing smoke odors. You can place a cup of distilled white vinegar in a bowl and leave it to sit in the piece of furniture, let’s say a drawer, for at least 48 hours.

But if it’s some other surface like a table, you’ll have to clean it with vinegar and a microfiber cloth. Make a solution of equal parts water and vinegar. 

Dip the microfiber cloth in the solution and wring it out well, ensuring it’s only slightly damp; not wet. Clean the wood surface with the microfiber cloth and dry it with another clean soft cloth or paper towels.

Use Coffee Grounds to Absorb the Odor

This method works great for furniture parts like drawers and shelves. Line the drawer with some old newspapers and sprinkle fresh coffee grounds over them. Let the coffee sit for at least two days to absorb the unpleasant odor.

How Long Does It Take To Get Smoke Smell Out of Wood? 

There’s no fixed amount of time that it takes to remove the smoke smell from wood as it all boils down to how saturated the wood surface is, the airflow, and the product you’re using to clean. So in general, this can be anything from a couple of hours to 2 days or slightly more.

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