Buzz
Smoking leaves a strong scent that lingers. As soon as you light a cigarette or a clove, the smell will cling to your clothes, furniture, and even your hair. If you're living with parents who oppose smoking, it's important to manage this odor. Taking steps to control the smell can help keep your habit hidden from them. If you need assistance quitting, check out How to Quit Smoking or visit the CDC website.
Instructions
Minimizing the Smell
Choose a secluded spot to smoke. If possible, select an outdoor location like a section of the garage or beneath your deck. If you can't smoke outdoors, the bathroom is another option.
- A bedroom is not ideal for hiding smoke. The fabrics there will absorb the smoke, making it more difficult to mask the scent.
Plan your smoke breaks carefully. If you're sneaking off to smoke every hour, your parents will begin to notice. Be strategic with when you take breaks, and find other reasons to step away.
- Before hopping in the shower.
- Head to the bathroom after a meal.
- Claim a nightly phone call with your boyfriend/girlfriend.
Seal gaps in the door. Use a towel to fill in any cracks between the door and its frame. A freshly washed towel will create a more pleasant scent as air moves through it. If you're outdoors or in the garage, this step isn't necessary.
Take advantage of a window. If you're indoors, always exhale through an open window. This not only sends most of the smoke outside but also helps ventilate the air inside.
Set up a fan. Proper ventilation is essential for masking the smoke smell. Place a portable fan near a window to help push the smoke outside and clear the air.
- Choose a room that already has a fan. Carrying a fan around will look suspicious.
Covering the Odor
Protect your clothing. A light jacket, hoodie, or long-sleeve shirt can prevent smoke from sticking to your clothes. Keep this cover-up in the area where you smoke.
Burn a smudge stick. A smudge stick is a bundle of dried herbs that acts like an incense stick. It not only covers the scent but also makes any lingering smoke less noticeable.
Spray cologne/body spray/air fresheners. Use these products both before and after smoking to avoid overwhelming your surroundings with the scent. Don't overdo it, or your parents might think you bathed in it.
Utilize an odor neutralizer. Ozium is a popular odor neutralizer that blocks out all smells except the neutralizer's scent. Often used to create the “new car smell,” it can eliminate many unpleasant odors. Follow the instructions for use and apply it just before exiting the room.
- If you need advice on eliminating weed odors, visit Mytour's "How to get rid of weed smell from a room?" forum!
Eliminating Personal Odors
Freshen up your breath. Brush your teeth right after smoking. If you're smoking outside and need to pass by your parents before reaching the bathroom, chewing gum can help freshen your breath. Alternatively, you can mask the smell by eating something pungent like garlic or onions. Though you’ll end up smelling like onions or garlic, it might be less noticeable than the smell of smoke.
Clean your hands. Use a heavily scented soap to wash your hands thoroughly. If that’s not enough, try using a scented moisturizer or hand sanitizer. Eating an orange can also help mask the smell. The juice from peeling the orange will leave a fresh scent on your hands.
Try rubbing alcohol. Rubbing alcohol can help remove the tar from your skin. Isopropyl alcohol is safe to use on the skin, but it can dry your skin out, so make sure to have a scented moisturizer handy.
Shampoo your hair. Since hair absorbs cigarette smoke due to its porous nature, the scent can linger for a long time. To get rid of it, you’ll need to shower and use a high-quality shampoo. Coconut shampoo and a fragrant hair styling product can also help mask the smell.
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Switch to E-Cigarettes. This can completely eliminate the smell of tobacco. You’ll still get your nicotine fix but without the lingering scent.
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Keep in mind that nonsmokers usually have a much sharper sense of smell than smokers. Even if you think you’ve removed the scent, they might still detect it. If you can smell it, they definitely will too.
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The only guaranteed way to eliminate the smell is to quit smoking entirely.
The tips in this section come from the personal experiences of Mytour users like you. If you have any useful advice you'd like to share with others on Mytour, feel free to submit it in the form below.
- Insert dryer sheets into a toilet paper roll and blow smoke through it to mask the odor. For even better odor absorption, place iodized charcoal (found in fish supply stores) between the sheets.
- Smoke in the bathroom while running the exhaust fan. You can also turn on the shower to create steam and squirt some shower gel into the water to mask the scent of smoke.
Important Notes
- Menthol cigarettes have just as strong a smell as regular ones.
- Minors should avoid smoking, as it poses serious risks to their developing bodies.
- Tar is sticky and can be difficult to remove.
- Smoking is harmful to your health. Over time, it will take a toll on your body.
