How to Get Smoke Smell Out of Clothes (Cigarette, Campfire)

To get smoke smell out of clothes, wash them with your usual detergent plus 1 cup of white vinegar, then sniff each piece before it goes in the dryer: if you still smell smoke, wash again, because dryer heat can lock the odor in (OSU Extension). Heavy soot and smoke can take as many as five washes (American Cleaning Institute).

Air fresheners, scent boosters and sprays only cover the smell for a while (OSU Extension). The smell comes from residue in the fibers, and washing is what removes it (Thirdhand Smoke Resource Center).

Key takeaways

Add 1 cup of white vinegar to the wash with your normal detergent.
Use the warmest water the care label allows, a full cycle and an extra rinse.
Check for smoke smell before every dryer cycle; rewash instead of drying.
Secondhand or heavily smoked fabrics may need three full wash-and-dry cycles.
After a fire, bag ash-covered clothes, wear gloves and an N95, and never use an ozone machine yourself.

Why does smoke smell stick to clothes?

Smoke smell is made of microscopic particles that cling to clothing and other surfaces, so it doesn't fade the way a cooking smell does (OSU Extension). Tobacco smoke leaves a chemical residue, called thirdhand smoke, that sticks to clothes, skin and hair and can keep releasing a stale smell (Thirdhand Smoke Resource Center).

Fabric type matters. a 2021 University of California study found more nicotine and related chemicals in cotton and terry cloth than in polyester and wool, and how much came out depended on fabric, heat and humidity. That suggests a cotton hoodie can hold more tobacco residue than a polyester jacket worn in the same smoky room.

Airing clothes out or masking the smell with fragrance can make the odor fainter, but it doesn't remove the residue embedded in the fabric (Thirdhand Smoke Resource Center).

How do you get smoke smell out of clothes in the washing machine?

Wash smoky clothes as soon as you can, on their own, with a full cycle and plenty of water. These steps combine guidance from OSU Extension, the American Cleaning Institute and the Thirdhand Smoke Resource Center:

Shake off ash or soot outdoors. Don't rub it in; rubbing can push soot deeper (American Cleaning Institute).
Keep smoky items separate. Wash heavily smoked clothes apart from clean laundry (Thirdhand Smoke Resource Center).
Use the warmest water the label allows. Add your regular detergent, choose a full cycle and add an extra rinse if your machine has one (Thirdhand Smoke Resource Center).
Add 1 cup of white vinegar to the wash along with the detergent (OSU Extension).
Sniff before drying. If any smoke smell remains, wash again right away the same way; don't dry smoky clothes, because the heat can set the odor (OSU Extension).
Repeat until it's gone. Soot and heavy smoke can take up to five washes (American Cleaning Institute).

Give the load room to move. The Thirdhand Smoke Resource Center stresses plenty of water, so don't pack the drum tight. If you have a pile of smoky bedding and jackets, a large washer at a laundromat lets you run it in fewer loads.

Vinegar, baking soda or vanilla?

Vinegar is the additive the extension advice names: 1 cup per load with detergent (OSU Extension). The American Red Cross also suggests a cold wash with your usual detergent and 1 tablespoon of pure vanilla extract. Baking soda is a cheap odor absorber (OSU Extension); our guide to baking soda in laundry covers amounts and limits.

Never put vinegar in the same load as chlorine bleach. Chlorine bleach mixed with an acid gives off chlorine gas, which irritates the eyes, nose and throat and causes coughing and breathing problems (Washington State Department of Health). More on what vinegar does in a wash is in our white vinegar guide.

Does OxiClean remove smoke smell?

OxiClean's own odor instructions are written for musty smells, not smoke, and the page doesn't mention smoke. Its odor soak is a full scoop per gallon of water for 3 to 6 hours, and the maker says not to use it on wool, silk, their blends, leather or dry-clean-only fabrics (OxiClean). Test a hidden spot first. A soak can help a washable item, but the washing steps above are still what removes smoke residue.

How do you get cigarette smell out of clothes?

Cigarette smell is thirdhand smoke residue, and the Thirdhand Smoke Resource Center recommends machine washing rather than airing clothes out. Use the steps above with regular detergent, the warmest water the label allows and an extra rinse (Thirdhand Smoke Resource Center).

If you smoke: wash the clothes you smoked in each day, so the residue isn't released into the air at home (Thirdhand Smoke Resource Center).
Thrift and hand-me-down clothes: for fabrics from a home where someone smoked, the center recommends three rounds of washing and drying (Thirdhand Smoke Resource Center).
Items for a baby or child: if a stale tobacco smell remains after several washes, not using the item is the safest choice (Thirdhand Smoke Resource Center).

The American Cleaning Institute says the same for tobacco odor: launder what can go through the washer, and if the first try doesn't work, more washes may.

How do you remove cigarette smell from clothes instantly?

You can't remove it instantly; you can only cover it. A fabric freshener spray is one of the American Cleaning Institute's suggestions for fabric surfaces, but scents only mask smoke for a short time (OSU Extension). Hang the piece outside, then wash it when you can.

How do you get campfire smoke smell out of clothes?

Campfire smell comes out the same way: shake off ash outdoors, then wash in the warmest water the label allows and repeat until it's gone (American Cleaning Institute). Air the clothes out while you wait, but don't pack smoky clothes into a dryer, because heat can set the odor (OSU Extension).

Cotton flannels and hoodies tend to hold smoke residue more than polyester or wool (a 2021 University of California study); plan on a second wash.
Wool sweaters and down need their care label's method; for wool or silk, skip oxygen boosters (OxiClean).
Sleeping bags and blankets are bulky; give them a machine big enough for plenty of water (Thirdhand Smoke Resource Center).

How do you clean clothes after a wildfire or house fire?

Clothing can be safely cleaned after a wildfire, but handle the ash first (EPA). Ash from burned buildings generally contains more harmful chemicals than forest ash, and wet ash can cause chemical burns or skin irritation (EPA).

Protect yourself. Wear gloves, long sleeves and a NIOSH-approved N95 or P100 respirator; keep children away from ash (EPA).
Bag it. Seal ash-covered clothing and shoes in a plastic bag before putting them in your car (EPA).
Wash what has visible soot. FEMA advises using a clothes washer for bedding, towels and clothes with soot on them.
Repeat and check. Rewash until the smell is gone before anything goes in the dryer (OSU Extension).

For bleachable whites with soot, the American Red Cross gives a stronger soak: 4 to 6 tablespoons of trisodium phosphate (TSP) and 1 cup of household cleaner or chlorine bleach per gallon of warm water. TSP is caustic, so read its label and test the garment first (American Red Cross).

Expect losses. Soot and ash can damage porous materials such as clothing to the point that they are nearly impossible to clean (FEMA).

What about ozone machines?

Don't run one yourself. OSU Extension says ozone treatment is a job for professionals, with the home evacuated, and suggests checking whether insurance covers it (OSU Extension). The EPA advises against using ozone or hydroxyl generators to neutralize smoke odors (EPA); at levels within health standards ozone doesn't remove many odor chemicals, and breathing it can damage the lungs (EPA).

How do you get smoke smell out of clothes without washing?

Without washing, you can make smoke smell fainter but not remove it. These help in the meantime:

Air it out. Fresh air is the first step in the American Cleaning Institute's smoke advice; hang the piece outdoors or by an open window.
Use an odor absorber. OSU Extension recommends open bowls of baking soda or activated charcoal, left for several days, to absorb smoke odor; a closet or garment bag works the same way.
Spray, then wash. A fabric freshener can cover the smell for the day (American Cleaning Institute), but fragrance only masks it (OSU Extension).

Airing and masking leave the embedded residue in the fabric (Thirdhand Smoke Resource Center), so wash or professionally clean the item as soon as you can.

Will dry cleaning remove cigarette smell?

Yes, it's the route for anything you can't wash. The American Cleaning Institute says to take items that can't be laundered to a dry cleaner, and notes that some professional cleaners specialize in smoke odor removal. Tell a professional dry cleaner the smell is smoke when you drop it off. More than 4,100 laundromats in the LaundroMaps directory list dry cleaning, as of October 2026 (LaundroMaps directory data).

How do you remove smoke smell from leather jackets and shoes?

Leather can't go in the washer, so air it out and take a smoky leather jacket to a dry cleaner or leather specialist (American Cleaning Institute). Don't use laundry odor boosters on it; OxiClean's instructions exclude leather (OxiClean). Home cleaning steps are in our guide to cleaning a leather jacket.

Does smoke smell stay on leather?

It can. Smoke residue is hard to remove from porous materials that can't be submerged and washed, and airing or fragrance leaves it in place (Thirdhand Smoke Resource Center). If a jacket still smells after airing, a professional cleaning is the next step (American Cleaning Institute).

How do you get the smell of cigarettes out of shoes?

Washable sneakers can go through the steps above; our guide to washing shoes in a machine covers how. Leather and suede shoes need a dry method, covered in our suede guide. After a fire, the American Red Cross suggests stuffing shoes with newspaper so they keep their shape.

When is a wash-and-fold service worth it for smoky laundry?

When the smell is in everything: closets after a house fire, a season of campfire gear, or bedding from a smoker's home. Smoky fabrics may need three full wash-and-dry cycles (Thirdhand Smoke Resource Center), which adds up fast. A wash-and-fold service takes the repeat loads off your hands; more than 6,700 laundromats in our directory list wash and fold, as of October 2026 (LaundroMaps directory data).

Say the clothes are smoky when you drop them off, and mention anything dry-clean-only. For musty or mildew smells instead of smoke, see why clothes smell after washing; for fuel, see our gasoline smell guide, which has its own safety rules.

Frequently asked questions

What neutralizes the smell of smoke?

Washing removes smoke residue; most other fixes only mask it. Vinegar in the wash, about 1 cup with detergent, is the additive extension advice names, and baking soda or activated charcoal can absorb odor in a closet over several days.

How long does cigarette smell last on clothes?

Longer than you'd think. Thirdhand smoke residue can persist on fabrics for months, and airing clothes out doesn't remove it. Washing is what gets it out.

Does fabric softener or a dryer sheet remove smoke smell?

No. Scents cover smoke smell for a short time but don't remove the residue. Wash first, and don't dry the clothes until the smoke smell is gone.

What kind of leather cleaner can I use to remove smoke smell?

Use a cleaner made for leather and follow the jacket's care instructions, never a laundry odor booster. For a strong smoke smell, a dry cleaner or leather specialist is the safer choice.

What is a safe and effective odor eliminator for leather?

Fresh air is the safe first step. Skip ozone machines, which the EPA advises against for smoke odors; for heavy smell, use a professional cleaner.

How long does it take for leather to stop smelling?

There's no set time, and residue can stay in porous materials. If a leather piece still smells after airing out, have it professionally cleaned.

How we researched this

We read guidance from university extension (OSU Extension), the American Cleaning Institute, the EPA, FEMA, the American Red Cross, the Washington State Department of Health and the Thirdhand Smoke Resource Center, plus one peer-reviewed study and one maker's instructions for its own product, and cited 11 sources and our own directory counts. Sources differ on drying: OSU Extension says not to dry clothes that still smell, while the Thirdhand Smoke Resource Center recommends repeated wash-and-dry cycles, so we advise checking for smell before every dryer cycle. We didn't lab-test any method, and home remedies with no published guidance behind them (such as vodka sprays) are left out. Researched October 2026.