Hiw to gzt rid of cigarette smell ??

[MaisOuiMadame]

Hi, long story short : my new reversible black lambskin jacket reeks of cold cigarette smoke. I've aired it out for weeks now, but the smell won't go away. The dry cleaners told me they can't guarantee anything and it will take a huge toll on the leather side... I've Googled tipps in three languages, but nothing so far. I've also used some rubbing alcohol, wiped with vinegar etc, but it still smells. I've had it in the dryer on the "freshen up cycle"
I don't want to toss this otherwise perfect (pretty darn expensive)coat.... Thoughts, wise PSers?

 

[missy]

Ugh, that stinks. (Sorry I couldn't resist)

Maybe this will provide helpful info:

Healthfully

Find your way to better health.

www.livestrong.com

And maybe this will be helpful as well.

Any good leather cleaner should remove both the nicotine and the odor from the leather. The lining, however, is more than likely what is holding the odor-a good dry cleaner certified to clean leather will be able to clean and deodorise the lining as well as the leather.

You can try damp sponging the lining at home if you prefer to avoid dry cleaning chemicals.

Turn the jacket inside out and either hang on a good quality wooden hanger with those supportive wide, thick shoulder areas, or lay it out on a kitchen worktop.

Mix a half-water, half vinegar solution and dip a sponge into the solution.

Wring the sponge as hard as you possibly can and wipe the lining down. Be careful to avoid getting the lining actually wet or touching the leather with the solution.

You may want to test this method in a small and inconspicuous spot on the lining to be sure the solution won't damage the lining, and I can't stress enough that you do not want to get the lining soaking wet with the solution. Very-very-very-very slightly damp is what you are going for here.

Pay special attention to the sleeves and underarm areas, also the shoulders and back top of the lining as this is usually where the odors are trapped and held by the lining fabric. If the first go-round doesn't completely remove the odor you may want to repeat the operation especially in those areas.

When you've damp-cleaned the entire lining hang the jacket (still inside out) in a well ventilated area out of the sunlight-the vinegar smell will dissipate (within 24 hours) and take the cigarette stench with it.

One last link fyi.

How to Remove Cigarette Smell from Leather

Leather items are well-known for holding on to their luxurious leather smell for long periods of time, but if they are around cigarette smoke, they can start to smell like cigarettes instead. Here are several easy ways for how to get cigarette smell out of leather.

www.howtocleanstuff.net

• If the odor in the bag is excessively strong, be prepared to repeat these methods several times. As long as there is improvement, it’s working and should be repeated.
• Vinegar, baking soda, dryer sheets and coffee grounds can also be used to treat suede products. No leather conditioner is needed. There are suede cleaning products available that can be used as well. Brush the suede after cleaning to restore the texture.
• One site user (Thanks!) recommends wiping the leather with a baby wipe every evening to prevent the odor from setting in.

I see you tried some of these methods but perhaps there is something here you have not yet tried?

Good luck!

 

[MaisOuiMadame]

Thanks missy!!! I am already overly sensitive to odors and HATE that ashtray smell... Reading through all the pages now. Appreciate your help

 

[Lisa Loves Shiny]

Maybe place a thin fabric over the lining and sprinkle that with a liberal amount of baking soda and seal in a large storage container. You could put baking soda in socks and stuff those into the sleeves.

 

[missy]

Thanks missy!!! I am already overly sensitive to odors and HATE that ashtray smell... Reading through all the pages now. Appreciate your help

I hate the smell too and it really sticks to everything. I hope you can get the smell out completely. My guess is you can but it just will take time. I remember in the "good" old days going to dance clubs (smoking still allowed inside in those days) and coming home with the smell on everything including my long hair. But one shampoo and it was gone and same for the clothes. One wash. So with your leather jacket it will just take more time but I am confident it will dissipate.

 

[MaisOuiMadame]

Maybe place a thin fabric over the lining and sprinkle that with a liberal amount of baking soda and seal in a large storage container. You could put baking soda in socks and stuff those into the sleeves.

Great idea about the socks! Thanks! Didn't want to risk the powder getting on the leather (jacket is jet black), but this is a great solution

 

[distracts]

Have you put it in a closet or cooler or something with a bunch of baking soda? I see that someone else had this tip.

Is it shearling or just lambskin? Either way, I would take it to a furrier before taking it to the dry cleaner. It will be more expensive but probably better results. I was given a fur cape last year that smelled musty and they fixed it, and this year I bought a secondhand full-length mink that smells just a little stale, and if I can't get it better on my own I'll send it too.

Can we have pics of this jacket????

 

[MaisOuiMadame]

It's shearling, actually, you're right. It's this one

Manteau Zapa Femme : Nouvelle collection | Place des Tendances

Collection Manteau Zapa pour Femme. Nouvelle Collection Printemps-Été 2022 ✓ Livraison offerte dès 50 euros d'achat + retour offert ✅ ✓

www.placedestendances.com

Since it's such a deep black, I didn't want to risk any baking soda spillage. The leather is uber soft...

 

[distracts]

Since you had said "reversible" I suspected it might be shearling. In that case definitely look up a furrier.

That coat looks super comfy and stylish! I got two shearling jackets for the first time at the beginning of the year/end of last year and I lovvvve them. They're so warm.

 

[MaisOuiMadame]

Yes, @distracts I was very pleased how warm and comfortable to wear the coat is!

As an update : I combined the vinegar rub and the dryer AND stuffed the soda socks in and I was able to wear the coat yesterday night. Yay!! I CAN still smell ll a faint odour if I put my nose right into the fur, but wearing it even I couldn't smell anything!!

Funny side note (warning, disgusting for non horse peeps) : still have to head to a furrier... We met an extremely friendly police horse and the officer offered take my 6y/ old for a ride. When I helped her up, the horse covered my jacket and Hermes Cashmere wrap in A LOT of saliva. Totally worth it, though. Kiddo's eyes were sparkling. She was soooooooo proud

 

[missy]

As an update : I combined the vinegar rub and the dryer AND stuffed the soda socks in and I was able to wear the coat yesterday night. Yay!! I CAN still smell ll a faint odour if I put my nose right into the fur, but wearing it even I couldn't smell anything!!

Woohoo! Yay!!! Congrats on saving the coat and with time the smell will completely disappear. It's a lovely warm coat and I am sure it looks beautiful on you. As an aside I wish people would stop smoking in public. My dh and I don't agree on this (he is all about personal freedom though he himself does not smoke) but I think the world would be a better place if we didn't have to inhale others' personal pollution. If you want to poison yourself fine but don't poison everyone around you please.

 

[OoohShiny]

You could take up smoking, so that you then can't smell the faint smell on the jacket? LOL

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

Yes, @distracts I was very pleased how warm and comfortable to wear the coat is!

As an update : I combined the vinegar rub and the dryer AND stuffed the soda socks in and I was able to wear the coat yesterday night. Yay!! I CAN still smell ll a faint odour if I put my nose right into the fur, but wearing it even I couldn't smell anything!!

Funny side note (warning, disgusting for non horse peeps) : still have to head to a furrier... We met an extremely friendly police horse and the officer offered take my 6y/ old for a ride. When I helped her up, the horse covered my jacket and Hermes Cashmere wrap in A LOT of saliva. Totally worth it, though. Kiddo's eyes were sparkling. She was soooooooo proud

that's so cute
im not a horsey person but i love the smell of horse and horse slobber sounds nicer that dog drool
for any residual smell still lingering you must have some nice leather conditioner for your tack?

i have a lavender scented wax i use on a leather hat and on belts

 

[MaisOuiMadame]

Woohoo! Yay!!! Congrats on saving the coat and with time the smell will completely disappear. It's a lovely warm coat and I am sure it looks beautiful on you. As an aside I wish people would stop smoking in public. My dh and I don't agree on this (he is all about personal freedom though he himself does not smoke) but I think the world would be a better place if we didn't have to inhale others' personal pollution. If you want to poison yourself fine but don't poison everyone around you please.

Yes and Amen to this. When they passed that EU - law that prohibits smoking in public places my life changed. My son was 6 months old and before I couldn't go anywhere with him, because of the smoke in cafés and restaurants. On January 1st,when that legislation came into effect I realized how constraining it had been for me.

People find loopholes, though. You're still allowed to smoke outside. When we sat down with a large group of friends we didn't realize that we were on the "terrace" (the have removable glass panels for winter use and flooring , looked like a normal room to me at first) . When the chain smokers arrived it was too late for me to leave. Im sure glad it's the exception now, though.

 

[MaisOuiMadame]

You could take up smoking, so that you then can't smell the faint smell on the jacket? LOL

Yep, I hear it'll impair your sense of smell. I'm too chicken, though : my kids hate smoking and wouldn't leave me alone one second until I quit again. They are pretty convincing

 

[missy]

Yes and Amen to this. When they passed that EU - law that prohibits smoking in public places my life changed. My son was 6 months old and before I couldn't go anywhere with him, because of the smoke in cafés and restaurants. On January 1st,when that legislation came into effect I realized how constraining it had been for me.

People find loopholes, though. You're still allowed to smoke outside. When we sat down with a large group of friends we didn't realize that we were on the "terrace" (the have removable glass panels for winter use and flooring , looked like a normal room to me at first) . When the chain smokers arrived it was too late for me to leave. Im sure glad it's the exception now, though.

Yeah it is rude IMO to not care about others health and just smoke in front of someone who has to inhale that poison. As I said my dh and I are on different sides of this matter and I know people feel strongly about it either way. It's not that I don't care about personal freedom because I do. But it is when that personal freedom impinges on another's personal freedom that I take exception. There is a wise saying (I might have made it up haha but I don't think so though I have made it mine) that goes like this. Do whatever you like as long as it doesn't affect me negatively in any way. Amen to that.

I mean a 6 month old child has the right to breathe non smoke filled air!!!

Sorry for the brief thread jack. This is a topic I feel passionate about.

 

[MaisOuiMadame]

Yeah it is rude IMO to not care about others health and just smoke in front of someone who has to inhale that poison. As I said my dh and I are on different sides of this matter and I know people feel strongly about it either way. It's not that I don't care about personal freedom because I do. But it is when that personal freedom impinges on another's personal freedom that I take exception. There is a wise saying (I might have made it up haha but I don't think so though I have made it mine) that goes like this. Do whatever you like as long as it doesn't affect me negatively in any way. Amen to that.

I mean a 6 month old child has the right to breathe non smoke filled air!!!

Sorry for the brief thread jack. This is a topic I feel passionate about.

Thread jack away, I'm 1000% on your side with this!!!!!!!
The worst to me was when smokers were being so inconsiderate... I remember a very expensive dinner that I couldn't taste, because the two gentlemen next to me smoked cigars. WHILE EATING. Can't wrap my head around it. I couldn't taste my food anymore. How could they? We asked them very politely to please stop. They didn't. No more tables available. We left.

Or my friend who thought I was joking when I said: no smoking in my house.

I have 6 KIDS. A small baby among them!! How can one think it's OK to make kids inhale that stuff!??
He was sulking his whole stay at our place. I don't care. Don't put others at risk. Sorry for the rant.

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

Yeah it is rude IMO to not care about others health and just smoke in front of someone who has to inhale that poison. As I said my dh and I are on different sides of this matter and I know people feel strongly about it either way. It's not that I don't care about personal freedom because I do. But it is when that personal freedom impinges on another's personal freedom that I take exception. There is a wise saying (I might have made it up haha but I don't think so though I have made it mine) that goes like this. Do whatever you like as long as it doesn't affect me negatively in any way. Amen to that.

I mean a 6 month old child has the right to breathe non smoke filled air!!!

Sorry for the brief thread jack. This is a topic I feel passionate about.

sorry kipari to continue the thread jack
im with you Missy,
im big into personal freedom and personal responsibilities but smoking is so bad for people and its such an obnoxis habit
its not like anyone younger than me has not had it drummed into them how bad it is for their health
we have the plain ciggerete boxes here with pictures of rotton teeth and lung cancer

where we live we don't get much wind and the neighbours smoke outside because lots of rentals dont let tennents smoke in the house - it woffs over the fence, its so disgusting. it makes Gary mad and i feel like i have to go back in the house and can't enjoy my own backyard
must plant more trees !!

i remember when smoking was first banned in pubs and restaurants here - the first thing they all did was get the carpets cleaned
it must have been dreadful to have been a non smoker and a hospitality worker in those days

when Tinky was our neighbour he would come over to visit and he would wreek of cigarettes- just from cuddling James (his old dad)