I just got a dresser (for free from a really sweet couple) and it STINKS. It's infused with cigarette smoke and I can't get it out. HELP! I aired it out, cleaned it with vinegar and stuffed the drawers with charcoal, so any suggestions beyond that would be most helpful. Thanks!
I would try a product called odor Xit. You can order it online at www.odorxit.com or you can get get it at any og the Big Bob's used carpets. Or maybe try sprinkleing baking paower then cleaning it after letting it sit for for a few days but I have a feeling it would be a waste of time unless you use the odor xit. I have never needed to use it but I hear testamonies all the time on the radio saying it works.
DON'T GIVE UP!!!!!!!!!!!! You can get rid of the smell, it just won't happen over night.
Anywhere on the inside of it where it won't hurt the finish, use bleach water and make it fairly strong. On the outside use Murphy's oil soap, it is an excellent wood cleaner. Pull out ALL drawers and wash down the inside of the cabinet of the dresser too. Don't leave one inch of the dresser uncleaned.
Also, once done with the strong cleaning, use Febreeze. You may have to spray it for a few days, but it does wonders for knocking out that kind of smell.
After you scrub it down with bleach and Murphy's Oil Soap, it would be great if you could leave it set outside for a day or so. If you live anywhere near where I do though, at this time that can't happen since there is mounds of snow everywhere.
Maybe you could at least put it in your garage and leave the garage door open for a day or two to help air it out.
Scrubbing it well, and if possible leaving it set outside will do wonders.
Don't give up.
I don't think that you'll be able to get cigarette smoke out of wood all the way. You may want to put some pieces of cedar wood in the dresser and see what that does. If all fails, you could paint it. There are paints out there that seal smell out.
Oxy crystals disolved in water wipe down the dresser, then with a second rinse of vinegar.
Try cleaning it with Murphy's Oil Soap (comes in a liquid. It is a gentle but great cleaner for wood. Then stuff the drawers with crumpled up newspapers for a couple of days. newspapers soak up smelly tennis shoe odor so why not drawers.
i agree with using the coffee grounds. i was dumb enough to put a pan of oil-based paint in my fridge to keep it from drying out (do this all the time w/latex paint, which is fine) - wasn't even thinking about how bad it smells. needless to say, i thought we'd have to throw the fridge out after i tried what i thought was everything. what finally worked: coffee grounds. fresh ones. good luck!
a sealer, other then getting a fire restoration company to put it in an ozone room that is really the only other choice.
Hi A.,
I will bet you that if you would put 1/2 cup of vinegar in each drawer and leave it for a couple of days. It will get rid of the oder. please let me know if you try it and how it works for you.
T.
The best way to clean furniture, wood or not, is bleach water. I part of bleach to 10 parts water. Wipe it on in small areas and quickly wipe it dry. This removes mold, mildew and smoke effectively. You could strip it down and refinish it but the bleach solution will be quicker and easier.
you need to discard this smelly gift. if you are dire need of anything like household or furniture items, you can go to freecycle.com and post your needs or give away needfull things to save our it from the landfills or taking up space on a curb. mind you should not pass on the smelly dresser. this may have to be a bust. ann in akron
Keep at it. It will take time. Make sure you washed it good to get the brown film off. My daughter had a car that was terrible with the cig smell and we got it out, but it took a few months.
Strips of newspaper work really well for absorbing odor, change them every few days. Also, baking soda. Put a small container of it in each drawer. Put some kind of deodorizers in it- sachets or room deoderizers that you like, whatever your favorite scent, lemon is great.
Another thing you can do is after scrubbing it, give it a new coat of varnish, this will cover any residual smell. Or paint it.
Hi....hate to be the bearer of bad news....but I had the same situation about 3 years ago...got a complete bed set from a "sweet couple" who must have smoked like chimneys... I put dryer sheets in the drawers (lined them) and that helped some...my husband and oldest son had to turn them OVER...and revealed cobwebs on the under-side that were literally yellow from cig smoke....
Needless to say....I said "goodbye" to my $100 "deal" (not so much) and purchased something new.....
I read all of your requests, and it sounds like you received a lot of good answers. The only other one that I know of, is to put coffee in the drawers. Just sprinkle the unused coffee grounds on a plate or in a container, then place the container in the drawers for awhile. I don't know how it works, but it has worked for my dressers and even my filing cabinet at one point. Good luck :)
I just heard to get smells out of plastic bowls... stuff them with newspapers... not sure if it would help the dresser! I always sweep off and wipe down every surface of anything that anyone gives to me... you never know where they have been or what was on them.
Let me know if it works :)
