white smoke billowing through black background

One of the most stubborn odors to get rid of in a home is smoke.

There are various types of smoke that cause its smell, with the most common being tobacco.

Other common sources that leave a smoke odor include burnt food, a fireplace or an overheated appliance.

Regardless if you’re a smoker or have had any other type of smoke odor fill your home, you can find out how to get rid of smoke smell in house without painting by trying these home remedies below.

Hopefully, one of these simple tricks will make your home smell fresh again and no longer filled with that irritating scent.

Home Remedies for How to Get Rid of Smoke Smell in House

Use Charcoal

Most people don’t know this, but ordinary charcoal you use on the grill is an excellent smoke odor absorber.

In fact, one of the best methods for eliminating smoke from your home is to use an air purifier that contains a charcoal filter.

Charcoal (also known as Activated Carbon) is the only method of technology that works best for this task.

Take a look at our best air purifier for smokers page. You’ll find out exactly how good they are at removing smoke particles and odor.

The most effective way to try this home remedy without buying an air purifier is to put large bowls of charcoal in the rooms that have the smoke odor.

The charcoal will work to absorb the smell but on a much slower basis.

Depending on how bad the smell is, will determine how much charcoal to use.

If you are a smoker, another good tip is to keep a bowl of charcoal next to your ashtray so that it can work constantly to remove the smell. Or just get the best room air purifier that includes this substance as a filter inside the unit. You can see all our top air purifier reviews here.

See all of Amazon's Best Selling Air Purifiers

Try Newspapers

Another interesting trick for how to remove smoke smell in house (that is probably right under your nose) is to use crumbled balls of newspaper in the rooms that have a lingering odor.

Newspapers have an excellent odor-absorbing ability and are excellent for smells inside a kitchen.

To use this tip, just ball up large amounts of newspaper and place them around the room with smoke smells.

It may take at least 48 hours for it to start working, but be patient and it may solve your problem!

Wash the Walls with Borax

One of the biggest issues with smoke is that it’s made up of microscopic particles that can become attached to our walls.

Sometimes using charcoal or newspapers can’t do all of the work to extract these particles.

So, washing your walls with a Borax solution can help get rid of those smoke particles that are stuck.

Try this homemade cleaning concoction by mixing:

  • 2 gallons of water
  • 1/2 cup of Borax
  • 1/2 teaspoon of dish-washing liquid

After wiping down the walls with this solution, use regular tap water to rinse off any remaining residue.

Sprinkle Baking Soda

If you’ve tried our other recommendations and you still smell lingering smoke, you may need to take it a step further by getting the particles out that are lodged inside the furniture in the room.

A simple way to do this is to lightly sprinkle baking soda of the furniture, allowing it to sit for a few hours and then vacuum it up.

This method works well for most applications.

But if that stubborn smoke odor is still present after trying this home remedy, our final recommendation below should be a big help.

Steam Clean Carpets and Furniture

Our final tip for how to get rid of smoke smell in house should only be used as a last resort. If trying charcoal with or without an air purifier, newspaper, Borax or baking soda doesn’t do the trick, this should surely help. However, it does require the most work on your part.

You can rent a steam cleaner from a local hardware store relatively inexpensively. Use this device to clean every fabric and carpet surface in the room, including the carpet, furniture, and curtains.

Summary of How to Get Rid of Smoke Smell in House

We hope that these home remedy tricks have helped you find ways to get rid of smoke in your home.

As you know, smoke odor can be a pain but if tackled properly it shouldn’t be too hard to eliminate.

Avatar for Katherine Dyson

About Katherine Dyson

Katherine is the lead Staff Writer. She conducts in-depth research and interviews with industry experts in order to produce a wide range of content for the site. Her main role is to write helpful articles that aid people who are seeking to improve their indoor air quality and comfort. (See Full Bio)