How to Remove Smoke Smell from Hair?

[SweetPea88]

I was wondering if there is a quick way to get the smell of cigarettes out of hair? I recently moved back into the dorm and I feel like everything I own smells like smoke (my mother and brother smoke at home)! Even now, I just came out of the shower and I can still smell it on my hair. Any advice for removing the smell?

[lora410]

Well baking soda is a deodorizer so maybe try just rubbing some one your dry hair, shake it out and shower? it's worth a shot

[logica_divina]

I'll keep an eye on this thread.

I hate that whenever I wear my hair down when going out at night it smells horrible in the morning, and the smell lingers until I wash it (and I do not want to wash it every day). I tried EOs, but nothing seems to kill the stink completely.

[SHELIAANN1969]

Maybe you can keep your hair in a headband or scarf so it doesn't absorb as much of the smokey smell?

I would use a few drops of EO (patchouli) it is strong, and rub it through my hair, get my hair in an updo, use a scarf or bandana that has also been scented a bit with some EO and that MAY help the hair from getting AS stinky.

I loathe smoke, and when I do go out, it usually happens to be right on wash day or the day after when my hair is at its best, and someone will be puffing away like "Puff the Magic Dragon" and my hair and clothes are a stink-fest and I have to shower and poo immediately after coming home. UGH! :(

Good luck, I know it's bothersome.

[FallenAngel]

Urrrhg! Nothing can hide the smell of cigarette smoke, if you ask me. Wash, wash and wash... that is the only thing I can think of.

I used to be a smoker myself... and when you woke up after a night out, with you smelly hair across your face... That was just disgusting, even for me. Now the feeling is even worse, but thank god it almost never happens anymore. We have a "no smoking law" so it is forbidden to smoke at nightclubs and restaurants here, and I don't know anyone who smokes indoors. Yay!! :D

[burns_erin]

I have found spritzing with febreeze works well. There is also a product called banish that works well.

[Angellen]

In my experience, washing 1, 2, or even 3 times is the best way to really get the smell out. I have a friend who has campfires often, and whenever we go the smoke just coats us. :shrug:

[cobblersmaid]

Try combing your hair outside, to air it out. Also misting with something like BPAL or EO mixed in helps. In a pinch, BPAL straight covers the smell up. My hair must be immune now, or I don't notice the smell anymore(more likely) as my husband smokes like a chimney.

[SweetPea88]

Thanks for the advice everyone. I've already washed my hair today but I can still smell it a little. Although I don't usually wash so often, I might have to do it tonight or tomorrow again. I have been spraying febreeze like a madwoman on everything but I'm running sort of low. I have been finding that fresh air is really helping. I've been wearing my hair down on the way to classes so the wind helps it along.

[GeoCurl]

I second the Febreze if you need to get smoke out and don't have time to wash your hair. I know some people make their own Febreze-like odor remover (the things you pick up on forums - I think I read that on a travel blog :)), so you could always Google if you want to try something homemade.

[happymommy]

How about trying an ACV rinse? If you have some buildup on your hair, maybe the nicotine residue is kind of stuck to it?

I remember back when DH and I used to smoke I had to use alcohol to get the nicotine residue from the smoke off the windows.

I don't know if the same thing can happen to hair, but at least an ACV rinse won't hurt to try!

[Magdalene]

vodka. it's what we used before Febreeze.

[sherigayle]

My ILs smoke and I've always hated how my hair smelled after visiting them. I bought some spray from http://www.hairscents.com/winterline.htm. If I'm not due to wash my hair yet, the spray hides the smoke smell. I use lavender or wintergreen.

[cocolover]

Sherigayle, I was wondering about the hairscents, what is in them? I took a look at their website, but it doesn't list the ingredients. Thanks

[SweetPea88]

Well for the moment I just caved and washed my hair again last night. The smell seems to be gone now. I'm really interested in the hairscents as well. Next time, I will probably give the febreeze a try.

[MadPirateBippy]

There are a few recipies on the board for baking soda shampoos that I have used on cigarette smoke and other strong smells that will get it out of your hair.

It's basically a cup of hot water and a tablespoon of baking soda. Set it up before your shower, when you're ready just run it over your hair. You'll feel your scalp get clean, it's weird but it works.

Also try wearing your hair out in the sun for 15 min or so- sunlight is pretty good at neutralizing odors and a lot safer than spraying your hair with febreeze! (will also work on your clothes)

Just remember to use an acid rinse when you are done to flatten the cuticle down, otherwise your hair won't be as shiny and will be a little more prone to tangling.

[SweetPea88]

Thanks for the advice MadPirateBippy, I was a little concerned about the febreeze...

The baking soda and vinegar is very doable and stuff I have in the room.

[kpowell04]

LOL last time my hair smelled like cig smoke I washed it THREE times and it got rid of it!

[Kirin]

I was wondering if there is a quick way to get the smell of cigarettes out of hair? I recently moved back into the dorm and I feel like everything I own smells like smoke (my mother and brother smoke at home)! Even now, I just came out of the shower and I can still smell it on my hair. Any advice for removing the smell?

Washing your hair is likely getting rid of smoke smell..... I think the culprit might be your towels.

[SweetPea88]

Washing your hair is likely getting rid of smoke smell..... I think the culprit might be your towels.


The towels have definitely made problems worse before. I made sure of cleaning my towels thoroughly this time. :) It really sucks to get out of a clean shower and dry your face with a smelly towel.

[SimplyLonghair]

Not to be negative, but you could have absorbed more of the smell in your body, by being around it. I would use chlorophyll tabs to get rid of any order that your body might have absorbed. But ACV works well for hair. Vinegar is used to get rid of smoke in rooms. So the rinse should get rid of the remaining smell. It also makes a great clothes rinse. Makes things soft. :cool:

[logica_divina]

I think I may found the way to prevent this problem. And it involves ACV. Yesterday I did the final ACV rinse while washing and went out in the evening. I went to the club (LOTS of people smoking cigs and what not). Any way, when I came back my hair almost didn't smell at all! Of course, I could still sense a bit of the smell but it was all gone in the morning!

Could this be cause of the fact that the rinse closes the cuticle so it prevents the stink from geting in?

[icydove]

Long CO soaks seem to work well with fire smoke, but I don't know if it would work as well with cigarettes :shrug:

[Sissy]

I would say washing and washing. I don't smoke personally... but I do know how my hair holds the smell of smoke if I go out someplace where people are smoking. I have also seen in Bath N Body Works some hair perfume which you spray in your hair... it has glittery look to it as well. I have some in my closet but hardly ever used it. Got it as a present for Christmas 2007. It is sweet pea scented. However, I'm not sure if there is anything drying or bad about using it.

[logica_divina]

Personally, I'm trying to find the way to neutralise the stink without having to wash my hair if I have already washed it the day before. I'm guessing that would be easier for those who wash daily..
Until I figure something out besides applying EOs and combing in the fresh air (which does help a little), I'm going to stick to ACV rinses as a way to prevent the smell of the smoke from staying in my hair for too long.

[Hue]

I wonder if diluted lemon juice as a final acidic rinse would work as well as cider vinegar. Some of the vilest odors I even got on my hands (no, don't ask) were helped greatly by rubbing raw lemon on them.

I also found washing my clothes in Dr. Bronner's natural peppermint liquid soap (http://www.drbronner.com/DBMS/PEP.htm) did wonders for removing smells. [but it's stronger than I would use for my own hair, I think -- just worked really well on fabrics]

---
Disclaimer: I haven't any financial or personal interest in DB soaps. I just happened to run across the brand in a natural foods store, and it worked.

Them lemon trees ain't payin me nuthin', neither. *shakes fist

[DelynofRhondda]

One of the tricks I learned years ago:

Take your hair down out-doors and either brush, comb, or finger-fluff. The air does help to sweeten the hair.

It helps remove chemical odours, too. Not everyone likes the smell of printers ink and I would take the time to sweeten my hair after work before going home.

If your hair is curly, and you don't want to muss up the ringlets, this trick doesn't work as well, sad to say. (There's something in the combination of brushing & airing.) But just letting the ringlets down and tossing them around in the air is enough.

[sherigayle]

The hairscents are just water and essential oils. The smells are very strong so you only need a little bit.

[Fard]

I was wondering if there is a quick way to get the smell of cigarettes out of hair? I recently moved back into the dorm and I feel like everything I own smells like smoke (my mother and brother smoke at home)! Even now, I just came out of the shower and I can still smell it on my hair. Any advice for removing the smell?

This is so ridiculous because i don't smoke ever. so i have no idea about that how can you remove smoking from your hair. you can try hair spray.

[heidi w.]

Mix some baking soda with your shampoo. 3 T each well blended, no lumps, and a few gas bubbles bubbling up. Apply it to the hair, then condition the length, not the scalp hair. Then air dry the hair, then apply oil to the length only. From the earlobes on down is about right. Nothing should be applied to the scalp hair because this causes scalp skin problems, or it might.

Use fairly warm water when conditioning, leave it in for a bit then rinse out.

heidi w.

ETA: One can ACV rinse via using apple cider vinegar, or if you want better smelling hair or are blond ACV with lemon juice. I've used this with great results.

heidi w.

ETA2: If trhe hair stinks then hairspray will not work. Also hair spray is bad for hair.
heidi w.

[Fard]

I was wondering if there is a quick way to get the smell of electronic cigarettes (http://www.ecigfiend.com/) out of hair? I recently moved back into the dorm and I feel like everything I own smells like smoke (my mother and brother smoke at home)! Even now, I just came out of the shower and I can still smell it on my hair. Any advice for removing the smell?

This is so ridiculous because i don't smoke ever. so i have no idea about that how can you remove smoking from your hair. you can try hair spray.

[kidari]

Unfortunately, the only thing I've found that works is washing. I never need to clarify or wash more than once. A normal wash works just fine and gets the smell completely out of the hair. If I try to use diluted EOs or anything of the sort it just kind of mingles together with the cigarette smell. I agree that the culprit is likely to by your towels. That or unfortunately if you are in a household around others who do smoke, as soon as you wash your hair it will immediately start to absorb the scents of those around you who do smoke.