I have family members who visit a couple times a year that smoke alot. We do not and the smell is very irritating to me and our daughter since we have allergies. It is almost so bad that I don't even want to visit because I'll smell like a cigarette when I leave. I have to take all of our clothes and put them in a bag and close it up and put in trunk to keep them away from the rest of our stuff or it makes them smell too. Most of the time it doesn't help to seperate them anyway since once the suitcase is open everything is smoky. This makes it hard because the other family members we visit don't smoke either but we go back and forth to different houses and have to be conscience of how we smell.
Does anyone know of a way I could at least get the air cleaner in the bedroom we use there? Candles and room sprays don't work. It's in the fabrics and carpets. The good thing is that they haven't been actively smoking in front of us so we don't have to walk around in the clouds of smoke all the time but it's just seeped into everything around us. I feel bad that this is such an issue because we love our visits but I get sick everytime and have a headache and get nauseated after smelling it for so long. There's really nothing I can do since they are nice enough not to smoke around us and it is their house...thanks moms for any ideas.
If you have other family members that don't smoke, why don't you stay with them, and visit the smokers? That seems to make more sense to me, but maybe I missed something.
Fabreze for fabrics is a spray an will take the odor out of clothes an carpets anything that is not leather. I use it in the car to make it smell good.
Here are my recommendations as we have the exact same problem with some friends house's. You could maybe get a hotel room or what I do, is bring my own sheets, pillow's, and blanket, I have a portable air purifier (one that you can just plug into the wall) that seems to help some. Honestly besides a hotel room I can tell you there is no way to get out the smell completely since it's ingrained in the house, however these couple of things seem to work for me. Plus right when we get there we open the windows and shut the door this helps to eliminate some of the smell throughout the day as it sits:) I usually have to carry my benadryl, or Claritin and eye drops with me because as I said before it won't all go, and I usually have to do the same with my 2 year old. It's such a problem i know and I hate to hurt anyone's feelings, but you have to think of the good of yourself and your family too:) I hope this helps:) Good luck with your dilemma, I know it's something that ways on me, as I don't want to be rude or hurt feelings.
I have been through this too. I don't think there is anything you can do because no matter what, your clothes are going to smell if you are in their house for any amount of time, even having your suitcase in their house and closed up all the time that smell gets through. My MIL used to smoke in the house but thought it wasn't that bad because she only smoked in the kitchen and used a smoke fan that she thought was keeping the smell out of the house but one day she asked me if her house smelled like smoke and I said yes so she quit smoking in the house and now it isn't bad when we visit although in the winter time if we are there for Christmas she will smoke in the house at about 3 am and I can smell it as soon as she lights one up and we have our door closed and at the end of the house and then when we get home and unpack everything would smell like smoke so I would have to rewash everything. I used to do our laundry there just because we would accumulate so much in a week but after a few trips and realizing I had to rewash everything I quit washing them while we were there when she smoked in the house. We tend to go more in the summer now because she smokes outside now when the weather is warm.
I would suggest getting a hotel and going to their house to visit. Maybe you can even invite your family to the hotel for some pool time and visit that way without being in the smoke so much. Plan activities like shopping, having a bbq at the park or other events that everyone can be involved in and get to spend time with you but won't have to be in the smokey atmosphere that often.
The other thing since you are switching from one house to another. Just pack one suitcase for the days you stay with the smokers, that way the rest of your clothes will stay fresh in the trunk until you need them. Instead of packing each person a suitcase each and dragging them in and out all the time, pack a suitcase for each stop with everyone's stuff combined and have a seperate bag with all your hair products, make-up, and toiletries so they don't leak on the clothes and take that bag in and out everywhere you go and you have the stuff you use everyday in that bag. I learned to do this when we take long trips and plan to stay in a hotel for 1 night along the way. Instead of unpacking the whole car so each person can have their clothes the next day, we pack an outfit, pj's, and swimsuits in one bag and make it the hotel stay bag plus the bag we have all the toiletries and everyday items in and makes it a lot simpler to be on our way the next morning when we need to get back on the road. Also have trash bags packed in each bag for dirty clothes to keep them separated from the clean clothes.
I would recommend a couple of things, 1: Staying at a hotel, and you can politely state that it is due to the allergies, and it is just easier recovery when you get home. or 2: Purchase an air purifier (not sprays but an electronic machine) that you can plug into the room you stay in and keep it close to your stuff and keep the door closed. The one we have is awesome and pulls the smells out of the air great!
I have not read the other responses, so I'm not sure if someone has already said this. I apologize if I'm repeating someone else's answer.
We have this same problem at my in-laws. I usually only pack what we need for the stay at their house and leave everything else at my parents' house. As soon as we walk in the door to my parents, we take showers and change into the clean smelling clothes that we left there. Then I start laundry right away.
At Christmas, when they send us gifts for our kids, I try and wash everything first, as they usually don't wrap them yet. If they do, then things get taken out of the horrible smelling boxes right away and the boxes all go outside to the trash.
Good Luck!
try Febreeze on the clothes especially the ones you put on before leaving. It helps a lot. If it is a nice day try taking a short walk in the fresh air before going to someone else's house. After all mother nature works wonders not only to help get rid of the smell but headaches too. sounds to me like they could use some friendly advice about opening windows to air the house out before company comes.
Perhaps you could just stay in a nearby hotel so your belongings won't smell, just the clothes you're wearing when you go to their home. Have you thought about having them come visit you in the future so you won't have to worry about this? If this is not an option, you're just going to have to grin and bear it, cause there's nothing you can do about the smell on your clothes other than stand outside for an hour and "air out".
There is a company/website called OdorXit.com that has 2 products that will help you. One is called Magic by OdorXit which is a mist spray that will take the cigarette odor out of the air and off your and your clothing. It is not always permanent but it often is. The other product that have is called AQM. It is a packed that produces a gas called chlorine dioxide. This stuff apparently oxidizes the smoke and permanently removes the odor (not cheep though) but you can get rid of smoke on lots of clothing with a single packet.
Updated
There is a company/website called OdorXit.com that has 2 products that will help you. One is called Magic by OdorXit which is a mist spray that will take the cigarette odor out of the air and off your and your clothing. It is not always permanent but it often is. The other product that have is called AQM. It is a packed that produces a gas called chlorine dioxide. This stuff apparently oxidizes the smoke and permanently removes the odor (not cheep though) but you can get rid of smoke on lots of clothing with a single packet.
It sounds like you need to stay in a hotel. If it bothers you that much, you should not stay there. Either make up a reason or be honest. They probably know how much it smells; this is not news to them.
an air purifier in the room you sleep with the door closed is a great way to clean the air in that bedroom. I love the 3M Filtrete Air purifier. They make it in a couple of different sizes based on the size of room it will be in. You do have to change the filter with this one. We run one in my daughter's room continuously and have to change the filter every 3-4 months. There is an indicator light that tells when to change the filter.
B.:
I noticed the post on using fabreeze. Just use with caution. There are things in that you don't want in your home.
I am traveling to Overland Park from MN tomorrow with my co-worker, RN and Speaker, to talk about products that deodorize, disinfect, clean etc. naturally and are a fraction of the price of anything you can buy. It is truly a positive move to remove chemicals from the home.
If you would like to attend, please call me at ###-###-#### we are hosting a dinner and informational talk about the importance of being Chem. free.
My recommendation is to purchase an Ionic Pro for the room you are staying in. It is an air purifier. I ADORE mine and have one in EVERY room in my house and SWEAR by them! My BFFs grandfather has alzheimers and he burned up a pot on the stove, I sent one to her grandmother who had complained of the smoke smell in her house and after plugging it in it was gone in a couple of hours!
I bought mine at Walmart and I've stuck with that brand. I don't buy the knock offs on ebay...you can still get the Ionic Pro there or Sharper Images version or Oreck's version. They are all good and do the same thing. There are no filters you need to replace (best part), the filter are several metal bars that you just wipe clean every so often and put back in the machine.
Oh, and just so you know...the larger the system is generally considered for larger rooms but if you use it in a smaller room it processes the air MUCH FASTER. This would be my recommendation, hands down!
BTW- if you wash your clothes with some Vinegar it will take the smell out really well. As for the luggage, either spray it with Vinegar or Vodka, set it outside to dry in the sun and it will take the smell right out. And no, it won't smell like alcohol...Vodka has no smell.
i agree with the person that posted before me. natural is always the way to go. i work with a wellness company that has naturally based products and one of the things that they have is a cleaner that you can dilute that is a deodorizer. i LOVE it. i use it all the time! instead of making everything just smelled weighed down by perfume it just takes away bad smells and makes things smell clean.
You can call or go to Graingers @ 33rd and Kansas Ave and they carry a product call Kil Odor. You can purchase it in various scents or you can get the one designed for smoke. It works instantly. I use it at work to get rid of the smell of burnt popcorn. And somethings I use it just to freshen the air. I have given some to people whose basements have flooded and they couldn't get rid of the smell and it worked the smell never returned. I have even given some to a woman who's dog got sprayed by a skunk and she said it worked. It is worth what you pay for it.
B. V
I feel for you. Young Living Essential Oils has an oil blend called "Purification" that I and others have found it pulls bad odors, including smoke, out of the air and out of your belongings. It takes the odor out, not just masking it. You need to get it from a Young Living distributor--it's not sold in stores. Put about 5 or 6 drops with epsom salt in a glass spray bottle with purified water. You can also get a diffuser and diffuse in the air. I've read some of the comments--staying in a hotel sounds like a very good idea. You don't need to put yourself through that unhealthy situation, you deserve more than that!
Additionally it works for some people as a mosquito and other flying insect repellant. It also pulls toxins out if you get bit. Hope that helps. Best wishes.
llen
Hi B., The only thing that I could think of that might help is getting a hepa filter and bring it with you. It gets the air around you clean but you have to buy one for the size room you will be in. All of us in my house hold have alleriges, and we bought a hepa filter for our room and my son's. It really helps let me tell you. I'm so glad that we bought them. After you leave there you can always use it at your house, but you will probably have to clean the filter's out that are in it or replace the filter's. That is really nice that your family member's don't smoke around you all. I know you don't want to hurt their feelings but maybe if you tell them that the smoke bother's you and that you have allergies maybe you can stay at one of your other relatives house that doesn't smoke. I am allergic to smoke, so I understand how you feel. I hope everything works out for you all and God Bless you!
