Getting the smoke smell out of different material types can get tricky. For example, when getting smoke smell out of the house, you need to be careful with the chemicals you apply to the furniture and choose wisely according to the manufacturing material.
Leather is a type of material that can easily suffer severe damage if not treated properly. However, there are many products that almost any household has, that are very successful at getting different types of smoke smell out of it.
Whichever smell absorber you choose to go with, keep in mind that you should let it sit for a few days, since smell removal is a process, and make take some time.
In this article, we are going to talk about how to get the smoke smell out of a leather jacket, be it a cigarette, bonfire, or another type of smoke smell. The tips listed should work in every case.
How to Get Rid of Smoke Smell in a Leather Jacket?
When it comes to dealing with smoke in your clothes or furniture, there are either methods that help absorb the smell completely and those that help mask it. The same applied to leather. Here are some of the most efficient smoke absorbing and smoke masking methods known to us.
Absorbing Methods
Cat Litter
If you have a cat or know someone that keeps a cat in their home, you have probably noticed how their litter boxes don’t really smell. That’s because the cat litter is made in a way to absorb unpleasant odors, and it can do so with smoke as well.
Take a package of cat litter and just open it up or fill a plastic container with it. Take the leather jacket and put it in the wardrobe or a small room together with the litter. Close the door, and let it sit for a few days. This should be enough to take the smoke odor out.
If after those few days you can still feel the smell of smoke coming from your leather jacket, you can try another round of cat litter (replace the old one).
Baking Soda
Baking soda is one of the most well-known odor repellents that you can find in almost any home.
First, spread the powder across the whole surface of your jacket. Let it sit in a room for at least half an hour, so there is enough time for the soda to absorb the smoke. If the smell is really bad, and the jacket is not too large, you can use several packages of baking soda to fill up a trash bag, and then put the jacket inside and leave for at least 2 days.
Charcoal
This may be a bit unexpected, since most people associate charcoal with starting a fire and creating more smoke, rather than getting rid of the smell of smoke. However, charcoal has excellent absorbent properties, and it actually can absorb smells very well.
If you’d like to try with charcoal, you should fill up a big bowl with it, and place it in the same small, closed space with your leather jacket (ideally, the closet), just like with cat litter.
In two to three days, the smell should be gone.
Luckily, you don’t have to use the barbeque charcoal, you can also use these special odor absorbent packages, which usually come with special purifying bags that you can hang in your wardrobe, and then hang the jacket between them.
Newspaper Wrap
If you’re a newspaper-collecting household and don’t know what to do with so much newspaper, here’s one way to make good use of it! This type of paper is very porous, so it’s a good smell absorber.
Take your leather jacket and wrap it in the newspaper. You will need many sheets of paper, and the more you apply, the higher the odds of actually getting rid of the smell.
The newspaper might not get it out completely from the first attempt, but if you keep on replacing the sheets, it’s highly likely to get a positive outcome. Also, if the jacket has a very strong smoke smell odor, the newspaper may take it out partially, but then you may need to resort to other, more powerful methods.
White Vinegar
You may have heard about the power of vinegar when it comes to disinfection and deodorizing effects. However, not every vinegar is equally effective, and some may get really sticky, which is why you should be careful to use white vinegar only.
First, pour the vinegar into a spray bottle, and dissolve with a bit of water. Then, spray it all over the jacket. Don’t soak the jacket, just spray a thin layer. Let it sit for a few minutes as the vinegar absorbs the smoke smell molecules, and then use a clean, dry rag to wipe the jacket. Wipe in a circular motion.
The vinegar shouldn’t cause any damage to your leather jacket, despite it being acidic. However, if you’re concerned that for some reason it may cause damage, or you don’t like the idea of spraying the jacket with the vinegar, you can also fill up a bowl, put it in the closet, and then hang the jacket inside. It will take a day at least to take the smell out this way.
Sunlight
Did you know that the sun is a natural deodorizer? It doesn’t even take that long, and it’s usually quite effective at removing unwanted odors from clothing. Both the strong summer sun and the winter one combined with cold air are equally effective. If it’s a bit chilly outside, it’s even better, since the breeze will help disperse the odors quickly.
The jacket shouldn’t be exposed for more than 5 to 6 hours, and you should try to rotate it, so that all sides are equally exposed to the sun.
The best would be if you would expose it to the sun in several sessions, e.g. one hour a day for a few days.
Masking Methods
Coffee Grounds
Coffee grounds are often used in perfume shops to help mask the previous smelling experience, and be able to proceed smelling new perfumes with the same sensitivity. Coffee grounds can be helpful at neutralizing smoke odors in a leather jacket as well.
You can put some coffee grounds into the pockets of your jacket, but also, you can fill up a bowl with coffee grounds and put it on the wardrobe floor. Then, hang the jacket in the closet and let it sit for a few days. The longer you leave the grounds and the jacket together, the higher the probability that you will actually get rid of the smoke.
Dryer Sheets
Dryer sheets are commonly used for scent masking. You can also apply them in cases when you need smoke smell removed from your hair. Take a dryer sheet and gently rub it over the surface of your jacket. Move the hand in a circular motion and try to cover the jacket surface as equally as possible.
If the jacket is larger in size, you may need a few sheets, but it will very likely work.
Fruit Peels
Citrus fruit peels are one of the most effective smoke masks. First, peel a few oranges and lemons and place the peel into a bowl or on paper towels. Then, put it on the leather and let it sit for a few days.
The peels shouldn’t have any juice left over, as it might damage the leather. However, if the peels are in a bowl, this shouldn’t be a problem.
You can also put the peels in a tissue or napkin and then put them in your jacket’s pockets. This should draw the smell out.
Leather Conditioner
Leather conditioner is not really a way to get rid of the smokey odor, it will just add some good smell to it and help mask the smell. It is usually applied by gently rubbing it in a circular motion and covering the whole surface of the leather.
Dry Cleaning
Finally, if nothing else helps, you can always take your jacket to the dry cleaner, and see if they are able to get the smoke smell out of your leather jacket.
Conclusion
Getting rid of the smoke smell of leather can be tricky at times, as leather is sensitive material, and can’t be treated like other items of clothing.
Some methods aim to absorb the smoke smell molecules, such as newspaper, baking soda, or cat litter, while others rather mask the smell. If one method doesn’t work, you can always try a different one, and see how it goes.
Let us know your experiences in the comments area below.
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