Not everyone knows how long it takes for the smell of cigarettes to disappear from the mouth, so many people think that if they drink coffee after smoking or suck on a mint candy, the unpleasant smell will disappear. Most smokers do not pay much attention to this problem, as they are accustomed to the taste of tobacco in their mouth. To a greater extent, this interferes with other people, especially their relatives and colleagues with whom they are in close contact.
Why is the smell of tobacco dangerous?
Passive smoking is no less dangerous to health than active smoking. Nicotine contained in tobacco smoke is a harmful substance. This alkaloid, in addition to addiction, contributes to the development of various diseases in smokers. The most common consequences of nicotine use are:
- Oncological diseases (throat cancer, lung cancer)
- Diseases of the cardiovascular system (tachycardia, strokes, blockage of blood vessels)
- Aging and dry skin
- Decreased immunity
- Chronic diseases (bronchitis, asthma, obstructive pulmonary disease)
- Yellowing of tooth enamel, bad breath
Even if you are not a consumer of tobacco products, you can be exposed to secondhand smoke almost anywhere. It is difficult to completely hide from him. Combustion products accumulated in an apartment contain carcinogens, harmful substances (hydrogen cyanide, tar, benzopyrene, arsenic, etc.) and a pungent odor.
Is it possible to completely remove nicotine from the body?
Narcologists and experts unequivocally say that no, since endogenous nicotine is normally produced by the liver. The main task of this organ is to normalize metabolism and also participate in the reinforcement system. Therefore, complete elimination of nicotine will lead to a number of pathological processes.
It is difficult to answer unequivocally how long it takes for nicotine to disappear from the body, even if you completely quit smoking. It depends on many factors. The following are of greatest importance for predicting the timing of its natural elimination:
- weight and build;
- smoking history and usual dose;
- the state of the environment in the place of residence;
- Lifestyle;
- metabolic features;
- presence of accompanying diseases;
- state of water-salt balance, etc.
Universal recommendations to speed up this process are drinking plenty of water, playing sports, establishing a diet, and giving up bad habits. These are the basic principles of a healthy lifestyle that are useful to follow constantly, regardless of how much nicotine wears off.
Reasons for the appearance of tobacco smell in the apartment
To get rid of the unpleasant cigarette odor, you need to understand the reason for its appearance. And try to eliminate it. Fighting odor is a consequence. And the reason is the one who creates it. Start fighting the cause. The reason may be:
- Smoking by a current resident in the apartment. It happens that only one person in a family smokes, but all the residents suffer from it. Including pets
- Smoke enters from the entrance, through the ventilation or from a nearby window. Sometimes a small gap is enough for cigarette smoke to leak into your home. Or the apartment is on the 1st floor, and people smoking at the entrance cause the smell
- The cigarette smell may be “inherited” from previous residents of the apartment who smoked the premises.
- A person who quits smoking can feel the stench from the clothes (in which he smoked) for a long time, from furniture, walls, curtains, carpeting, and other objects that have absorbed nicotine and fumes.
How to get rid of cigarette smell from your mouth with water
Water treatment for smokers, as the name suggests, is based on frequent drinking of water and regular mouth rinsing. The treatment process can be described in more detail as follows:
- Every day you need to drink from 8 to 10 tbsp. filtered water.
- The number of cigarettes should be reduced to several per day.
- Every time you smoke a cigarette, you should drink a glass of water.
- An improved result is obtained by drinking clean water with lemon juice - 2 tsp is enough.
The water treatment method is unlikely to be able to completely eliminate the tobacco aroma; however, increased fluid consumption helps restore metabolism that has been disrupted as a result of smoking. Water also moisturizes the mucous membrane of the mouth, which is important in the fight against unpleasant odor.
How long does it take for the tobacco smell to dissipate?
If the windows are open wide, the smell of a cigarette will be felt for about half an hour. Although a non-smoker with a good sense of smell will smell it even after a few hours. If you smoke for a long time in the same room, the smell of tobacco will disappear for several years. Things and objects retain odors in different ways. On hard surfaces (tables, cabinets, plastic products) the stench lingers less. Much longer in textiles. It is difficult to completely get rid of this smell, but there are many proven ways
How to remove the smell of cigarettes from your mouth using hygiene products
None of the remedies listed below are a panacea - they will not help completely get rid of the strong tobacco aroma from your mouth. However, regular oral cleaning and specialized products can help reduce the odor as much as possible.
Teeth cleaning
This is the most basic procedure that helps keep your breath fresh. It is advisable to brush your teeth at least 2 times a day to minimize the damage from smoking. If a person smokes a large number of cigarettes per day, teeth should be brushed as often as possible - preferably after every meal.
The effectiveness of brushing your teeth can be increased by following these recommendations:
- It is best to use a brush with medium-hard bristles.
- The brush size should not be too large or too small.
- It is desirable that the back surface of the brush be covered with special rubber bristles, which are used to clean the surface of the tongue and cheeks.
- Change your toothbrush every 2 months.
Important! The duration of brushing your teeth should be at least 2-3 minutes.
Tongue cleaning
Tars and tobacco particles accumulate in large quantities on the surface of the tongue, so brushing your teeth alone is not enough to remove the unpleasant smell of tobacco. It is recommended to clean the tongue of plaque at least once a day, paying special attention to the back part of it - this is where most of the harmful bacteria are located.
Use the rubberized part of the brush or a special scraper to clean the tongue. Treatment is carried out in the direction from the base to the tip of the tongue. Do not press too hard so as not to damage the delicate surface.
Mouth rinses
An additional measure to combat the smell of cigarettes is to rinse your mouth daily. It is advisable to carry it out not only after brushing your teeth, but also every time after smoking. Mouthwashes quickly destroy harmful bacteria in the mouth and wash away tobacco plaque.
Advice! It is better not to buy alcohol-based products. They can cause severe irritation to the oral mucosa.
Gum
This is one of the easiest ways to get rid of the aroma of tobacco - chewing gum can be purchased at almost any grocery store. However, you should not try to get rid of the smell with the help of mint leaves - they work very mediocrely. Fruit-flavored gum can effectively combat tobacco aroma, especially if it contains a small amount of sugar. Sugar-free antiseptic chewing gum is sold in pharmacies.
"Anti-policeman"
"Antipolitsay" is a specialized oral freshener designed specifically to combat the smell of alcohol and cigarettes. The product is available in the form of lollipops and spray. The speed of the product does not depend on the form of release - after 4-5 minutes the aroma of cigarettes will become barely noticeable.
Anti-smoking sprays
There are a large number of special sprays aimed at masking the tobacco aroma in the mouth. However, not all of them are useful. Products that do not contain alcohol, which can greatly irritate your gums, work best to combat odor.
Express methods
Let us first consider those cases where smoking is not regularly done indoors. And I don’t want to wait for the smell to disappear on its own.
Ventilation
Create a draft in the room. Open all windows and doors (outside or into the entrance). This method helps especially well in winter. Cold winter air enters the room faster, refreshing it instantly. But it is better to ventilate for a long time. It is advisable to leave the ventilated room at this time so as not to catch a cold in the draft . But we do not recommend leaving the windows open for a long time if it is cold outside. Prolonged ventilation in winter can lead to defrosting and damage to radiators.
Wet towels
Towels absorb not only moisture, but also odors. Take several large towels. Preferably terry or cotton. Wet them with tap water. In the room where people smoked, you need to hang them on doors, on chairs, and on cabinet doors. Can be spread on a table or other surface. Periodically, you can rinse the towels in water and stir again. After the procedure, towels must be washed with powder.
Natural flavors
You can kill the cigarette “spirit” with citrus fruits or coffee. Take a ripe orange. Squeeze the pulp into a glass. 100 grams of juice are mixed with 0.5 liters of water. Using a spray bottle, the solution is sprayed into the room. Orange zest can be placed around the perimeter of the room. Coffee beans are a good absorbent. Take 300 grams of coffee beans, distribute them into several containers (small vases, plates or mugs). Place around the perimeter of the room. Coffee will absorb unpleasant odors.
Perfume, air freshener
You can kill the smell of tobacco in a closed space with the help of strong air fresheners and perfumes. However, you need to remember that these are quite aggressive odors. Large sprays of these substances can negatively affect the nasal mucosa or cause allergic reactions. You can moisten cotton wool with perfume and treat all the light bulbs in the house with it. When you turn on the lights in the evening, the pleasant smell of perfume will spread throughout the apartment.
Fragrance oils and candles
The pleasant smell from aromatic candles will not only drown out traces of smoking in the air, but will also create a pleasant atmosphere. Lighted candles are placed in all corners of the apartment. Aromatic oil is dripped into saucers, which are also placed around the perimeter of the room.
Cinnamon
You can boil cinnamon sticks in a saucepan. When boiling water, a pleasant aroma of cinnamon will spread throughout the apartment. If you have an oven, you can “bake” the cinnamon. To do this, several of its sticks are placed on a baking sheet on a piece of food foil. Turn the oven on 180 degrees. After 15-20 minutes, the oven door can be opened. The house will instantly be filled with a pleasant cinnamon smell, which will displace the tobacco “aroma”.
Soda
Sodium bicarbonate (soda) is able to absorb foreign odors, including the smell of smoked cigarettes. Pour baking soda into a small container and add 2-3 drops of essential oil on top. This mixture can be placed before smoking guests arrive and left for several hours after they leave.
Flavors, fresheners, adsorbents and other methods
essential oils are excellent flavoring agents ; they are best used in an aroma lamp. Among the most effective remedies are: citronella, lavender, orange, grapefruit oil.
Such products generally effectively mask the odor, but do not eliminate it completely.
rice is a good odor absorbent.
. Just pour it into a bowl and leave it indoors for several hours.
Another good adsorbent is charcoal.
.
You can try to cover up the smell with scented candles . Nowadays, manufacturers even produce candles specifically designed to neutralize the smell of cigarettes. They contain extracts from citronella, eucalyptus, lavender and other plants. Such candles are called “anti-tobacco”.
The stores offer a wide range of industrial air fresheners
. They are available in the form of sprays, granules or special stickers. You can choose the scent to suit your taste.
In the next article you will learn how to get rid of other unpleasant odors in your apartment.
Ways to get rid of ingrained odor
It is difficult to get rid of the stagnant smell of tobacco.
Dealing with the stagnant smell of tobacco in a room is a more difficult task. First you need to remove and wash everything you can. Namely: curtains, tulle, curtains, carpets, rugs, towels, potholders, covers from decorative pillows, covers from a sleeping mattress. The mattresses themselves (plus pillows) can be taken to the dry cleaner.
Remove all books from the room. Book paper absorbs odors well, including tobacco. Even in a well-treated room, books soaked in smoke for years can leave an unpleasant odor . If it’s a shame to throw away books, then lock them in a closet with tightly closed doors. Better yet, make a “library” on the balcony or in the garage (if you have one).
After this, you can begin to treat the room from tobacco smoke in various ways.
Bite
Vinegar absorbs various odors well. There is no need to use it in its pure form. When carrying out thorough wet cleaning, use a solution of water and vinegar. For 1 liter of water add 1 tablespoon of vinegar. This water is used for wet cleaning. As the water becomes contaminated, it is changed, a new solution is made, and cleaning continues. Wipe down all moisture-resistant surfaces and objects. You can wipe the ceiling if the material from which it is made allows it.
Ammonia, soda and vinegar
You can prepare a homemade chemical composition based on the same soda, vinegar and ammonia. One-fourth cup of soda and the same amount of vinegar are poured into the container. To this add half a glass of ammonia (ammonia). This mixture is diluted with 3 liters of water. All surfaces of the apartment are wiped with the solution. In essence, this is a thorough wet cleaning, only this chemical composition is used instead of water. Make sure that there are no streaks left on the surfaces being treated. What these stains consist of can later “emit” the smell of tobacco again. During such a frill, do not forget to wear gloves and a respirator. As the cleaning solution becomes contaminated, it is replaced with a new one.
Washing powder
All items that can be washed must be washed using a regular washing machine. When choosing a program, choose the most thorough mode. Use the most fragrant and flavored powder possible. In addition to it, when washing, do not forget to pour fabric softener or fabric softener into the appropriate compartment of the machine. Washed items can be dried in the same room where you are “treating” the smell of smoking. Drying washed clothes will fill the room with the aroma of powder.
Redecorating
Paper wallpaper, like books, absorbs harmful smoke. Wooden products (flooring, furniture, window sills, baseboards, shelves, etc.) too. The ceiling upholstery also absorbs smoke rising upward. If you have been smoking in your room or kitchen for many years, then sometimes only radical measures will help.
Carry out cosmetic repairs. First of all, you need to remove all the old wallpaper and put up new ones. Changing genders is expensive and difficult. You can limit yourself to replacing the flooring (linoleum, carpet, laminate). Replace the ceiling covering. If there is none, then the ceiling can, depending on the situation, be painted or covered with lime.
Clinical service
Expensive, but justified way. If possible, you can call the clinical service. Such companies have extensive experience in this field. Employees clearly know what to do, because they encounter this every day. They are armed with professional means for cleaning the premises from any contaminants. Including from ingrained tobacco smoke . When choosing a company, be guided by its authority in the cleaning services market and study reviews on the Internet. It's better to spend a little more but get guaranteed results. How to save money and remain dissatisfied.
Air purifier
You can use special devices. Thanks to the filters installed in them, the air in the room is purified. The air will be purified. But you need to take into account that without eliminating the objects and things that have absorbed the fumes, the smell may not go away. Cleaners, depending on the brand, are best used while the smoker is living in the apartment. So that combustion products from tobacco smog settle less on surfaces.
Prevention
The cause of the unpleasant odor is a smoker.
The best way to eliminate the “aroma” of cigarettes in an apartment is to eliminate its sources. Quit smoking, motivate your loved ones to quit the bad habit, or agree not to smoke indoors. Find a compromise. Switch to an electronic vaporizer. It harms the lungs no less, but does not produce suffocating smoke. Cigarettes for the street, for the home - a vaporizer . Let this be the rule.
To protect yourself from smokers in the entrance or hallway, eliminate all cracks in the entrance door and holes in the walls (from cables and other communications brought into the room). Have a preventive conversation with your neighbor, from whose balcony the wind is blowing clouds of smoke into your window. If it doesn’t help, then it’s better to save money and install an air conditioner. To be able to close the windows tightly and not suffocate.
If you can’t eliminate the cause of the smell in the house, then you need to:
- Regularly (preferably constantly) ventilate the room
- Get a smoke eliminator or air purifier for tobacco smoke
- Make cosmetic repairs to the premises using non-absorbent materials (tiles, plastic, linoleum, etc.)
- Keep air fresheners, fragrances or absorbents on hand at all times.
- Do wet cleaning more often using detergents
How to speed up elimination
To quickly cleanse the body of toxic substances, it is necessary to speed up diuresis. Drink more fluid in combination with diuretics. But this method does not work if a person takes alcohol, antibacterial, antifungal, or painkillers.
If low enzyme activity is genetically determined, it will not be possible to accelerate the rate of elimination of snus and its metabolites.
Treatment of snus addiction is carried out in drug treatment clinics; it is impossible to eliminate mental and physical addiction on your own. They use an integrated approach - detoxification, drug treatment, psychotherapy and rehabilitation.
