How to Use Essential Oils to Eliminate Smoke Odor
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Smoke is one of the most stubborn and hard-to-remove odors within the home. It will cling to fabrics and can be very overpowering. Even after the cause of the odor is removed you can be left with the lingering smell of smoke for weeks or even longer.
It can be tempting to try and mask the smell using synthetic fragrances and strong-smelling air fresheners, but this will not get to the root of the problem and effectively eliminate the odor from your home. Often, people will use air fresheners or essential oils to eliminate smoke odor.
Synthetic air fresheners and harsh chemical cleaning products are also terrible for the environment and are generally not the safest option when it comes to your health and any other people or pets within your household.
If you’re looking for a natural, eco-friendly method of removing smoke odors from your home effectively, leaving you with a fresh-smelling, sparkling-clean home, essential oils are a miracle ingredient and can be easily implemented into your regular cleaning routine.
Here, we’re going to take a look at what makes essential oils so effective, and how they can be used to effectively remove smoky smells.
How to Use Essential Oils to Eliminate Smoke Odor
So, how can essential oils be used within your home to effectively eliminate smoke odors? Listed below are a few of the best ways to use essential oils for this purpose with optimal results.
1. Add Them to Your Laundry Cycle
Any machine-washable fabrics such as clothes, removable cushion covers, or curtains and blankets should be washed in your washing machine. This is by far the quickest and most effective way of removing any stubborn smoke smells.
Before starting the laundry cycle, add a few drops of essential oils into the detergent drawer. Alternatively, you can add a few drops of your chosen essential oil to a wool dryer ball or sheet and add this into your dryer. Just make sure the ball or sheet is fully dried first, to avoid any oil marks being left on your fabrics.
Whatever method you use, the essential oils coupled with a warm or hot wash should be extremely effective in removing unwanted odors and leaving your laundry smelling super fresh.
Related: Can You Add Essential Oils to Laundry?
2. Make Your Own DIY Air Freshener
You can also use essential oils to make your own chemical-free, eco-friendly air freshener or room spray. Simply dilute your essential oil with water, this can be tailored to fit your own preferred potency, but around 5-6 drops of essential oil to every 500ml of water is generally advised. Add to an empty spray bottle and you have your very own, non-toxic room freshener.
This might not eliminate the odors entirely, but coupled with some of the other methods listed here it will definitely help to leave your home smelling clean and can be used continuously for constant freshness.
This is a great cost-effective, eco-friendly cleaning option.
Now Foods Essential Oils 5-Pack Variety Sampler – 1oz each
3. Use Essential Oils to Clean Surfaces
Hard surfaces are less likely to hold odors than fabrics, but some surfaces such as absorbent woods will still allow smoke odors to seep in and linger within the home.
Essential oils make great surface cleansers, and many also have anti-bacterial properties.
Either dilute the essential oils with water in an empty spray bottle for a quick and convenient surface cleanser or mix the oil in a large bowl with some warm water and your favorite non-toxic dish soap. Apply your mixture to the surface and use it with a clean microfiber cloth.
Essential oils can also be used to clean your hard floors, just be sure to use them sparingly to avoid making surfaces too slippery and dangerous since essential oils are hydrophobic and could leave an oily residue on your floors if not diluted properly.
Take your diluted mixture and add this into a spray mop or regular mop bucket for sanitized, fresh-smelling flooring throughout your home. This can make a real difference when it comes to getting rid of unwanted, stubborn smells.
Related: The Best Mop for Luxury Vinyl Plank Floors
4. Use an Essential Oil Diffuser
Finally, you could invest in a home diffuser. These allow you to add in your choice of essential oil or a blend of your favorite scents, which will then be emitted into your home continuously while the diffuser is switched on. These are great for filling a room with the essential oil scent without it being too overwhelming. It is a great way to use essential oils to eliminate smoke odor in your home.
| Image | Product | Our Rating | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
Top Choice  | Plant Therapy TerraFuse Deluxe Essential Oil Diffuser
| 9.7 | Check Price on Amazon |
 | URPOWER 2nd Generation 300ml Aroma Essential Oil Diffuser
| 9.5 | Check Price on Amazon |
Best Value  | URPOWER Essential Oil Diffuser
| 9.5 | Check Price on Amazon |
What Are Essential Oils?
Essential Oils are highly concentrated liquids derived or extracted from plants. The oils capture the plant’s scent, obtained through distillation processes or other methods such as cold pressing. They are highly potent, aromatic oils that contain no synthetic ingredients and are 100% natural.
Essential oils are available in numerous different scents; some of the most popular include lavender, lemongrass, rose, and jasmine, each with different uses and benefits.
Often, essential oils are used for health reasons, aromatherapy, candle making, meditation, and cleaning purposes.
| Image | Product | Our Rating | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Plant Therapy Lemon Essential Oil
| 9.8 | Check Price on Amazon |
 | NOW Essential Oils, Lavender Oil
| 9.7 | Check Price on Amazon |
 | Ylang Ylang Essential Oil 5ml by Young Living Essential Oils
| 9.6 | Check Price on Amazon |
Things to Consider When Using Essential Oils in Your Home
Before we move on to look at how essential oils could be used to remove smoke odors from your home, there are a few important things to be aware of.
Despite their natural, chemical-free ingredients, essential oils might not be safe to use in all situations.
Some essential oils, such as lemon, cinnamon, and tea tree, are actually toxic to many breeds of dogs, cats, and other household pets. The oils are generally safe for humans, but can seriously impact the natural body chemistry of your pets.
Similarly, essential oils can cause allergic reactions in some people. If you know you have existing allergies, it is of course advisable that you avoid these allergens and if the essential oils you are using cause any adverse reactions, stop use immediately.
Always do plenty of research before bringing any new ingredients into your home to avoid any harm being caused to you, your family, or your pets.
The Best Essential Oils for Removing Smoke Odor
Now, let’s take a look at some of the most popular, highly effective essential oils that will successfully remove any unwanted smoke odors from within your home.
Lavender
Lavender is well-known for its calming, sleep-inducing effects. It gives an extremely fresh scent and will leave your home smelling floral and you feeling very relaxed. It’s a great oil to use in bedrooms and on bed linens due to its ability to promote healthy sleep. It also blends really well with lots of other essential oils for a more complex scent.
It smells amazing when mixed with Pine, Jasmine, or Chamomile.
NOW Lavender Essential Oil
Lemon
Lemon is incredibly effective when used as a cleaning agent. Its natural anti-bacterial properties and zingy, fresh scent make it a great option for refreshing your home and eliminating any unpleasant odors or germs.
It works great as a surface cleanser or as an alternative to harmful, chemical floor cleaners. It leaves a nice, clean scent behind and is one of our favorites on our essential oils to eliminate smoke odor.
Plant Therapy Lemon Essential Oil
Ylang-Ylang
Ylang-Ylang is less commonly found in home cleaning products but is great at eliminating odors without leaving a hugely overpowering scent in its place. This essential oil is calming, anti-bacterial, and also has numerous other benefits and uses such as lowering blood pressure and promoting clear thinking and an active mind.
It is frequently mixed with other essential oils since it isn’t the strongest smelling option. Mixing with rose and jasmine will leave a sweet, floral smell throughout your home.
Ylang Ylang Essential Oil 5ml by Young Living
Sandalwood
If you’re more drawn to deep, woody smells rather than floral or citrusy scents, sandalwood is an excellent option.
Again, it is anti-bacterial making it a great cleaning agent. Sandalwood is thought to be one of the most highly fragranced trees, so it makes an excellent air freshener or room spray. It is also said to reduce anxiety, promote calmness, and support the healing of wounds.
Plant Therapy Australian Sandalwood Essential Oil 100% Pure, Undiluted
Rose
For a more classic, floral scent, Rose is a highly popular and effective essential oil. It is great for adding to laundry and will leave your fabrics smelling fresh and clean. It can be mixed with almost any blend of essential oils and is extremely versatile.
Plant Therapy Rose Absolute Essential Oil 100% Pure, Undiluted
| Image | Product | Our Rating | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plant Therapy Lemon Essential Oil
| 9.8 | Check Price on Amazon |
| NOW Essential Oils, Lavender Oil
| 9.7 | Check Price on Amazon |
| Ylang Ylang Essential Oil 5ml by Young Living Essential Oils
| 9.6 | Check Price on Amazon |
Final Thoughts on How to Use Essential Oils to Eliminate Smoke Odor
When it comes to removing unwanted scents from your home, there is no need to turn to harmful, potentially toxic cleaning products or air fresheners that may remove the smell but could also be leaving behind harmful residues in your home and are detrimental to the health of our waterways and the environment.
Essential oils will not simply mask the smell; when used effectively they will eliminate it entirely, leaving your home smelling fresh and clean while removing any bacteria or germs commonly found on surfaces and fabrics.
Smoke is an extremely stubborn smell but by using some of the tips and methods listed in this article on how to use essential oils to eliminate smoke odor, you should be able to remove it from your home in an efficient and cost-effective way.