30th Aug 2022 love2laundry Laundry Tips

Will dry cleaning remove cigarette smell?

If you have ever tried to remove the smell of cigarettes from your clothing or household fabrics, you will be aware that it is a complex task.

With 13.5% of adults being smokers in the UK, dealing with removing cigarette smells attached to clothing is something we have plenty of experience with at Love2Laundry. If you are a smoker or have been impacted by second-hand smoke affecting your fabrics, you have probably considered, ‘will dry cleaning remove cigarette smell for me?’

The total clothing spending for UK households in 2021 was over £57 billion. With the average lifespan of a piece of clothing expected to be at least 2 years, consumers don’t want to have to be replacing items before their time due to the effects of smoke. The cost-of-living crisis that the UK faces in 2022 also means that disposable income will be lower, so spending on items, when they are not planned for, is quite simply not an option.

Source: https://www.statista.com/statistics/289999/consumer-spending-on-clothing-in-the-united-kingdom-uk/

Dry cleaning is a method of refreshing your laundry whilst preserving the quality of your items. If you search for what remedies there are for smoke-smelling clothing, you will be met with a world of home hacks. Whilst some of these may end up working, you risk damaging your items and potentially having to replace them completely.

With our handy service, you can professionally remove unwanted smoke smells. So put down the bicarbonate of soda, stop washing your clothes in vinegar, and read exactly how dry cleaning can breathe new, fresh-smelling life into your fabrics in our complete guide.

The effect of cigarette smoke on clothing

Whether you are a smoker or have been around other people smoking, we all know how the undeniable scent attaches itself to fabrics in an instant. The smell can attach itself to clothing without proper treatment and become increasingly difficult to remove. This also affects not just clothing but also household items such as curtains, bedding, and rugs which will all need to be professionally cleaned to eliminate undesired odours.

It is not just the smell that causes issues for clothing, but also the cigarette particles that remain within fabrics which can be hazardous to health. With your skin and hair being able to absorb smoke directly, not removing the remnants from clothing means you are at risk even if a cigarette is not being smoked near you at the time. Whilst showering will remove the particles from the skin; the same issue will occur if the contaminated item is used again before it is cleaned. Known as third-hand smoke, the chemicals can last for over 2 years if not treated properly. These particles are so tiny that 85% of them are not even visible under a microscope. However, despite their small size, the effects can be huge.

The smell of smoke on fabrics can also be powerful and potentially unnoticeable by existing smokers. This means that people who smoke may not know that their clothing does not smell fresh because of their daily routines. The best way to keep your items fresh? Book regular dry-cleaning appointments via our app or website.

How does dry cleaning work to remove smoke smells

As the name would suggest, dry cleaning is a waterless form of washing that is favoured for its ability to treat clothing delicately. The processes use certain chemicals that are only available in professional settings with designated machines meaning that the process can’t be replicated at home. This method of refreshing fabrics is perfect for removing smoke smells as the specialised products are heat-controlled treatment methods that can target the individual fibres at the deepest level.

The process itself is simple for us once we have your items. Firstly, we will always tag and note the condition of the clothing we are treating. Once everything has been sorted into categories, clothing is then put inside the dry-cleaning machine, which gently moves the clothing items around whilst it is mixed with a cleaning solution. For circumstances such as smoke smells, we will use certain chemicals proven to help eliminate trapped odours. Some items may need treating more than once for an effective result, but we will always let you know what can be realistically achieved with each item. The after-treatment also helps to prolong the lifespan and freshness of clothing, treatments such as steaming and ironing are a great way to ensure any remnants of smells have been removed.

Dry cleaning also offers an environmentally friendly way to launder your items as the machines are much larger than home washing machines, meaning more clothing can be tended to at once. This also offers a more environmentally friendly solution to garment cleaning.

There are, however, limits to what dry cleaning can achieve if smells have been left to sit on clothing for too long. Therefore, we always recommend treating items as soon as they come into contact with any harsh scents or stains, as the longer they are left, the harder they are to treat. Our main goal is also to prolong the life of your clothing, which cannot be guaranteed if harsher chemicals are needed to treat embedded odours. Suppose you are also subjecting your clothing or household fabrics to cigarette smoke time and time again. In that case, you will likely find that the lifespan of these items is greatly reduced, and odours become more difficult to remove.

Why is dry cleaning good for bad smells in general

When odours are absorbed into clothing, they do not just stay on the surface but instead embed themselves in the fibres, making them hard to treat. Some of the most odour-absorbent fabrics are cotton, linen, fleece, wool, flannel, and microfibre. These are also some of the most popular clothing materials meaning that escaping from trapped smells is hard for smokers. Whilst at-home washing can clean each layer of your items; it does not have the same power that professional solutions offer in combatting deeper set issues. Dry cleaning is therefore favoured for being able to remove tough odours along with stains.

Whilst dry cleaning does offer to improve the chance of success, it is not 100% efficient, which is why looking after your clothing is super important. As we use a range of different products and treatments, our team will always try to find new ways of combatting the unwanted smoke smell. This will also be impacted by the type of fabric that you are trying to treat, as some items, such as silk and fleece, hold onto odours a lot more strongly than others.

It still stands that the process of dry cleaning offers the best chance of success when it comes to removing cigarette smoke odours from clothing and household fabrics. Dry cleaning is a complex task, so we always recommend getting in touch with our team if you have any questions.

Why should you choose Love2Laundry to treat your smoke-affected clothing?

Just like a good crossword puzzle or long hike, we love a good challenge at Love2Laundry, which is we work hard to resolve a whole host of laundry nightmares. Removing cigarette smells is one of the most common services that we are asked about. Our team is well trained in the dry-cleaning process and has extensive knowledge of the best ways to treat difficult items.

The other benefits to choosing us for removing deep set odours are:

You can book your laundry load via our app or on the website. With convenience central to our service offering, we make it simple for you to book your dry cleaning with us. There is also no need to journey into your local town or city with your items as our eco-friendly vans will collect and deliver your items whenever you want them to.

Last-minute bookings can also be made for unexpected needs. This is a huge benefit regardless of your circumstance, but especially hand if you have unexpectedly encountered cigarette smoke. Perhaps you have been to a bar or an outdoor event? If you are a non-smoker, you are likely to be even more aware of these unwanted odours. Our service lets you book in for a next-day treatment of your clothing to eliminate any long-lasting scents.

Our clients’ reviews show that we are masters at what we do. As you can see from our customer’s reviews, they are extremely complimentary of the service that we provide. Our friendly teams are also always on hand to answer any questions and support you with your order so when you choose to have your laundry completed by us, you will always be met with a smile!