Removing Cigarette Smoke Odor

[Jessica]

Hello all - I wondered if anyone has had any experience successfully removing cigarette smell, without having to refinish an entire piece. I recently acquired a pair of mid-century dressers that are in fantastic shape, but after getting them home I quickly realized these babies reek like they’ve been used as ashtrays for the past 40 years! The original finish is nearly perfect, and if at all possible I’d like to avoid having to remove it. But, I think I’ve exhausted most potential remedies – sunlight, vinegar solution, restore-a finish, feed and wax, more sunlight….I’m at a loss! Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated!

[wtnhighlander]

The odor is more likely to be embedded into the non-finished areas, like inside the carcass, drawer bottoms, etc. You might consider removing all the drawers and doors, and coating any raw wood you can find with a little shellac. Just be careful about drawer runners, as too much finish buildup might cause them to bind.

[Jessica]

Hi wtnhighlander, thanks for responding! I neglected to mention that I’ve replaced the masonite inside the dressers, and coated the raw wood inside and the drawers with shellac. I have new masonite cut for the backs as well but haven’t put it on just yet. That’s done the trick for the carcass and drawers, but the smell on the outer finish itself is like an entity… 

[wtnhighlander]

In that case, I'll have to defer to the pro finishers on the forum. I'm sure one or two of them will chime in quickly!

[Tpt life]

I am not sure where to source it but smoke smell rehab utilizes an ozone tent. It might be controlled as it is harmful to breathe in. It is not residual. You may be able to pay a fire restoration contractor to include your piece in one of their treatment cycles.

[Dave H]

Wipe the offending areas down with TSP( tri-sodium phosphate) it's very strong cleaner that painters use to clean surfaces before painting it's great for cigarette smoke and, cleaning mold. After using the TSP solution wipe the offending areas down with clear water, wear rubber gloves TSP is pretty powerful stuff you can buy it at most paint stores. Than kick back and have a smoke  

[Jessica]

higtron, do you think TSP will hurt the finish? I've used it for painting prep and it definitely works great on walls, but I was hesitant to try it on the furniture.

[Gary Gilbert]

I have use tsp on carpets instead of buying the cleaners I would try it on a spot that might not been seen. I have seen where people have used a Iron with a damp cloth as well to remove stains. if you are careful you might get the funk out of the pores.

[Dave H]

Test an inconspicuous area, I'm not talking about saturating with the TSP I'm talking about wring the sponge out so it's moist wipe an area down than with a moist sponge in clear water wipe the TSP-ed area off than dry it with a towel or rag I hope it works out for you. I've only used TSP on painted surfaces before repainting.