How to Get Smoke Smell Out of Clothes (Cigarette, Campfire & Fire)

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Air the clothes out, then wash washable items in a small load with a liquid or odor-removing detergent. Oklahoma State University Extension says to add one cup of vinegar to the wash and not to dry clothes that still smell like smoke, as heat can set the odor. Repeat if needed. Take dry-clean-only items to a professional.

Last updated: November 13, 2026.

Smoke odor is made of tiny particles that cling to fabric. A light campfire night may come out in one wash. Clothes from a smoker’s house, or from a house fire, usually take more work, and some pieces should not be washed at home. Read the care label first, and pretest any cleaner on a hidden area, as the University of Georgia Extension advises.

How cigarette, campfire, and house-fire smoke differ

The same wash method is the starting point for most washable clothes. The difference is how much residue the fabric is holding, and whether there is visible soot.

Cigarette and tobacco smoke builds up over time. The American Cleaning Institute says smoke can permeate clothes and other fabrics, and that the odor can be hard to dislodge when it has been accumulating for a while. Launder anything that can safely go through the washer, or hand-wash it, and take pieces that cannot be washed to a dry cleaner. Repeat washes if needed. A smoke-odor specialist is an option when home washing falls short.

Campfire and wood smoke is often a one-time exposure on jackets, hoodies, and blankets. Start by hanging the clothes in fresh air, then use the wash steps below on anything that is machine-washable. If the smell is still there when the cycle ends, wash again before the clothes go near a dryer.

House-fire smoke and soot is a heavier problem. Soot can be greasy. The Cleaning Institute says to shake the garment out and not to rub, which can make the stain worse, then to wash washable items in detergent and the hottest water the fabric can take. You may have to launder as many as five times. After a fire, check whether insurance will help with cleaning costs, as Cornell Cooperative Extension’s Ask Extension service recommends, before you throw damaged clothing away.

Washable clothes vs. dry-clean-only, leather, and wool

Sort first. Washable cotton, polyester, and blends can usually be treated at home with the steps below. Keep the load small so the clothes can move, which is what UGA Extension recommends.

Anything labeled dry-clean only belongs with a professional. UGA Extension says to send those clothes to a dry cleaner who offers a deodorizing service such as ozone. Ask the cleaner what method they use. Do not wash a garment the care label says to dry-clean. For reading labels and caring for wool, silk, and other fabrics, see our fabric care and stain removal guide.

Leather, suede, wool, and silk

Leather shoes, handbags, and jackets, and many wool or silk garments, are not good candidates for a homemade smoke-odor soak. Follow the care label. Chlorine bleach is not for wool or silk; the Cleaning Institute says sodium hypochlorite bleaches should not be used on those fibers. After a fire, Ask Extension’s guidance is to use dry cleaning where the label already recommends it, and regular washing for other fabrics.

A step-by-step method for washable clothes

Use this sequence on machine-washable items. Stop and go to a professional if the fabric cannot be washed, or if fire soot is heavy and you are dealing with an insurance claim.

1. Air the clothes out

Hang them outside in fresh air when you can, or in a well-ventilated room. ACI’s cigarette-smoke advice for a home starts with letting in fresh air. Airing will not always finish the job, especially after long exposure, but it helps before the wash.

2. Add baking soda, and consider an odor-remover soak

Arm & Hammer’s laundry directions are to add ½ cup of baking soda to the washer with your detergent, then another ½ cup in the rinse cycle, to help neutralize odors. Ask Extension notes that soaking clothes with an odor remover first may help, and that you can also add an odor remover to the wash. Use a product made for laundry, and follow that label. Do not combine baking soda, vinegar, and bleach in one pot; treat each product as its own step.

3. Use a vinegar rinse in the wash

Oklahoma State University Extension says to add 1 cup of vinegar to detergent in the wash cycle, and to wash again immediately if the odor is still there when the cycle ends. The Cleaning Institute says vinegar can help with unpleasant odors, though it may leave an odor of its own and is not a disinfectant. Never combine vinegar with chlorine bleach. Vinegar is acidic, and ACI warns that mixing chlorine bleach with ammonia or acidic products can be dangerous or even deadly.

4. Choose a liquid or odor-eliminating detergent

UGA Extension’s smoke-and-soot steps call for a liquid laundry detergent, or a detergent formulated to remove odors. Use the dose on the bottle, in a small load, with the warmest water the care label allows. If you already use an odor-focused detergent for problems such as urine odor in laundry, the same idea applies: pick a detergent sold to remove odors, and repeat the wash if needed.

5. Add oxygen bleach only where it is safe

If the care label allows bleach but not chlorine bleach, the Cleaning Institute says a color-safe oxygen bleach can help with stains and odors. Add powdered oxygen bleach to the wash water before the clothes, not in a heap on wet fabric, and use it in warm-to-hot water, which is when ACI says it works best. The care label still wins. Do not combine oxygen bleach with chlorine bleach or ammonia. Chlorine bleach, if the label allows it, is a separate, stronger option; it is not for wool or silk, and it should never be mixed with vinegar.

6. Air-dry, then check before using the dryer

This is the step that protects the rest of the work. Oklahoma State University Extension says not to dry clothes that still smell like smoke, because that can set the odor in the material. Ask Extension says to hang clothes to dry, where possible, until the smoke smell has dissipated, rather than using a heated dryer. UGA Extension says not to machine-dry between launderings; air-dry only if the fabric must be dried, and do not use a fabric softener until the smoke odor is gone.

Sniff the clothes when they are dry enough to judge. If the smell remains, wash them again. UGA says to repeat the washing three to five times. ACI’s soot guidance also says you may have to launder as many as five times. Softener and dryer sheets can wait until the odor is gone; they mask more than they remove.

Some people later try a laundry-stripping soak for leftover buildup and odors. That is a heavier process, and it is not suitable for every fabric. It is not the first method university extension services describe for smoke. If you are considering it after the washes above, read the care labels and see our page on what laundry stripping is and how it works.

Quick fixes when you cannot wash yet

If you are away from a washer, or the garment cannot be washed until you reach a dry cleaner, you can still cut down the smell around the clothes.

Hang the item in fresh air, outdoors if the weather allows, or near an open window.
ACI suggests a fabric refresher for lingering cigarette smoke on household fabrics, along with fresh air. That is a short-term assist, not a substitute for washing or dry cleaning.
Oklahoma State University Extension recommends bowls of baking soda, or activated charcoal used the same way, left out for several days to absorb smoke odor in a room. Hang the clothes in that ventilated space; do not pour loose charcoal into a washer.

Ask Extension cautions against perfume sprays. At best they temporarily cover the problem, and they might add to it. Fragrance is not the same thing as removing the smoke particles.

When to go to a professional

Call a dry cleaner or a fire-restoration firm when the clothes are not washable, soot damage is heavy, several washes have not cleared the odor, or the loss may be part of an insurance claim.

Ozone treatment is a professional method, not a DIY project. UGA Extension mentions ozone as a deodorizing service some dry cleaners offer. Oklahoma State University Extension says homeowners may need to hire a professional to use an ozone generator after a fire, that this is not something to do themselves because of significant health and property dangers, and that the house has to be evacuated while it runs. Check whether insurance covers it. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency notes that ozone can be used to reduce smoke odors in unoccupied spaces, but that the levels needed for that job are above those generally thought to be safe for humans.

After a house fire, the American Red Cross describes a stronger wash for clothing that can be bleached: 4 to 6 tablespoons of tri-sodium phosphate and 1 cup of household cleaner or chlorine bleach per gallon of warm water. TSP is caustic, so read the label. The Red Cross also offers a milder alternative: wash in cold water with your usual detergent and one tablespoon of pure vanilla extract. Test the garment first. If you would rather not use TSP or chlorine at home, stay with the detergent, vinegar, and repeat-wash method, or hand the clothes to a restoration cleaner.

Mistakes to avoid

Putting smoky clothes in a hot dryer. Heat can set the odor. Wait until you can no longer smell smoke on the fabric.
Stopping after one wash. Light smoke may come out in one cycle. Stubborn smoke often takes several, and both UGA and ACI allow for as many as five.
Masking the smell with fragrance. Fabric softener, dryer sheets, and perfume sprays can cover odor for a while. They do not replace washing, and UGA says to skip softener until the smoke odor is gone. Oklahoma State University Extension makes the same point about air fresheners and scented candles: they only mask the smell for a short time.
Mixing chlorine bleach with vinegar or ammonia. ACI says never to mix chlorine bleach, or a product that contains it, with ammonia or acidic products. The combination can be dangerous or deadly. Do not invent a “super soak” by pouring several strong cleaners into one tub.
Rubbing soot into the fabric. Shake the garment; don’t rub. ACI says rubbing can make a soot stain worse.
Washing a dry-clean-only, leather, or delicate wool piece at home. The care label is the rule. A professional cleaner who can deodorize the garment is the safer choice.

Frequently asked questions

How many times should I wash clothes that smell like smoke?

Wash, air-dry, and check. If the odor is still there, wash again. UGA Extension recommends repeating the wash three to five times for smoke and soot. The Cleaning Institute also says soot and smoke odor may take as many as five launderings. Oklahoma State University Extension says to keep using the same wash until the smell is gone.

Can I put smoky clothes in the dryer?

Not while they still smell like smoke. Oklahoma State University Extension says drying clothes that still smell of smoke can set the odor in the material. Hang them to dry, then wash again if needed. Use the dryer only after the smell is gone.

Will vinegar or baking soda get smoke smell out of clothes?

They can help as part of a proper wash, not as a perfume. Oklahoma State University Extension calls for 1 cup of vinegar with detergent in the wash. Arm & Hammer directs you to use ½ cup of baking soda in the wash and another ½ cup in the rinse. Do not mix vinegar and chlorine bleach.

What should I do with clothes after a house fire?

Check with your insurer about cleaning costs before you discard much. Shake off loose soot; don’t rub it in. Wash washable items as described above, and take dry-clean-only pieces to a cleaner who can deodorize them. For heavy damage, use a fire-restoration professional. Leave ozone generators to those professionals.

How to Get Smoke Smell Out of Clothes (Cigarette, Campfire & Fire Smoke)