In this study, odor was detectable at 23 feet from the source and irritation levels began at 13 feet. The study also found that anyone positioned downwind from an outdoor source of secondhand smoke is going to be exposed, even at significant distances from the source.
Depending upon weather conditions and air flow, tobacco smoke can be detected at distances between 25-30 feet away. The harm of tobacco smoke is greater if there are many lit cigarettes burning at the same time and if someone is close to the tobacco smoke.
Conclusions: The outdoor PM2. 5 levels were significantly higher with smoking than without smoking. Because the OTS was detectable even at 9 m with only one cigarette smoking, the minimum distance from a smoking source to prevent OTS exposure should be at least 9 m.
The smoke infiltrates homes, and the lingering odor persists due to tiny microscopic particles that cling to walls, furniture, floors, clothing, etc. inside your home. Removing the smell of smoke can be a difficult job involving time, effort, and money.
When someone who smokes outside enters a car or home, they bring thirdhand smoke with them. Often, they will smell like tobacco smoke. But even if they don't, thirdhand smoke is still carried on their clothes, skin, hair, and even in the breath they exhale.
SMOKE UP IN A VENTILATED AREA OR UPWIND
Lighting a scented candle or an incense stick in the same room will help to rid the smell even more and may add a masking scent to your clothes. If you are smoking outside, turn your back against the wind to make sure the fumes are carried away from you.
It lingers
Second-hand smoke lingers for up to 5 hours after your last cigarette. Even if you smoke when they're at school or out playing, second-hand smoke will still be around, waiting for your kids to breathe it in when they get home.
Ventilate the space
Nothing rids odors as effectively as flooding the room with fresh air. Open any windows and doors within your immediate vicinity to increase airflow and allow smoke to dissipate. Pro tip: When smoking, try to be as close to the window or door as possible and exhale directly outside.
This makes it almost impossible to direct smoke away from those around you. If you only smoke in one area of your home the harmful chemicals will spread rapidly from room to room and can linger for up to 5 hours.
Background: Heavy smokers (those who smoke greater than or equal to 25 or more cigarettes a day) are a subgroup who place themselves and others at risk for harmful health consequences and also are those least likely to achieve cessation.
There is no safe level of exposure to secondhand smoke. People who do not smoke who are exposed to secondhand smoke, even for a short time, can suffer harmful health effects. In adults who do not smoke, secondhand smoke exposure can cause coronary heart disease, stroke, lung cancer, and other diseases.
There is no safe level of exposure to secondhand smoke; even brief exposure can cause serious health problems. Secondhand smoke can cause coronary heart disease, stroke, and lung cancer in adults who do not smoke.
Fact: Secondhand smoke can stay in the air for several hours and travel up to 20 feet. Fact: Pets that get exposed to secondhand smoke have a higher risk of some cancers and respiratory problems. Quitting adds up!
To remove smoke smell from a car or room, fill several small bowls with baking soda and set them all around the space. Leave the baking soda in place for at least 24 hours. Sprinkle a thin layer of baking soda onto rugs or carpeting, let it sit for at least 2 hours (preferably overnight), and then vacuum.
The smoke can penetrate cloth, hard surfaces, and even the air system of the car and the smell can linger over time.
Things You Should Know
Hide the smoky smell by opening a window, switching on a fan, spraying some air freshener, or sliding a wet towel along the lower crack of your door. Practice discreet smoking habits like directing your smoke out of a window and tying up your hair beforehand.
Yes, if you don't smoke yourself you can easily smell tobacco or weed at quite some distance, easily between normal suburban houses, obviously depending on wind speed and direction. Generally smokers of all kinds considerably underestimate how sensitive others are to the smell.
Without using OdorXit, it typically takes 6 months for the smoke smell from cigarettes to go away. It can be even longer if the smell has seeped deep into the walls and furniture.
Improve air circulation by opening windows, using fans, and letting sunlight in to reduce smoke concentration. Use baking soda, white vinegar, activated charcoal, and ozone treatment to absorb and neutralize smoke odors on surfaces.
Set out bowls of activated charcoal throughout your house, which will absorb the smoky odor. Alternatively, try setting out bowls of kitty litter, baking soda, or coffee grinds which may also help absorb lingering smells.
A new study out of Yale University says thirdhand smoke – the tobacco contaminants that adhere to walls, bedding, carpet and other surfaces until a room smells like an ashtray – can actually cling to a smoker's body and clothes as well.
Phantosmia is a condition that causes you to detect smells that aren't actually in your environment. It can happen in one nostril or both — and the odors may be foul or pleasant. Common causes include colds, allergies, nasal polyps and dental issues. Treatment depends on the underlying cause.