For many users, the biggest downside to smoking cannabis is the fact that its scent can linger all over furniture, clothes, car interiors, and other places for a very long time. Luckily, there are a few things you can do to eliminate the smell of cannabis and keep everything fresh. However, before we get to these scent-purifying methods, we will go through everything you need to know about the odour of cannabis.
Cannabis Odour: Why Is It So Potent?
Cannabis plants are full of terpenes, which are the compounds that give it its distinct strong scent. Some of the terpenes that can be found in cannabis include:
- Myrcene: Gives off a signature musky and herbal scent.
- Limonene: Produces a citrusy smell.
- Pinene: Has the aroma of a pine tree.
Each cannabis strain has its own unique aroma profile. The scent that is lingering around after you smoke will depend on the specific strain you used. However, most varieties of cannabis do have the musky and herbal undertone that is signature to the plant.
When cannabis burns, it will mainly produce a pungent herbal odour with skunky notes of earth and diesel. The scent can linger in the room and settle into your clothing and hair. However, cannabis smoke is also less dense than cigarette smoke, so it can quickly travel further.
Another reason why cannabis has such a strong scent that lingers is due to the fact that it contains volatile sulphur compounds (VSCs). All cannabis varieties contain VSCs, but in different concentrations. Almost all types of cannabis contain 3-methyl-2-butene-1-thiol (VSC3), which has a very skunky scent, similar to the VSCs that can be found in onions and garlic.
Why Does Cannabis Smell Skunky When You Smoke It?
Smoking cannabis produces a skunky aroma because the plant’s thin, wispy trichomes get burnt. The combustion process releases the cannabinoids and terpenes that are stored in the resin glands, which gives your bud its distinctive skunky scent. The more THC your product contains, the stronger and more pungent the odour will be.
How To Get Rid Of Cannabis Odour
Getting rid of the pungent cannabis scent might be difficult, but it can be done. Here are some of our best tips and tricks to rid of cannabis odour in a variety of contexts.
Eliminating Cannabis Odour In The Air
If you smoked cannabis inside of a room and are trying to get the general scent out of there, one of the easiest solutions is to invest in a few air fresheners. You can choose between aerosol sprays, plug-in fresheners, or gel-based scents, but plug-in fresheners tend to work best as they automatically give off fresh scent all day long.
Other ways to mask the smell include lighting candles or cooking. Opt for natural scented candles like pine or lavender as they are not too overbearing. If you would rather cook, try to incorporate aromatic spices like garlic, rosemary, or bell pepper.
It is also good practice to keep ventilating the area. Open up your windows, turn on a fan, and switch on your humidifier to keep the air circulating. This will make sure that fresh air comes in and that the lingering cannabis scent dissipates.
Removing Cannabis Scent From Furniture
When cannabis smoke gets into fabric, like on sofas, bedspreads, and curtains, it is a little more tricky to get it back to smelling fresh. This is due to the fact that the odour molecules in smoke stick more easily to fibre than they do to air.
There are odour-remover sprays on the market that you can spray directly onto your couch to remove the cannabis scent. These sprays directly adhere to the odour molecules found in the fabric and neutralise the smell instead of just masking it.
You can also use baking soda to deep clean your couch. Spread a good amount of baking soda onto your couch and its cushions before you vacuum it thoroughly. Any separate blankets, curtains, or throws can be thrown in the washing machine and rinsed with sweet scented fabric softeners.
Getting The Cannabis Smell Out Of Carpets And Rugs
Carpets can retain odour molecules easily, especially the thick and fluffy kind many of us love. If your house keeps smelling like cannabis, your carpet might be the culprit.
Start by vacuuming your carpet thoroughly to remove any dust, ash, and lint that is keeping in the smell. Then, you can use a natural cleaning agent or white vinegar and baking soda to clean your carpet. Sprinkle it all over the carpet and leave it in for one or two days before you vacuum again.
You can finish the cleaning process off with some carpet shampoo to ensure that everything smells clean and fresh.
Eliminating Cannabis Scent Out Of Cars
If you are someone who frequently enjoys smoking cannabis in your car, you will definitely start to notice a lingering skunky scent. This is because the fabric of your car seats will trap the cannabis odour, which will build up and get stronger over time.
Here are some tips to remove the cannabis odour from your car:
- Scrub down hard surfaces with a soapy solution
- Sprinkle baking soda on your car seats and carpets and let it set for a few hours before vacuuming
- Spray an odour-eliminating spray onto your seats
- Keep moisture absorbers in your car
- Hang some car air fresheners
How To Get Cannabis Odour Out Of Hair And Clothes
Even if you brush your teeth, open the windows, and plug in an air freshener, you might still be smelling like cannabis. This is because your hair and clothes are very good adsorbents that will retain the smell of cannabis smoke.
To get the smell of cannabis smoke out of your hair, you can:
- Let your hair down and go out in the sun for 30 minutes as this will neutralise the odour
- Use a deodoriser, scented moisturiser, or hair perfume
- Wash your hair with scented shampoo
To get away the scent of cannabis smoke from your clothes, you can:
- Use body spray or perfume
- Hang them outside in the sun (air and the sun will neutralise the odour very well)
- Wash them as you normally would, add white vinegar to the rinse cycle, and hang them up so they can dry
- Soak your clothes in a baking soda solution before you wash them like you normally do
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