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Dialecti asked: I smoke rolled tobacco. I was wearing a blouse which was wet, and while rolling the cigarette, tobacco pieces were falling down on my blouse leaving stains. I didn’t notice it, until some hours ago, when the blouse was dry. How can I remove them?
Tobacco stains, particularly those which have been set by heat or allowed to dry, can be difficult to remove. Your success will depend on the type of fabric you’re dealing with, but in most cases this process should improve, if not eliminate, the stains.
You Will Need:
- 1 quart of warm water
- 1 tsp. liquid laundry detergent
- Sponge
- Rubbing alcohol
Steps to Remove the Stain:
- Combine the warm water and laundry detergent.
- Soak the shirt in the combined mixture for 15 minutes.
- Remove it from the water and wring out excess moisture.
- Wet the sponge with rubbing alcohol.
- Rub the stains with the sponge until the stains are gone. Rubbing alcohol can remove color as well, so spot test for color fastness first.
Additional Tips and Advice
- If this method doesn’t work, try a commercial stain remover with proven results on nicotine such as Instagone. Always spot test in a hidden area first.
- Vinegar is well known for it’s ability to break down nicotine stains and build up. It can be added to the washing water as well for increased cleaning power.
- If the stains have dried, you may need to allow them to soak so that the moisture can re-penetrate the stain and make it more workable to remove.
I have had clothes hanging in a closet for a couple years and heavy cigarette smoke turned them brown, which appears to be nicotine. How do I remove that type of stain? Somebody said to use lemon juice and vinegar; does that really WORK?
John,
White vinegar is a very common nicotine remover for a variety of surfaces and can work very well. Since the stains are all over, the best way to use it would be to just add it to the wash water. The usual recommendation is to add 1 cup to a large load. Don’t dry the clothes in the dryer until you are sure the stains are gone though. If needed, wash them a second time. Washing with Oxy-Clean could also help. Lemon juice is usually used as a mild bleach on clothing. If using a stain removing solution like lemon juice or any other type of spot treatment, always test it in a small hidden area of the fabric first and allow it to fully dry before assessing the results. Good luck!
I am definitely going to try this. We only smoke outside and in our bedroom because our gun safe is in our room and all our important papers; that room is off limits to our babies!! I forgot to cover my FAVORITE WHITE CORDUROY JACKET FOR SUMMER. ????????♀️????????♀️????????????????????♀️????????♀️????????♀️????????♀️???????????????? I had no idea that much smoke hung around. My husband and myself will be quitting smoking all together or if either continues or both it will be out doors only!!! So not healthy and can’t be staying in one room!! Hope this works!! Thank you; it’s been a wake up call for sure!!