First few minutes
Just happened? Do this first
- Brush off loose tobacco before you wet it.
- Blot from the edges inward; don't rub.
- Read the care label before you pick a product.
- Rinse thoroughly between any two products.
Tobacco and nicotine leave a tan or brown stain that only grows more stubborn as it dries. On washable fabric, a mix of warm water, liquid detergent and a splash of vinegar goes a long way when you act early. Wood, acrylic and smoking accessories need their own approach, so check what the item is made of before you start.
If the stain has been sitting for a while, an enzyme laundry pretreater or an oxygen bleach powder can help loosen what's left. Before you put anything wet on wood or furniture, test a hidden spot. If the stain is mixed with grease, a prewash stain remover spray or stick is the one to reach for.
8 items
What you'll need
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- Liquid laundry detergentThe main pretreat and the wash product for what is left. (opens Amazon)
- Liquid dishwashing detergentWorks in the pretreat and in the warm soak for stubborn marks. (opens Amazon)
- Enzyme pretreaterFor older stains that have set into the fibers.
- White vinegarPart of the warm soak for old stains; keep it away from bleach. (opens Amazon)
- 70% isopropyl alcoholFor a light sponge on fabric that can take it, after a test. (opens Amazon)
- Powdered oxygen bleachFor the second soak on stains that still show after washing. (opens Amazon)
- Clean white clothsFor blotting; you will see the color lift onto them. (opens Amazon)
- Powder detergent (opens Amazon)
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5 steps
Step by step
Step 1 of 5
Brush off the loose tobacco
Shake, brush or vacuum off any loose tobacco, ash or flakes before the stain gets wet. Wet loose bits just spread into a bigger, darker mark.
Tip. Work over a sink or outside so the flakes don't scatter across the room.
Step 2 of 5
Rinse the spot from the back
Sponge the spot with cool water, or hold it under a cold tap and run the water through from the back of the fabric. Blot as you go, working from the edges toward the center so the stain doesn't spread.
Tip. Set a clean white cloth under the spot, so you can see the color coming out.
Step 3 of 5
Pretreat with liquid detergent
Work a liquid laundry detergent or a liquid dishwashing detergent into the stain with your fingers, or make a paste of powder detergent and water and rub that in. For older marks, use an enzyme pretreater and let it work before you wash.
Tip. Work from both sides of the fabric so the product reaches the stain.
Careful. Bar soap and soap flakes set tobacco stains and make them harder to remove, so keep them away from this spot.
Step 4 of 5
Wash in the hottest safe water
Wash with detergent in the hottest water the care label allows. If the fabric can take it, add an oxygen bleach to the wash for extra help with what is left.
Tip. Wash the item alone or with light colors, so a loosened stain doesn't move onto other clothes.
Step 5 of 5
Check the spot before drying
Hold the item in good light and look for any brown or tan shadow, especially in the middle of the spot. If you see one, repeat the pretreat and the wash before anything goes near heat, and treat it again as often as needed.
Tip. Compare the spot with the fabric right next to it, which is your best guide.
Careful. Heat from a dryer or iron locks the stain in for good, so keep both off until it is gone.
If you'd rather buy than mix
Best products for nicotine
Choose a liquid detergent that lists enzymes for the pretreat, and keep a liquid dish soap on hand for the stubborn marks. Products with bar soap or soap flakes in the ingredients will set the stain, so check the label first.
Amazon Basics Microfiber Cleaning Cloths
How we picked these: each product is made for this type of stain, its maker doesn't warn against using it on these surfaces, and its directions fit the steps above.
Finished the steps? How does it look?
Nice work. Let it dry completely and check it again in good light. Here is what done looks like:
How to tell it's really gone →A faint mark usually needs one more round, not a stronger product.
If the stain was already dried or set, the method changes.
Old, dried or set-in stains →When to call a professional →Pick what it is on
Nicotine on every material
No match. Try the main search for anything else.
How to tell it's working
A treated spot should match the fabric around it, with no tan edge and no yellow tinge when you hold it up to the light. If a faint smoke smell remains after the stain is gone, that is a separate problem with its own fix, covered in the FAQ.
What changes for yours
Adjust for where the stain is
Nicotine on wood and furniture
Wood doesn't take the soak or the wash, so start by wiping the stain with a cloth that is barely damp with water and a drop of mild liquid dishwashing detergent. Work along the grain and dry the spot right away with a clean towel, because standing water can raise the grain.
If the stain is only in the finish, this gentle wipe is often enough, and a light buff with a dry cloth tidies the surface. A stain that has soaked into bare wood or lifted the finish needs a professional furniture refinisher to repair it.
Vape juice and e-liquid
Treat fresh vape juice the same way: blot, rinse from the back with cool water, then pretreat with liquid detergent before the wash. Vape juice is often flavored and sticky, so the detergent pretreat does more of the work than the rinse.
Dried e-liquid is harder to lift, so plan on a second pretreat before the wash if the first one leaves a shadow. If there is any color change on the spot, stop and test a hidden area before you continue.
Acrylic and smoking accessories
Keep rubbing alcohol away from acrylic, since alcohol damages the material. Wipe the stain with a soft cloth dampened in warm water and a little liquid detergent, then rinse well and dry with a soft cloth.
For smoking accessories, use a soft brush to loosen residue in corners, with the same detergent in warm water, and never scrub hard enough to scratch the surface. Dry the piece fully before you put it away.
Taxidermy and deer mounts
Mounts mix fur, hide, glass and plastic, and products that work on fabric can damage those materials, so don't guess. Start with a dry brush or a soft, dry cloth, and only move to anything wet after you have tested a hidden spot.
If the stain is on the fur or hide and won't lift dry, ask a taxidermist who did the work to advise, since they know the materials. Keep all liquid away from the eyes and any glued parts.
Action figures and drum shells
Action figures are usually painted plastic, so use a cotton swab that is barely damp with mild liquid detergent rather than a soak, and never use oxygen bleach on painted surfaces. Dry each area right after you touch it, and check the paint in a hidden spot first.
Drum shells and heads have a finish that scrubbing wears away, so wipe the stain lightly with a barely damp cloth and dry it at once. Hold off on rubbing alcohol unless you have pretested it on an unseen part of the finish.
Old, dried or set-in stains
Old tobacco stains that have dried on washable fabric usually need more than a basic wash. Start with a 15-minute soak in 1 quart of warm water with 1/2 teaspoon liquid hand dishwashing detergent and 1 tablespoon white vinegar, then rinse well. If the fabric can take alcohol, sponge the spot with 70% isopropyl alcohol and wash it with detergent.
If the item has been through the dryer, expect less, since the heat has already bonded the stain to the fibers. If a shadow still shows, rinse, then soak 30 minutes in 1 quart of warm water with 1 tablespoon powdered oxygen bleach and wash again with detergent and an oxygen bleach.
Some heat-set marks will fade a lot but never vanish, so judge the result by whether you would be happy to wear the item. Stop if the color starts to change, since that means the fabric has reached its limit.
Vinegar, baking soda, peroxide and more
Do home remedies work on nicotine?
Most kitchen remedies for tobacco aren't needed, and some can damage fabric; a liquid laundry detergent does the work. If the spot also has grease, the detergent pretreat is still the first move, and the rest of the order stays the same.
Works2Helps2Skip2
Chemical safety
Never mix these
Some products in this guide react dangerously with each other. Use them one at a time and rinse with water in between.
Oxygen bleach (OxiClean) + Vinegar
OxiClean's maker says it should not be mixed with household chemicals other than detergent in the wash.
Oxygen bleach (OxiClean) + Rubbing alcohol
OxiClean's maker says it should not be mixed with household chemicals other than detergent in the wash.
If they mix by accident: Don't use the mixture; ventilate the room and avoid breathing fumes or touching it; call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 for disposal advice or if anyone feels unwell.
What makes it worse
Mistakes to avoid
Don't rub the stain
Rubbing pushes the stain deeper into the fibers and spreads it across a wider area. Blot from the edges inward with a clean cloth, moving to a dry section as it picks up color.
Don't skip the test spot
Any cleaner can change the color or weaken the fibers, so try it first on a hidden seam or inside hem. Wait for it to dry before you judge the result.
Don't mix cleaners or bleach
Never mix chlorine bleach with ammonia, vinegar or another cleaner. If you need a second remover, rinse the item thoroughly between the two.
When to call a professional
If the item is valuable, like a silk piece or a leather jacket, or the stain has been through the dryer more than once, a professional cleaner is the safer route. Ask for a dry cleaner that offers ozone deodorizing if the smoke smell stays after washing.
Questions
Does nicotine or vaping stain?
Yes. Tobacco and nicotine leave a tan or brown stain, and vape juice can leave a sticky mark that dries into a shadow. Treat either one while it is fresh, because it gets harder to lift once it has dried.
Are nicotine stains and smoke stains the same thing?
Not quite. Nicotine is the sticky, brown film from tobacco that settles on fabric and shows up as a stain, while the smoke smell is a separate problem that clings to the fibers. The steps above deal with the stain, and the smell needs the washing approach in the next question.
What products work on nicotine stains?
A liquid laundry detergent or an enzyme pretreater does most of the work, and an oxygen bleach helps in the wash when the fabric allows it. Check the label for soap, since soap sets tobacco stains, and test any product on a hidden spot first.
Can I use chlorine bleach on a tobacco stain?
Only on white fabric that can take it, and only as the last step after everything has been rinsed out. It isn't safe on silk, wool, spandex or any color that isn't colorfast, so an oxygen bleach is the usual choice.
How do I get smoke smell out of clothes?
Wash small loads in a liquid detergent or one made to remove odors, and repeat the wash three to five times. Don't dry between washes, air-dry only if you have to, and skip fabric softener until the smell is gone.
What do I do if vape juice gets on my skin?
Take off the affected clothing and wash the skin with soap and water. Wear gloves whenever you handle the liquid. If someone swallowed or breathed in the liquid, or you suspect nicotine poisoning, call the poison control line at 1-800-222-1222 right away.
Odor guides
Still smells?
Related
How we know this
Every method, amount and warning here comes from university extension services, industry bodies and product makers. We read them, check every step for unsafe combinations and changed amounts, and write it up so you can follow it.