First few minutes
Just happened? Do this first
- Brush off loose tobacco or ash before you wet anything.
- Blot, don't rub, and work from the edge of the stain toward the center.
- Test any cleaner on a hidden seam, and read the care label first.
Nicotine on clothes leaves a tan residue, and the smoke smell comes from that same residue, so the stain and the smell usually go together. Fresh marks come out most easily, so treat them as soon as you notice them. Pick the wash temperature from the care label, and if the item is dry-clean only, take it in promptly and tell them what it is.
If cigarette smell is still there after one wash, the residue is probably still in the fabric, so repeat the wash. Getting cigar smell out of clothes works the same way, and an enzyme laundry pretreater helps when residue remains. Dry-clean-only pieces should go to a professional rather than the washing machine.
Before you start
What clothes can take
Safe to use3
- Water
- Soaking
- Enzyme cleaners
Use with care6
- Hot water
- Chlorine bleach
- Oxygen bleach
- Solvents (alcohol, spot removers)
- Acids (vinegar, lemon)
- Scrubbing and abrasives
Avoid1
- Heat, once the stain is out
7 items
What you'll need
Tap an item to get it on Amazon, or tick what you already have.
- Liquid hand dishwashing detergentThe detergent in the first soak, and the only detergent this method needs. (opens Amazon)
- White vinegarGoes in the first soak, but stays out on acetate and triacetate. (opens Amazon)
- 70% isopropyl alcoholFor sponging after the rinse; pretest it first. (opens Amazon)
- All-fabric (oxygen) bleachThe bleach in the 30-minute soak, and the gentler choice for colored items. (opens Amazon)
- Clean white cloths or spongesFor blotting and sponging, so you never have to rub. (opens Amazon)
- Soft brush or vacuum with a brush attachmentClears loose tobacco before the stain gets wet. (opens Amazon)
- Basin or sinkLets the garment lie flat so the solution covers the stain. (opens Amazon)
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6 steps
Step by step
Step 1 of 6
Brush off and check the label
Brush or vacuum away any loose tobacco or ash before you wet it, so it doesn't rub into the fibers. Read the care label: if it says dry clean only, stop here and take the item to a dry cleaner. If there's no label, start with cold water on a hidden spot and hold off on the full method until you know the fiber.
Step 2 of 615 minutes
Soak in detergent and vinegar
Mix 1 quart of warm water with 1/2 teaspoon of liquid hand dishwashing detergent and 1 tablespoon of white vinegar, then soak the stain in it for 15 minutes. On acetate or triacetate, leave out the vinegar and soak in the detergent alone. On silk, velvet or other delicate fabric, skip the soak and take the item to a cleaner.
Careful. Vinegar can weaken cotton, rayon, acetate and triacetate and may change color, so test it on a hidden spot first.
Step 3 of 6
Rinse, then sponge with alcohol
Rinse the item with clean water to flush out the soak. Pretest 70% isopropyl alcohol on a hidden spot, then dab it onto a clean cloth and sponge the stain from the edges inward.
Careful. Alcohol damages acetate, triacetate, modacrylic and acrylic, and can affect untested colored fabric, silk and leather.
Step 4 of 6
Wash at the care-label temperature
Launder the item at the hottest temperature its care label allows, with your usual liquid detergent. This wash clears out the loosened residue before the oxygen bleach soak.
Step 5 of 630 minutes
Soak in oxygen bleach
Mix 1 quart of warm water with 1 tablespoon of oxygen bleach, then soak the garment in it for 30 minutes. Test a hidden area first, and skip this soak on wool, silk and leather.
Tip. Use a basin big enough for the garment to lie flat, so the solution covers the whole stain.
Careful. Oxygen bleach can change the color of dyes that aren't colorfast, so stop if the color shifts.
Step 6 of 6
Wash again and check the stain
Wash the garment again with your usual liquid detergent, then lay it flat and look at the stain in daylight. If a faint mark is left, the stronger options further down are the next step.
If you'd rather buy than mix
Best products for nicotine on clothes
Choose 70% isopropyl alcohol with no added color or fragrance, and a liquid hand dishwashing detergent for the soak. If the item is colored, check the label on any bleach and use only one that's safe for colors.
Shout Triple-Acting Laundry Stain Remover
Puracy Laundry Stain Remover
How we picked these: each product is made for this type of stain, its maker doesn't warn against using it on clothes, 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 before using any heat. 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.
See what to do for what you're seeing →If the stain was already dried or set, the method changes.
Old, dried or set-in stains →When to call a professional →How to tell it's working
The stain should look paler after the detergent soak and lighter again after the oxygen bleach soak. If it is still tan or brown after the second wash, it isn't gone yet, so keep working on it before you move on.
What changes for yours
Adjust for your clothes
Jackets, coats, and jeans
Thick jackets and coats hold smoke in their lining and padding, so the stain steps reach only the outer layer. Turn the garment inside out and treat the lining, then repeat the full sequence on the spots that smell strongest.
Jeans are usually cotton and can take the full method, but a coat with wool or leather trim should skip the oxygen bleach. Take leather or fur trim to a cleaner who specializes in it.
Cigar smoke
Cigar smoke is tobacco residue too, so the same steps apply to it. A heavy cigar smell often needs a second full pass, so don't judge it after the first wash.
Repeat the soak and wash if the smell is still there, and let the fabric dry fully between passes so you can judge the smell fairly. Keep any stronger product for the set-in section.
White clothes
White cotton and linen take the full method, including the oxygen bleach soak, so you don't need anything extra for the tan mark. Skip chlorine bleach on white cotton and linen, since the oxygen bleach soak is enough for the tan mark.
If a faint tan mark is left after the second wash, repeat the oxygen bleach soak once and check it again before you go on.
Old, dried or set-in stains
A thrifted jacket or a stored shirt often carries an old smell that one wash doesn't clear. Run the full sequence again, then repeat the oxygen bleach soak, which is the stronger option for older tannin residue.
Dried tobacco takes longer. Brush off any crusted tobacco, then soak again, and if the fabric allows, try an enzyme presoak overnight following the product label.
Don't expect a dried stain to disappear after one pass, and repeat the treatment until it stops improving. Some old stains won't come out completely, which is realistic. If the stain covers a large area or the fabric is fragile, take it to a dry cleaner.
Vinegar, baking soda, peroxide and more
Do home remedies work on nicotine on clothes?
Many tobacco remedies sound useful, but only a few are worth the effort on clothes. Nothing removes the smell without a wash, but the 30-minute oxygen bleach soak lifts most of it.
Works4Skip2
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 dry or iron it yet
Heat from a dryer or iron sets tobacco stains and can make them permanent. Keep the garment air dried until the stain and smell are gone.
Don't use bar soap
Bar soap and soap-based detergents can make a tannin stain permanent or harder to remove. Check your detergent's ingredient list for soap before you start.
Don't mix stain removers
Chlorine bleach and ammonia can give off toxic fumes when mixed, and other mixed products can too. If you need more than one remover, rinse the item thoroughly between them.
Don't use acetone on acetate
Acetone and nail polish remover dissolve acetate, and they can damage triacetate and modacrylic too. For a nail polish mark on those fabrics, take the item to a dry cleaner.
Don't leave pretreatments on too long
Liquid and aerosol pretreatments should come off in the time the label gives, and gels on bright or fluorescent items shouldn't stay on for more than a few minutes. Unstable dyes can fade or change color if they sit longer.
Troubleshooting
If the stain is still there
Pick what you're seeing:
A yellow ring remains after the first wash
Repeat the vinegar-detergent soak, rinse, and move straight to the sodium perborate soak. Air dry between rounds.
The fabric color looks lighter where you sponged
The alcohol may have affected the dye. Stop using it, rinse with water, and finish with the gentler oxygen bleach soak only after a hidden test.
The garment is dry-clean only
Skip home soaks entirely. Take it to a dry cleaner within 24 to 48 hours and tell them it is a tobacco stain.
The stain is fading but slowly
That is normal for tobacco tint. Repeat the full sequence, keeping each soak to its stated time.
When to call a professional
Take dry-clean-only items to a professional dry cleaner promptly, and tell them the fiber and the stain. Go to a dry cleaner even with washable items if the stain covers a large area, the item is bulky, or the fabric is fragile. Suede, leather and fur trim go to a cleaner who specializes in them.
Questions
Does cigarette smell come out of clothes?
Usually, yes. The smell comes from the same tobacco residue that stains the fabric, so the soak, alcohol sponge and oxygen bleach steps lift most of it too. Fresh items clear fastest, and an old or stored garment may need a second full pass.
How do I keep cigarette smell out of clothes?
Keep clothes in a sealed bag or closed drawer, away from smoky rooms and smoky items. Wash them soon after a smoky night out, because smell that sits in fabric for weeks is much harder to clear.
Does cigarette ash stain clothes?
Yes. Ash and tar leave a tan or brown mark that the same steps treat. Brush off loose ash first, since wetting it can spread the mark.
Is chlorine bleach needed for a tobacco stain?
No. No, chlorine bleach isn't needed for tobacco stains, and it can't go on silk, wool, spandex or fabric that isn't colorfast. It also can't go on silk, wool or spandex, or on fabric that isn't colorfast.
What if the garment is silk?
Skip the detergent soak and the alcohol sponge, and take it to a cleaner. Silk also can't take the oxygen bleach soak, so a professional is the safer choice for the stain.
When can I wear the shirt again?
Only once the stain and smell are gone, so you don't carry the residue onto clean clothes. If the mark is still there after two full passes, take it to a dry cleaner.
Methods, care labels and related guides
Good to know
Nicotine on other materials
Other stains on clothes
Start from the bigger picture
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.