Cannabis is becoming more common and even legal now. However, there is still some stigma around consuming cannabis.
So many people prefer to keep their cannabis use discreet, especially if they live with non-users.
However, Cannabis smell can be quite potent and linger in your house, car or your clothes. This can be a big problem.
This guide will teach you several effective methods to remove weed odors from your surroundings, ensuring a fresh-smelling.
Understanding why weed smells the way it does can help in finding ways to hide or eliminate the odor.
The signature earthy, skunk-like scent of weed is thanks to two key components: Sulfur compounds and Terpenoids.
Cannabis produces a family of prenylated volatile sulfur compounds (VSC) that generate its skunky, gas-like aroma.
Cannabis terpenes are aromatic compounds that provide cannabis strains with their unique smell and taste.
For example, Most cannabis plants are dominant in either myrcene or caryophyllene.
Myrcene, a terpene that’s also predominant in hops and lemongrass, delivers scent notes that are herbaceous, spicy, earthy, and musky.
Caryophyllene is a spicy terpene—it's the bite in freshly cracked pepper, and it's found in cloves and cinnamon.
When you smoke marijuana, you quickly release all of those potent fragrant compounds as well as the sooty odor of burnt weed into the air.
As a result, terpenes and burning odors persist in the air and soak into things like clothing, hair, and fabrics.
The smell of weed is necessary and inevitable when smoking in your house but there are things you can do to minimize it in your environment.
To release some of that billowing marijuana smoke, opening your windows and turning on the fan is your fastest option.
For as long as you can, leave your windows open to let fresh air in and let the smoke out.
And the sunlight will speed the aging of the odor molecules a bit and help it faster.
If you have portable fans such as standing or box fans, pointing them out the window can help ventilate the room you got lifted.
The pollutants in cannabis smoke take two forms: particulates and volatile organic compounds (VOCs).
The air purifiers that have activated carbon filters, air ionizers, and especially HEPA filters, can all be effective to capture tiny particles like smoke and help to eliminate any weed odor in your home.
Plus, Keep in mind that these air purifiers will need to be maintained or they risk becoming a source of odor themselves.
If you need a quick fix to cover the smell, pull out the sage, candle or Incense and light it.
The strong smell of burning sage, candle or Incense tends to mix and overpower the smell of cannabis.
However, these types of products will only do so for as long as they burn. And they not disperse or absorb the weed smell at all.
Another great way to handle an unwanted ‘grassy’ scent in your space is diffusing essential oils.
Fill the diffuser with your favorite essential oil and if possible, open the fans.
Fragrances like citrus, lavender, or mint are particularly effective.
While it may not eliminate the source of the odor, it will help circulate a fresh scent so you’re less likely to smell weed.
A vinegar solution can help mask and clean lingering odors. Try leaving a shallow glass, dish or bowl filled with white vinegar in your house for a day or two to eliminate the odor.
Weed odors get trapped in the pores of activated charcoal. Just leave an activated charcoal bag or two inside your house on the floor or under your seats.
Baking soda is also a popular option that works by absorbing and trapping odors. It has the advantage of being versatile; for added freshness, you can even sprinkle it on your carpet before vacuuming.
When you need to get rid of a bad smell quickly, odor-eliminating sprays are the way to go, such as Ozium.
Such sprays combine directly with the odor molecules and help neutralize the smell rather than simply mask it.
Spray does have a scent of its own, and it can be overpowering as the product is sprayed; however, the smell dissipates quickly and does not linger.
Be careful to cover your weed supply or use airtight containers when using sprays, as they can affect the flavor of the flower.
Odor neutralizers contain chemicals that cause eye and skin irritation, so wait for some time to enter your house until it airs out.
Ozone generators produce ozone by breaking oxygen molecules (O2) apart so that singular atoms can bond with other O2 molecules to form O3 (ozone).
These ozone molecules will chemically react with VOCs, bacteria, viruses, and other gaseous pollutants to kill the odor at the source.
If you opt for an ozone generator to mitigate the odor of Weed, Wait 2-4 hours for it to settle before re-entering the room in which you used the generator. otherwise they will make you sick.
You may enjoy smoking cannabis in the privacy and comfort of your car while listening to some music.
However, The fabric of your seats will retain the cannabis odor, which may build up and become stronger over time.
Also, the smell of cannabis in your car can bring suspicion that you are using cannabis while driving, which is illegal.
Here are a few more tips you can use to purge the smell of weed from your car:
1. Open the windows and air out your car.
2. Sprinkle baking soda on any mats and upholstery to absorb the odor molecules and eliminate the smell.
3. Leaving an activated charcoal bag or two in your car. The activated charcoal absorb odors, making your vehicle odor-free over the next 1–2 days.
4. Remove all of the trash and clutter from your car’s compartments and throw them away. And then Vacuum your seats.
5. Check your car’s air filter. Over time, dust and odor-producing contaminants collect in the air filter. Clean it out, then put it back into place.
6. Scrub down all the hard surfaces (dashboard, door panels) using a soapy, Isopropyl alcohol or White Vinegar solution .
7. Clean leather and vinyl seats using soap, Isopropyl alcohol, White Vinegar or any other cleaning agent.
8. If you have fabric seats, Use an odor-neutralizing spray to eliminate the smell instead of temporarily masking it.
Cannabis odor will linger in fabrics like your clothes. If you're freshly blazed and need to go do stuff without reeking like a dispensary, this is for you.
Use body spray liberally: Keep a bottle of body spray on hand. These misting spray are great, can release pleasant scents that mask any unwanted odors, and won't leave any stains or wet patches.
Dryer sheets: Place scented dryer sheets in the dryer with your clothes. The sheets release pleasant scents that mask and neutralize any unwanted odors.
In order to remove it once and for all, you must wash them with detergent, adding fabric fresheners, odour-neutralising sprays or white vinegar can help reduce or eliminate the smell.
As the saying goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
There are several strategies you can try if you want to avoid that weed smell taking over in the first place.
If you need to smoke weed and don’t want the smell to linger, consider smoking outside. The fresh air can help to dissipate the smell quickly.
Additionally, The steam from the hot water in bathroom will mix with the smoke and help dissipate the smell.
Make sure you fan is on as well so the steam/smoke mix will get sucked up and out of the bathroom.
Believe it or not, the strain you select can impact the intensity of the cannabis smell. Some naturally emit stronger odors than others.
Choose a cannabis strain known for its light fragrance. Northern Lights, Blue Mystic, Polar Express, Papaya, and perhaps surprisingly, Sharksbreath, are all reputed to be low-odor strains.
Properly storing your weed can help to reduce its odor. Keep your weed in an airtight container, such as a mason jar, to prevent the smell from escaping.
Vaping is a popular discrete way to inhale cannabis, plus it doesn’t produce as much odor as smoking.
Dry herb Vaporizer don’t actually burn cannabis. Instead, they heat it to just the right temperature to extract the maximum amount of cannabinoids.
This means you can vape almost anywhere without producing an overpowering smell.
If you just need to make your high, Consider methods of consumption that don't produce odors at all like edibles.
Cannabis-infused edibles come in many forms, such as gummy candy, chocolate, baked goods, and drinks.
You can also purchase sublingual tinctures that provide the same effects and discretion.
The smell of smoking cannabis can linger for hours to even days depending on a few factors like intensity, the strain, and circulation in the air. Smoke will naturally dissipate within a few hours in ventilated spaces.
The issue is the traces may cling to hair, clothes and furniture for a day or more. With hotboxed spaces like cars, weed smell can linger for several days until fully aired out. Using deodorizing methods, open air circulation, and cleaning products can help odors dissipate faster.
The smell of cannabis can linger anywhere from a few hours to several days. Porous materials, such as fabric, carpet, and wood, tend to retain the odour longer, while non-porous items and surfaces may lose the scent more quickly.
It's possible to enjoy weed and still keep your home smelling fresh.
We have covered a bunch of tactics like using air purifiers, odor neutralizers, proper ventilation, and even some sneaky scent-masking tricks.
While this list is not exhaustive, it does give you a pretty idea of where to start when you want to get rid of the smell of weed.
Hopefully, these tips will help you feel more carefree about indulging in cannabis without having to worry about smells that might damage your home, vehicle, or reputation.
Remember that It’s not just about showing respect to others but also about creating a healthy and comfortable living space.
Better yet, don’t smoke indoors: the smoke residue accumulates over time and clings to carpet, walls, cupboards, and other places in a household, which have some harmful health effects.