How to get smoke out of a mattress?

[frugalmama]

I posted a while back about getting a bedroom set for my dd free from the neighbor. Said neighbor smokes & I thought it was only outside the house but the mattress still smells like cigarette smoke.

 

I've had it airing in my garage for a week. It has improved slightly but no where near enough.

 

What else can I do to get the smoke smell out? Baking Soda? Activated Charcoal?

 

ETA: Pitching it and buying a new one simply isn't an option, as the funds as not there and won't be. I'll be sleeping on it not my dd most of the time.

Edited September 13, 2012 by frugalmama

[magnificent_baby]

Sorry, I don't have suggestions, but I don't think I would use it.

 

I can't imagine letting my kids sleep on a smoked-around-mattress, exposing themselves to the odor.

 

That was so nice of her to give you the whole set though, I remember that post! :001_smile:

[SilverMoon]

I'd pitch it.

 

To answer the question, put it in plastic with a Costco bag of baking soda poured over it for a couple weeks, shaking it up every couple/few days.

[Mommyof4ks]

I too would toss it. I got a china cabinet from my grandmother 10 years ago, and to this day it smells like smoke. It is at my parents' house now, because even after setting it outside for months we could not put it in our home.

 

Setting it in the sun might help some, but it will not get rid of the chemicals that are attached to the mattress.

[Momof3littles]

Even if you get rid of the smell, I'd be concerned about potential health effects, especially since people spend a lot of time sleeping relative to other activities.

 

There is info coming out that lots of nasty compounds linger in third hand smoke:

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=aTVcuy71TmGE

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40704560/ns/health-addictions/t/toxic-chemicals-linger-long-after-smoker-moves-out/#.UFE6IkRXjcE

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/03/health/research/03smoke.html

[StephanieZ]

I think I'd pitch the mattress. I just don't think there is going to be any way to really remove smoke smell from the insides.

[frugalmama]

ETA: Pitching it isn't an option as there simply isn't funds for a replacement in the budget.

 

The mattress wasn't slept on by a smoker, but was in a smoker's house. I will most likely be sleeping on it NOT my dd as she is highly allergic to tobacco.

[stripe]

I read several suggestions online of generous baking soda application plus an outdoor airing, followed by vaccuuming it off

 

You might also buy a mattress cover when you're done. The sort that really covers the mattress.

[Bassoonaroo]

Have you considered encasing it in an allergy encasing like they sell at National Allergy Supply: http://www.natlallergy.com/search.asp?ss=mattress

 

It will cost you some but it might be an affordable solution. Hopefully an encasing will keep the stink in but you could still enjoy the softness, support, etc.

[laundrycrisis]

I would try to suck the smoke particles out with a vacuum attachment.

 

But since I am the one in our house allergic to tobacco smoke - it triggers asthma attacks for me - I would not even be able to consider bringing it in the house, and if I had a child with this reaction to tobacco smoke, I would not bring it into the house either. One of us would sleep on a yoga mat before we would have a smoke-saturated mattress in the house.

[itsheresomewhere]

Maybe Bac Out might help?

[Unicorn.]

Put it outside in the sun for a few days. That should take care of it.

[DianeW88]

Go to a commercial janitorial supply place and ask them. They can give you special chemicals that are odor counteractants and will remove the stink.

[TranquilMind]

I posted a while back about getting a bedroom set for my dd free from the neighbor. Said neighbor smokes & I thought it was only outside the house but the mattress still smells like cigarette smoke.

 

I've had it airing in my garage for a week. It has improved slightly but no where near enough.

 

What else can I do to get the smoke smell out? Baking Soda? Activated Charcoal?

 

ETA: Pitching it and buying a new one simply isn't an option, as the funds as not there and won't be. I'll be sleeping on it not my dd most of the time.

No. Pitch it.

[laundrycrisis]

It is not just an odor. It is small particles. You either have to blow them out, suck them out, or wash them out (without driving them deeper or ending up with a damp molding mattress in the process). Just trying to mask or absorb the stink does not solve the problem.

[*lifeoftheparty*]

No. Pitch it.

 

:iagree:

 

Even if you take the smell out, it will still be full of carcinogens. And you would be SLEEPING on that, breathing in those carcinogens all night long.

 

Yeah, that mattress would never step foot in my house. I would be sleeping on the floor, an air mattress, the couch- something-anything, other than that mattress. Ewww.