i always smell smoke

[dismalisland]

for years now, almost 3 years, ive randomely smelled smoke. my grandma had smoked since i had lived with her (almost 8 years) and ever since she stopped and even toward the end of her doing it i started to smell smoke when she wasnt even around. i'm at my dad's house right now and he smokes. the times i smell smoke has doubled and i can't get rid of the smell. it's made my life hell and i hate it. i don't know what this is or how to stop it. it's caused me to be afraid of breathing through my nose.

 

EDIT: i want to add that i smell smoke every where i go. i'll smell it in the theater, outside at the pool, in the mall, in class, etc. this isn't just around these two.

Edited August 5, 2017 by dismalisland

[Pegasus]

Smoke permeates surfaces and the smell sticks around forever.  Do you have ANY belongings (furniture, rugs, books, etc.) that have been in the homes where smokers were?  I'd suspect that is the cause.

 

Edited to add: The longer you go without being around smokers, the more sensitive you become to the smell of smoke.  I grew up with two heavy smoking parents and it didn't bother me overly much.  However, now I practically choke if a smoker (not smoking!) gets into an elevator with me.

Edited August 5, 2017 by Pegasus

[wintermom]

You have a great nose. You are smelling smoke. It's a horrible smell and very distinctive. My dc and I notice the minute our neighbour smokes outside his house. 

 

You could cover up your dad's smoke smell with skunk.  :laugh:  It's stronger, though he might not notice it because his nose will be messed up. 

[MommyLiberty5013]

I think it's called third hand smoke. It's the smoke absorbed by materials in a space.

 

You could try eliminating some items that may have retained your grandma's smoke such as books, fabric things, and clothing. You could try repainting walls. Washing carpet, etc..

[SparklyUnicorn]

BTDT 

 

I have been away from it for a long time (grew up with heavy smokers), but when my dad visits I smell it like crazy because he spends a lot of time with my sister and she smokes.  Sometimes if my kids visit she does their laundry (they stay at grandpas for a few days) I have to rewash everything because it stinks so bad to me.

 

That stuff gets into everything and if you are sensitive to it (because you aren't around it much) it's amplified.  Makes me gag. 

 

In my experience you really can't get the smell out of things either.  My sister gave me an air conditioner she didn't want anymore.  No matter what I did I could not get the smell out.  I had to throw it away. 

[goldberry]

I had to throw away some books from my mom who smokes.  I tried everything to get the smell out, but it never went away entirely.  

[Guest]

Agreeing that it permeates surfaces and stays FOREVER. Other smells do this, too, like the smell of cat urine.

 

That television commercial that talks about how the smells you live with make you "nose-blind"? That is a real thing. People who have ten cats in their house don't smell cats, but people who don't have ten cats in the house, do.

[Stacia]

It doesn't sound like this is your issue, but you may want to google "phantosmia" (phantom smells that your brain and olfactory sensors sometimes create for you).

[Tanaqui]

It's probably because you're at your dad's house and thus exposed to third-hand smoke right now, smoke which stays on surfaces and items used by smokers.

 

However, if you also experience this in places where that's not a possibility, or if you sometimes smell other things which aren't there, you may want to stop by a doctor. There are any number of interesting neurological conditions which can cause you to smell things which aren't there.