How to Get Smoke Smell Out of an Apartment

To get smoke smell out of an apartment, ventilate hard, then wash every hard surface (walls, ceilings, trim, inside cabinets) with a degreasing cleaner, launder or steam all fabrics, and replace HVAC and range-hood filters. Smoke odor clings to greasy residue and soft materials, so airing out alone won't fix it. Wipe the residue away and the smell goes with it.

What you'll need

A degreasing all-purpose cleaner (or a few drops of dish soap in warm water)
A bucket, a couple of microfiber cloths, and a sponge mop for walls
Rubber gloves
A box fan for the window, plus any other fans you own
Baking soda (for carpets, upholstery, and closed drawers)
White vinegar in a shallow bowl or two (to leave out overnight)
A vacuum, ideally with an upholstery attachment
Replacement filters for your window AC, HVAC return, or range hood
Fresh HVAC or portable air purifier filter if you have one

Step by step

Open everything and create airflow. Put a box fan in a window facing out to push stale air outside, and crack a second window or the front door if you can to pull fresh air across the room. If your only window doesn't open, run every fan you have and prop the apartment door open to the hallway while you work.
Strip the soft stuff first. Pull down curtains, take slipcovers off, and gather throw blankets, bedding, and washable rugs. Launder everything on the warmest setting the care tag allows. Fabric is where smoke smell lives longest.
Wash the hard surfaces top to bottom. Smoke residue coats walls, ceilings, trim, doors, and the tops of cabinets. Wipe them down with your degreasing solution, rinsing the cloth often and changing the water when it turns cloudy. Don't forget light switch plates and the inside of cabinet doors.
Deodorize carpet and upholstery. Sprinkle baking soda over rugs, the couch, and mattress, let it sit a few hours (overnight is better), then vacuum thoroughly. Repeat if the smell is heavy.
Handle the kitchen and bathroom. Degrease the range hood, stovetop, and the wall behind the stove, since cooking grease traps odor. Wipe out the fridge and run an empty dishwasher cycle if you have one.
Deal with the air system. Replace or wash your window AC filter, swap the HVAC return filter, and clean the range-hood filter. A dirty filter recirculates the smell every time it runs.
Set out vinegar overnight. Leave a shallow bowl of white vinegar in the smokiest rooms overnight to help absorb lingering odor, then discard it. Repeat over a few days if needed.

What NOT to do

Don't soak painted or wallpapered walls, especially in a prewar rental with plaster: too much water can bubble paint or loosen wallpaper seams. Wring the cloth out well. Skip harsh scrubbing on flat (matte) paint, which burnishes into shiny patches. Never spray liquid directly into a window AC unit or HVAC vent, wipe the housing instead. Keep water off outlets and switch interiors. And don't just mask the smell with plug-in fresheners or by lighting candles near a steam radiator, that only layers scent on top of residue you haven't removed yet.

When to call a pro

DIY handles fresh, light smoke smell well. But if the odor has been baking into the apartment for years, has soaked into old plaster and hardwood, or came from a serious fire, no amount of wiping will fully clear it and you'll want a professional deep clean or, in extreme cases, a restoration crew. It's also worth calling in help if you're on a move-out deadline, don't have the storage for supplies, or physically can't reach the ceilings and cabinet tops in a cramped layout. When you'd rather hand it off, book apartment cleaning with CleanWhale.

FAQ

How long does it take to get smoke smell out?

Light odor from a recent incident can clear in a day or two once you've washed surfaces and laundered fabrics. Smell that has built up over months or years often needs several rounds of cleaning across a week, plus filter changes, before it fully fades.

Does vinegar or baking soda actually work on smoke smell?

Both help absorb odor from the air and from soft materials, which is why they're worth using. But they work best as a finishing step. The heavy lifting is physically removing the greasy smoke residue from walls, fabrics, and filters. Skip that and the smell keeps coming back.

What if my window doesn't open?

Many NYC apartments have a sealed or painted-shut window. Lean on mechanical airflow instead: run fans, prop your apartment door open to the hallway, and if you have a portable air purifier, run it with a fresh filter. Filter changes on your AC and HVAC matter even more when you can't cross-ventilate.

Can I get smoke smell out if it's from the neighbor's apartment?

You can reduce how much drifts in by sealing gaps around your door and any shared vents, running an air purifier, and asking your landlord about weatherstripping. But you can't clean a smell at its source in another unit, so persistent secondhand smoke is a conversation for your landlord or building management.