If you use weed for recreational or medicinal purposes, you’re well aware of the anxiety and stress-reducing effects that it can have. The reduction of symptoms of various medical conditions is another benefit. But, weed can also leave behind an easily recognizable smell on your clothes, which may not be ideal in certain situations. So how can you get rid of the smell of weed on your clothes?
There are several ways to get rid of the weed smell on your clothes. If you’re in a hurry, you can hang the clothing outside in the sun and fresh air. You can also wash it with white vinegar, baking soda, or hydrogen peroxide if you have more time.
In this article, I’ll explain what causes the weed smell to linger on clothes in the first place. Then, I’ll explain the various ways you can remove the weed smell from your clothes and your closet, if necessary. Finally, I’ll explain how to prevent the smell from lingering on your clothes in the future.
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What Causes Weed Smell on Clothes?
Before I discuss how to get rid of the weed smell on clothes, it’s important to understand what causes the smell in the first place. The weed plant, cannabis, contains chemicals called terpenes. Terpenes aren’t only found in cannabis but in many other plants as well.
Terpenes are what give plants their aroma or fragrance. Because many essential oils are derived from plants, terpenes are the main chemicals that also give essential oils their smell. That means that even CBD oil, which is derived from cannabis, also contains terpenes, even though CBD oil is used differently than weed in general by many people.
However, when you use CBD oil, you may not notice the smell linger for as long as it does when you smoke weed. This is because burning dried cannabis releases the terpenes, creating the smell. CBD oil isn’t typically burned, so you don’t notice the smell linger for as long or smell as strongly as burning the dried cannabis plant. The strong smell from burning cannabis can saturate your clothing and other fabrics. It can linger there the same way that cigarette smoke can.
How Long Can Weed Smell Stay on Clothes?
How long the smell of weed stays on your clothes depends on a couple of factors. First, it depends on the type of clothing you wear while smoking. Synthetic fabrics such as polyester tend to hold onto odors more than natural fabrics such as cotton. Natural fabrics tend to be more breathable, which enables the smell to dissipate more quickly.
Secondly, it depends on how soon after smoking you wash the clothing and how you wash it when you do. Without taking the proper steps to remove the smell of weed from clothing, it can stay on clothes for a while, even weeks or months.
Even after washing the clothes, the smell can still linger. This is especially true if you use weed regularly. The more often you use weed, the stronger it can cause your clothing to smell, and the longer it will smell if you don’t wash the clothing immediately or use products that can help remove the smell.
How to Get Rid of Weed Smell on Clothes
Now that you know what exactly causes the weed smell to linger on clothes, how can you get rid of it? There are several things you can do. But which one is the best for you just depends on how much time you have.
It’s worth noting that none of these methods will work immediately. If you need an immediate fix, it’s best to have a change of clothes on hand so that you can change and then take care of removing the smell later.
1. Hang Outside
One of the easiest and quickest ways to get rid of the smell of weed on clothes is to just hang them outside. This method is especially effective if the smell is fresh and you don’t have time to wash the clothing. However, this method is not fool-proof, as it only works if the day is nice and sunny.
If you have a nice, sunny day, place the clothing on a hanger. Hang it outside for a couple of hours until the smell is gone. The combination of fresh air and sunlight helps dissipate the smell and freshen up the clothing without damaging it.
Depending on how strong the smell is, this may not always be the most effective method, especially if the smell has been there a while. If hanging the clothing outside doesn’t work, you may have to try a stronger method to remove the smell more effectively.
2. White Vinegar
If you have a little bit of time or several pieces of clothing that smell like weed, one of the most effective ways to get rid of the smell is to use white vinegar. This is especially effective for weed smells that are stronger or have been there longer.
White vinegar contains acids that can break down the smell on the clothes, plus the vinegar has a strong smell that will help mask the smell of weed. After washing and drying the clothing, you shouldn’t smell the weed or the vinegar on the clothing.
You can use white vinegar to remove the smell of weed from your clothes in two ways. The first way is to fill a tub or sink with water. Add a cup of white vinegar to the water. Let the clothing soak in the water for up to 30 minutes. Then rinse out the clothing and wash it with regular detergent.
Another way to use white vinegar to remove the weed smell from clothing is to use vinegar directly in the washing machine. Check the care tag of the clothing first to see what water temperature the clothing can handle. Wash the clothing using the hottest water setting that is safe for the clothing.
Depending on the type of washing machine you have, you can either add the white vinegar to the fabric softener dispenser instead of the fabric softener so it can be released at the right time or pause the washing machine before the rinse cycle. Add the vinegar directly into the washing machine during the rinse cycle.
If the smell still lingers after washing, repeat the process as necessary until the smell is gone. It may take a couple of washes if the smell is strong or heavy. Once the smell is removed, dry the clothing in the dryer. Or, if it’s a sunny day outside, you can hang the clothing outside to dry to make it smell even fresher. Any lingering vinegar smell should be gone after the clothing dries.
3. Baking Soda
Another effective way to remove the smell of weed from clothing is to use baking soda. Unlike vinegar which masks the smell of weed, baking soda works by absorbing the odor. Again, there are two ways that you can use baking soda to remove the weed smell from clothes. Which one will be most effective depends on how strong the smell is and how long it has been there.
For smells that are really strong or have been there a while, you’re going to want to soak the clothing for a while before washing it. Fill a washtub or sink with water. Add a cup or two of baking soda to the water, depending on the size of the tub. Stir the baking soda around in the water until it is completely dissolved.
Place the clothing in the water and let it soak for up to 30 minutes. Then, rinse the clothing and wash it in the washing machine with laundry detergent. Repeat the process as necessary until the smell is gone.
Another option if you need a slightly quicker method and the smell isn’t that strong is to add baking soda directly into the washing machine. Place the clothing in the washing machine and add a cup of baking soda on top of it. Add your laundry detergent and use the hottest water setting that the clothing can handle. You can even add vinegar to the wash if you prefer. After washing the clothing, rewash it if the smell still lingers. Otherwise, you can put it in the dryer or hang it outside to dry in the fresh air.
4. Hydrogen Peroxide
If you don’t have baking soda or vinegar or want to try something different, another option is to use hydrogen peroxide. It’s another strong chemical that can remove the smell of weed without being strong enough to damage the clothing.
Be aware, however, that hydrogen peroxide can cause discoloration in some types of clothing. Don’t use it directly on the clothing; instead, make sure that you dilute it first with plenty of water. The best way to use it is to use it in the washing machine like you did with the vinegar and baking soda.
To prevent damage to clothes from the hydrogen peroxide, you’ll want to let the washing machine fill up with water before adding your clothes to it. Let it fill up with the hottest water that the clothing can handle.
Afterward, add in your laundry detergent and a cup of hydrogen peroxide. Finally, add in your clothes and let them wash all the way through. After washing, check to see if they still smell and wash the clothing if necessary. Once the smell is gone, dry the clothing in the dryer or hang it outside to dry.
5. Bleach
If the clothing is white, perhaps the most effective way to remove the smell of weed from it is to use bleach. Bleach is by far the strongest chemical mentioned and can be used to remove even the strongest smells. However, just because clothing is white, it doesn’t always mean it is safe to bleach. So, it’s important to check the care tag before using it.
You’ll also want to avoid using bleach on colored clothing as it will cause the color to be removed from the clothing. In that case, you’ll be left with a much bigger problem than just removing the smell of weed.
If the clothing isn’t safe to bleach, you’ll need to use one of the other methods I’ve mentioned. Even if the clothing is safe to bleach, you’ll want to do so carefully so as not to cause damage to the clothing or yourself.
Since bleach has such a strong smell, make sure to only use it in a well-ventilated area. Otherwise, it could cause you respiratory distress. Also, make sure that you follow the directions on the bleach packaging carefully.
You’ll want to mix the bleach with water to dilute it; otherwise, it will be too strong and can cause damage to the clothing. The packaging should tell you how much water vs. bleach to use. After mixing the water and the bleach, soak the clothing for the time specified on the packaging.
After soaking the clothing for the specified amount of time:
- Rinse it under cold water.
- Wear rubber gloves to do this so the bleach doesn’t get on your skin.
- After rinsing the clothing, wash it in the washing machine and laundry detergent to remove the rest of the bleach. The smell should definitely be gone, and then you can just dry the clothing in the dryer or hang it outside to dry.
How to Get Rid of Weed Smell in Closet
Sometimes the smell of weed can transfer from your clothes into your closet, especially if the smell is on multiple articles of clothing. Getting rid of the weed smell in your closet is a bit harder since you can’t just soak your closet in water the way you can with your clothing.
But you can first take all of the clothing out of your closet. Wash all of it to prevent the smell from coming back and use one of the methods above to make sure that you get rid of the smell from the clothing. While your clothes are washing, you can work on getting the smell out of the closet.
Leave your closet open so that it can air out. Keeping the closet closed will keep the smell in. Especially if the closet is in a small room, leave a window open so that the room is well-ventilated and more sunlight can come in. Turn on the ceiling fan or plug in a small fan to help fresh air circulate throughout the room better.
If your closet has carpeting, the carpet may be holding in some of the smell. Vacuum the carpet, and you may have to steam clean it to get the smell out completely. Even if your closet has hard floors, sweeping, dusting, and vacuuming in there can also help to freshen it up. You can also hang a closet freshener to help with the small.
Finally, it’s very important to wash your clothing before hanging it in the closet. Otherwise, the weed smell can get back into your closet. Also, if the closet isn’t aired out well enough, the weed smell can get back on your clothing even if it is clean and smells fresh.
How to Prevent Weed Smell on Clothes
If you aren’t keen on washing your clothing every time you smoke, there are ways to prevent or lessen the smell of weed on your clothing.
Wear Natural Fabric
The first way to prevent or lessen the weed smell on your clothing is to wear natural fabrics. Natural fabrics such as cotton, linen, wool, and silk tend to be more breathable than fabrics such as polyester, spandex, and nylon, for example.
If clothing is more breathable, it won’t hold in smells for as long since air can circulate throughout the fabric easier. Even if the smell of weed does get on your clothing still, it won’t linger for as long afterward. It should also come out easier in the wash.
Smoke Outside
This may seem obvious, but smoking outside is one of the best ways to prevent the smell from lingering on your clothes. Outside is as open and well-ventilated as you can get, and it’s easier for the smell to dissipate away from you instead of lingering and settling on your clothes.
If you can’t smoke outside, make sure that anywhere you smoke indoors is in a well-ventilated area. Open up any windows and doors or smoke on a covered porch. Running fans can also circulate air better and keep it from becoming stagnant.
Have Smoking Clothes
Another option that you have is to only wear certain clothes when you smoke. That way, you can keep the rest of your clothing smelling fresh and smoke-free. Just make sure to still wash them often and store them away from your other clothes to prevent the smell from transferring.
Conclusion
Weed is a pastime and even a necessity for some people. But you don’t have to deal with the smell lingering on your clothes. Washing them with vinegar, baking soda, hydrogen peroxide, and using bleach in some cases is the best way to get rid of the weed smell.
You can also smoke outside and wear clothing made of natural fibers to help prevent or lessen the smell on your clothes. If you found this article helpful, share it with others and leave a comment. Thanks for reading!