Dear Lifehacker, We recently moved my father into a long-term care facility. There are a number of wonderful things he wanted my sister and I to have and to share with our children. The trouble is that he was a lifelong smoker and everything reeks from years of smoke. We want to keep these things, but the smell is just awful. What can we do? Sincerely, Smoked Out Dear Smoked Out, Smokers lose sensitivity to the smell of their own smoke, especially over years of smoking. And yes, if they smoke inside, the smell gets into everything. The good news is that we have some pretty good ways for destinking your mementos. Before we look at getting the smell out of specific items, here's a safe, simple trick you can try for anything. Grab a Ziploc bag, put the item inside with one or more unscented dryer sheets (depending on the size of the item), and leave it. For things like books, which can really absorb the odor, you may need to leave them in the bags for several weeks. For other items, a few days may be all it takes.
You can even get really big Ziploc bags if you need them. The nice thing about this method is that, while it takes time, it's completely harmless to the items you're trying to freshen up and requires almost no effort. Of course, sometimes those stubborn smoke smells are going to take a little more work. While it's tempting to just toss smoky clothes in a hot washer with nice-smelling detergent, it pays to check the labels first and keep a couple of things in mind. If the clothes are indeed machine-washable, don't mix them with your other clothes. Wash them separately using the hottest water the fabric allows and toss in a cup of baking soda or borax for some extra smell-fighting power. When you're done washing the clothes, smell them before you dry them to see if they need rewashing. And when you're finally done washing, make sure your washer hasn't picked up any odor itself. If it has, run it through a cleaning cycle. There are some other things you can try for stubborn clothes or for those that you can't machine wash:
Getting the smoke smell out of leather goods can be easy or difficult. It depends on whether the leather is hard (like a biker jacket or cowboy boots) or soft (like a purse or more stylish jacket) and on what's on the inside, which is likely where most of the smell has collected. Either way, the place to start is with a good leather cleaner recommended for your type of leather. According to cleaning website How to Clean Stuff, you can also use a diluted vinegar or rubbing alcohol solution to clean the leather, though you'll want to careful not to allow the solution to soak into the leather. Personally, I think I'd spring for the cost of the leather cleaner. How you clean the inside of the item depends on what it's made of. Many purses and bags have a nylon interior that you can wash down with soap and water (or a vinegar and water solution). For fabric interiors, follow the cleaning instructions or you can first try to simple deodorize using these tricks: The dryer sheet and baggie trick works pretty well with most books, but if you'd like to get a jump start on the process or just have some books with a stubborn smell, there's another simple solution.
Mix equal parts warm water and distilled white vinegar. Apply to the covers of the books (hard cover or paperback) lightly using a clean cloth and let them dry. If the cloth gets dirty, switch to another clean one so you're not just smearing grime around. Vinegar also does a great job at removing mildew from books and other surfaces. The smell fades quickly so you won't be reading vinegary books. There are a lot of variables when it comes to cleaning the smoke smell out of furniture. Is it wood or upholstered? If it's wood, is the wood well sealed? What's the upholstery made of? Nevertheless, here are a few tricks that can help: Hopefully those tips help you out a bit, Smoked Out! Good luck clearing the air, and enjoying those memories that your father gave to you and your family! Lead photo by DucDigital. Other images by trenttsd, 邰秉宥, Robert Sheie, Kamal Hamid, and Daniel Dudek-Corrigan. Have a question or suggestion for Ask Lifehacker? Proper care and attention is required to maintain and prolong the look,
performance, feel and comfort of golf shoes. Faced with a wide range of hazards, both leather and synthetic golf shoes must be thoroughly cleaned and properly stored between rounds in order to prolong the look and life of the We recommend rotating shoes between rounds - properly maintained the rotation of two pairs of shoes will last much longer than twice the life of Use a shoe horn when putting on your golf shoes to protect the heel counter of the shoe. Check your cleats between rounds to ensure they are intact and secured properly into their respective receptacles, but DO NOT OVER TIGHTEN your Do not store your golf shoes in your car trunk, where high temperatures can break down shoe materials resulting in decreased lifespan of your We strongly recommend leaving Cedar shoe trees in your golfing shoes at all times when shoes are not in use. Post-Round Shoe Cleaning & Care Use a shoe horn when putting on your golf shoes.
This will protect the heel counter of the shoe. Damage to the heel counter can cause improper fit in the heel which can lead to blistering and overall discomfort. Clean leather or synthetic golfing shoes after each round by removing dirt and residue using FootJoy shoe cleaner or mild soap and water. Allow to air dry at room temperature. White Shoes: To clean shoes with a white base leather, apply FootJoy white cleaner to remove unwanted scuff marks. This will also condition the Dark Shoes: To clean shoes with a dark base leather use a combination of FootJoy shoe cleaner and an applicable color shoe creme to maintain the look and conditioning of the full grain or calfskin leather. Wet Shoes: If your shoes become soaked during a round, Place crumpled newspaper inside for 8-10 hours to soak up all excess Remove newspaper and replace with FootJoy Cedar Shoe Trees. trees will bring the uppers back to normal shape, smooth the linings and
absorb any remaining water and odor. The absorption properties of cedar make them far more effective than plastic shoe trees. Remove the laces when cleaning. If not glued into the shoe, remove the inner sole when cleaning your golf shoes. Do not place your shoes in direct sunlight to dry, but rather allow them to air-dry in a shaded area or indoors. NEVER dry your shoes using a blow-dryer or by putting them on anyExcessive heat can damage both the uppers and the All non-leather outsoles should be wiped clean of dirt and residue after Check to ensure that all cleats are intact and secured properly intoDO NOT OVER-TIGHTEN THE CLEATS. Hand Cleaning Mesh Shoes Soak in the sink with a squirt of liquid dish soap or laundry detergent and warm water. Dip a soft cloth or soft-bristled cleaning brush in the soapyScrub the mesh to remove dirt, dust and residue. Blot or dab at the mesh with a cold water dampened cloth to remove
Allow the tennis shoes to air dry. Do not place the shoes directly in the sun, but rather allow them to air-dry in a shaded area or Machine Cleaning Mesh ShoesAlso, if they aren't glued into place, remove the inner soles. Wipe the mesh lightly with a clean cloth, using soap and warm water Scrub tougher stains with an old toothbrush and a gentle laundry For a final clean on mesh shoes (to help tackle persistent stains), put the mesh golf shoes and laces in a mesh washing bag, and place inWash on a gentle or delicate cycle. Allow them to air-dry. You can add newspaper initially to absorb moisture for 30 - 40 minutes. Remove the wet newspaper and add shoe trees when still damp to maintain their shape. Here is a video to demonstrate the best way to clean your HyperFlex men's golf shoes. Or simply follow the instructions below. Step 1: Ensure your shoes are completely dry and that the shoe lacesStarting with a dry shoe surface helps to easily remove
Step 2: Use a dry brush (with firm bristles) to gently brush off any dirt from your pair of shoes. Step 3: Next, wipe off any excess debris from your pair of shoes to ensure all small dirt particles are completely removed. Step 4: Add a tablespoon of cleaning solution to a bowl of roomNext, dip a clean brush (with soft bristles) into the Step 5: Gently scrub shoes until solution starts to bubble. Step 6: Wipe off excess solution with a towel. Step 7: Once your pair of golf shoes are cleaned, remove the fit-beds and place both shoe laces in the bowl of water and cleaning solution. from solution after 10-15 minutes and allow to air dry -- or blow dry for Step 8: Allow both your shoes and shoe laces to completely dry before re-lacing and inserting the fit-beds. Here is a video to demonstrate the best way to clean your emPower women's golf shoes. Step 1: Ensure your shoes are completely dry and that the shoe laces haveStarting with a dry shoe surface helps to easily remove mud and