What’s that smell? Do you find that after a smoke session, the smoke follows you wherever you go? If you want (or have) to keep your love of weed on the down-low eliminating the smell of weed is a critical post-session move.
Eliminating your smoke-session evidence is a two-step process. The first stage is about proper storage, session location, and having an arsenal of filtration tools handy. The second step is about the post-smoke cleanup, including gum, mouth wash, and Febreeze.
If you have a problem with the lingering smell of cannabis before and after smoking it, this multi-step guide you’ve been waiting for.
What Does Cannabis Have Such a Powerful Smell?
Before we get into the dirty details, it’s essential to understand why cannabis smells so pungent. Beyond the cannabinoids you know and love, weed also contains compounds called terpenes. These are aromatic essential oils, which give each strain a unique and delicious aroma. For example, Super Lemon Haze smells citrusy because of a terpene called limonene.
These compounds tend to be extremely volatile. Often, they exist to attract or repel different creatures, which means it’s vital for them to waft through the atmosphere. Because terpenes are so sensitive, they often react to temperature, light, and oxygen. If you leave a bud on the counter, these compounds will evaporate into the room.
Cannabis smoke is a secondary concern. Smoke is technically air filled with fine-particulate matter. It’s the small microscopic pieces of organic plant material. It smells stale and burnt because you are inhaling particles of burnt bud. The smoke particles have a remarkable ability to land on soft, absorbent material (like couches and clothing). Over time, soft materials take on a smokey-stank.
Get Proactive: Reduce the Smell of Weed Beforehand
Do you want to reduce the smell of weed that attaches itself to you after a smoke session? You have to start well before you smoke it.
Cannabis is a powerfully stinky plant, and unlike other recreational substances, it may need a bit of special handling.
Even before you light up a blunt or pack a bowl with bud, the aromatic profile of a premium product can quickly permeate a room. If you truly want to eliminate the evidence of cannabis use, you’ll need to take the following steps.
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Smoke Outside
The number one way to stop the smell of cannabis smoke from embedding into your house and vehicle is to stop smoking inside. Like cigarette smoke, cannabis smoke tends to linger on clothing, curtains, and bedding.
For your next smoke session, take a walk outside. Not only does it reduce the amount of smoke landing on your items, the smoke quickly dissipates into the natural environment. That means you’ll come in from a long smoke session smelling like fresh cut grass or cedar trees, not like stale smoke.
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Store Flower in an Airtight Glass Container
Proper cannabis storage is also important — especially if you have potent bud. Because terpenes are volatile, airtight containers made of glass are the only way to trap them. Plastic contains are baggies technically are air permeable. Over time the terpenes evaporate into the room, leaving a dry and tasteless nug inside.
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Get Crafty
Long ago, crafty smokers created what has been lovingly called the “Jail-toker” or the “Sploof.” The jail toker captures the smoke and pushes it through a rudimentary, laundry-scented filtration system.
First, grab an empty toilet paper roll and at least four dryer sheets. Stuff two dryer sheets into the tube. Place the remaining two sheets over one end of the tube, securing them in place with an elastic band.
During your next indoor smoke session, instead of exhaling a cloud of smoke into your room, put your newly made jail toker to your lips and express the smoke through it. It’s not perfect, but it works in a pinch. Just don’t forget to dispose of the dirty dryer sheets every few weeks.
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Invest in a Personal Filter
Several companies are now making them if you aren’t artistically inclined or prefer a more professional filtration system. Check out the colorful options from Smoke Buddy, the Smoke Trap’s professional style, or the replaceable filter system of the Sploofy.
Each of these options takes the concept of the jail toker and improves upon it. Some are eco-friendly. Some come with replaceable filters, but all aim to reduce weed smell after every smoke session.
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Switch to Edibles
The easiest way to reduce the smell of weed in your home, office, or a vehicle is to stop buying flowers altogether. The problem with bud is the volatile terpenes, which tend to evaporate during handling, temperature changes, and storage.
Instead of smoking weed, why not switch to edibles? Any terpenes which have gone through infusion and edible formulation are stable. That means edibles generally smell like delicious foods and not dank buds.
How to Eliminate the Lingering Smell After a Smoke Session
The pre-smoke odor elimination steps are only the beginning. The second step comes after you have passed around the joint or taken a big toke from a bong. The first phase may have been all about getting the terpenes under control, but this stage is about reducing the smell of smoke.
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Chew Gum or Pop a Mint
If you have ever dated someone who was a smoker, you’ll know how unappealing it is to kiss an ashtray. If you want to keep your mouth tasting fresh, always have a pack of gum handy, no matter how dirty your bong is.
Before heading back into work or going on a date, pop a piece of gum or suck on a mint, and the familiar taste of old cannabis smoke is instantly gone.
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The Power of Mouthwash and a Toothbrush
A secondary but more decisive step for fresh breath is mouthwash and aggressive tooth brushing. Good dental hygiene makes it hard for any smoke particulate to linger in your mouth and for harmful bacteria to take hold.
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Febreeze
Did you know Fabreeze and other odor remover sprays don’t just cover up the smell of smoke, but they break it down? Fabreeze, which thankfully now comes in a fragrance-free option, is an excellent product to have around. Give your room a good spray down after each session to reduce stale smells from sticking around.
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Hand Sanitizer
If you’ve been passing around a blunt or packing a lot of bowls, you may find your hands taking on the faint smell of weed. For example, if you have a shift or a college class coming up, this is a problem. You’ll need to do a quick post-session clean-up. Use hand sanitizer, preferably scented, to dissolve any lingering terpenes or smoke particles.
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Don’t Forget Eye Drops
Although eye drops admittedly do nothing for your bad breath or the smell of smoke, they do reduce the visible signs of cannabis use. Eye drops like Visine help eliminate red, dry eyes, which is an all-too-common side effect of smoking weed.
Reduce the Smell of Weed: A Two-Step Process
If you are trying to hide your habit or keep yourself and your home smelling fresh, you have to start well before you light up. Cannabis terpenes can permeate your home if not stored correctly. Keep bud fresh in an airtight container, smoke outside, and make or buy a personal smoke filter.
After you smoke up, the next step is to cover up. Pop a mint, brush your teeth, and spray down the room with some fragrance-free Fabreeze. One session might not leave a lingering stale smoke smell, but trust us, that smell starts to stick if you smoke daily.
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