Smoke odor
Also: cigarette smell · smoke smell · tobacco odor
Smoke odor is the stale, clinging smell of cigarette or fire smoke absorbed deep into fibers, padding, and linings. Invisible in photos but obvious on arrival, it is a leading cause of resale returns, resists a single wash, and is graded strictly under the odor-and-cleanliness factor.
How to detect it
- Smell the underarms, lining, and any padding, where odor concentrates
- Seal the item in a bag briefly, then reopen and smell the trapped air
- Check structured or lined pieces most carefully — they hold smoke longest
Grade impact
Smoke odor is judged entirely under Odor & Cleanliness (10%) and it caps that factor hard. A faint smell that airs out keeps an item near Good (6); a strong, clinging smoke odor that survives washing drops it to Fair (5) or below regardless of visual condition.
Fixability
Often treatable, sometimes stubborn. Airing out, vinegar or baking-soda washes, and ozone treatment reduce or remove it; heavily saturated padding and linings can hold smoke through multiple attempts.
How to disclose it
Always disclose ('comes from a smoke-free home' or 'faint smoke odor remains after washing'). Odor is the single most common invisible-flaw complaint, and no photo can substitute for the warning.
Smoke odor — frequently asked
- Can smoke odor be washed out completely?
- Often, but not always. Airing, vinegar or baking-soda washes, and ozone treatment remove most smoke odor from unlined garments. Structured pieces with padding and linings can trap smoke through several washes, so test by smell before grading and disclose any that remains.
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