What Is Third-Hand Smoke? (How It Affects Your House)

By now, most people know about the dangers of smoking and second-hand smoke. However, not as many people know about third-hand smoke or even realize how dangerous it is. So, what is third-hand smoke, and how does it affect your house?

Third-hand smoke is a dangerous residue found in the homes of smokers and ex-smokers. This residue is dangerous because it contains many harmful chemicals, and it’s hard to get rid of. Third-hand smoke can remain in furniture, carpets, rugs, clothing, and dust for over 5-6 months, or even years in extreme cases.

The big risk of third-hand smoke is that pollutants can re-enter the air when you handle tainted items. Follow along as we explore everything you must know about third-hand smoke.

What Does Third-Hand Smoke Mean?

Third-hand smoke refers to the residue that remains on the surfaces in a house after people smoke tobacco products. Cigarettes releases pollutants and tar into the air that doesn’t just disappear. Instead, it will dissipate a bit and then settle throughout a room. That’s especially true in rooms that contain lots of fabrics, like curtains, clothing, furniture, and bedding.

These soft fabrics can retain third-hand smoke for quite a while. You can unknowingly release these pollutants when you interact with affected items. This is especially dangerous for small pets and children, who may crawl around on a tainted rug or carpet. The big danger is that you may not be a smoker, but third-hand smoke may be present if the last resident smoked. The smell may tip you off, so it’s not worth moving into a home where a smoker previously lived.

How Long Does Third-Hand Smoke Last In A House?

You can expect third-hand smoke to last for at least several months in a house however, it can last for years, depending on how long somebody smoked in the space. If someone was smoking indoors for years, the nicotine and toxic byproducts may remain for 5 or more years. As you interact with tainted items and flooring, third-hand smoke can re-enter the air and mix with other chemicals.

Because of that, you may accidentally taint new furniture when handling affected items or even walking around. This can make it take longer to rid third-hand smoke from your house. Third-hand smoke is made up of over 250 chemicals, all of which are resilient. Even the dust in your house can retain these chemicals and pollutants, and dusty homes may retain them longer.

Does Vaping Cause Third-Hand Smoke?

Vaping can cause third-hand smoke, but it’s somewhat different. That’s because electronic cigarettes, or vaporizers, don’t burn tobacco or produce smoke. Instead, they heat liquid containing nicotine and other additives. This liquid typically contains propylene glycol and vegetable glycerin, which isn’t quite as bad as tobacco.

However, you will still notice residue on your clothes, furniture, floors, and windows after vaping. For example, people who vape in their cars often notice a milky residue on their windshields. While vaping isn’t safe, the third-hand smoke it produces doesn’t linger as long as what you’d expect from tobacco. According to the Third-Hand Smoke Resource Center, vaping residue can dissipate within days of quitting. That said, it’s still not worth the risk of inhaling hot vapors.

Can You Get Rid Of Third-Hand Smoke?

While there’s no way to guarantee that third-hand smoke won’t remain, you can do several things to eradicate it by following a few key steps, such as:

Run An Air Purifier

First things first, you should use an air purifier with a HEPA filter if your home is contaminated with third-hand smoke. During the cleanup, you will likely kick up a lot of chemicals and pollutants. An air purifier can help minimize how far these pollutants spread throughout your house.

Vacuum Your Floors And Furniture

Does your home have carpets and rugs? If so, there’s a good chance that smoke or vapor residue is stuck to the carpet fibers. Your upholstered furniture is also porous enough to retain lots of third-hand smoke, so you must vacuum it. Wear a protective respirator to ensure you don’t inhale smoke residue as it re-enters the air. Use a shop vac to reach the crevices in your chairs and couches.

Keep in mind that third-hand smoke residue will likely rise and settle on the nearby floors when you vacuum your furniture. That’s why it’s best to vacuum your floors after cleaning your furniture. Take breaks as needed and empty the bin when it gets full. When you’re done, mop your hardwood floors to remove any remaining residue. 

Replace Air Filter And Clean Ductwork

If someone used to smoke in your house, it most likely took a toll on your HVAC system. Third-hand smoke can settle in air ducts and filters, especially if you haven’t replaced the filter. Before you do anything else, replace the AC and furnace filters. Unfortunately, in most cases you can’t clean ductwork without professional help. It requires special equipment, so you must schedule an air duct cleaning with an HVAC service. Cleaning air ducts costs between $450 and $1,000, depending on your home’s size.

Dust Your Home

Third-hand smoke can settle on the dust in your home, which is even worse than it sounds. That’s because dust can easily spread throughout your house when you walk around or when the AC blows. Dust is bad enough on its own, but it becomes more dangerous when tainted with tobacco smoke residue.

Wear a respirator, pull your furniture away from the walls, and dust every surface in your house. Pay attention to the tops of your cabinets and appliances as well. Not only will this help eradicate third-hand smoke, but it will also help get rid of dust mites. You don’t have to tackle this project all at once, especially if your home is big. However, you can’t clean up third-hand smoke until you’ve dusted the house.

Wash Your Clothes

There’s a good chance your clothes are tainted with smoke residue. That’s especially true if you recently quit smoking cigarettes. You must wash your clothes to remove smoke residue, or else it may spread throughout the house.

Summing It Up

Third-hand smoke is residue that settles on the surfaces and fabrics in a home. It can remain for months or even years, depending on how long someone smoked cigarettes in the space. You can help get rid of third-hand smoke by dusting your home, mopping the floors, washing your clothes, and cleaning the air ducts.

Related Guides:

• Why Does My House Smell Like Cigarette Smoke? (We Don't Smoke)
• How To Deal With Your Neighbor’s Cigarette Smoke