We love the smell of cannabis in the morning, though we understand that it’s not for everyone. We also know that there’s a time and a place for a nice cannabis aroma. Perhaps you’ve even been discouraged from enjoying a product before because of the resulting scent. If only there was a way to hide cannabis odors, then you could have those guests over more often who don’t appreciate its special smell. Fortunately, we have some tricks up our sleeves, and we’re happy to share them with you!
Keep Your Home Fresh
If you smoke cannabis inside, there’s no way to avoid the smell. But there are ways to keep it from sticking around. And one of the easiest things you can do is ensure good air circulation. All you have to do is keep a window open and crank up your fan, and you should be able to keep the smell from settling in. For good measure, reserve a room for smoking that rarely has visitors.
Depending on where you live, if you have adequate backyard space, smoking outside may be the way to go. Decorate the area with lights, cultivate some plants, and maybe invest in a fire pit or heater, and make it the perfect place to unwind and enjoy your preroll. Plus, UV rays help dissipate the aroma, so even if you don’t smoke outside, you can step out into the sun and bathe in its rays for around a half-hour to an hour to help restore your natural scent.
Of course, the weather doesn’t always allow you to smoke outside or with open windows (plus, not everyone has a private backyard). Either way, cracking a window may not be enough for an especially pungent strain. In such a situation, you can try fighting fire with fire (or rather, terpenes with terpenes). As we know, terpenes are found in all sorts of plant life, so using essential oils from other terpene-rich plants can overcome that cannabis smell. Invest in a diffuser, drop in your favorite essential oils, and your home will be ready for your pickiest guests.
If essential oils aren’t your thing, there are plenty of alternatives. Incense and candles are strong enough to combat the cannabis smell, and regular use can prevent the build-up of any resulting odors. Aside from using fresh smells, an air purifier can do wonders to rid the room of a strong terpene aroma. This option could also have the added benefit of filtering some hazardous particles that may come from cannabis smoke. And if all else fails, pour vinegar into a shallow container and leave it out for a while.
Don’t have any of these on you but eager to light up that preroll? No problem! After you smoke, get in the kitchen and whip up some food with a rich aroma to help mask the smell. Even a bag of microwavable popcorn may work.
Another quick solution is to step into the bathroom with your preroll and let your shower run very hot so it gets nice and steamy as you light up, which helps neutralize the odors. If you have one, turn on the bathroom fan to suck the smokey/steamy air out of there. And as an added step, sealing the door crack with a damp towel prevents smoke from escaping into the rest of the house.
Not everyone has carpet in their home, but if you do, it can easily absorb cannabis smells, which will make your place ripe. While it may require extra effort, shampooing your carpet, or even using a regular carpet cleaner, can make a difference.
Remember that it’s not just the smoking that will skunk up your rooms. Even before you light it up, a strong strain will emit a noticeable odor. Packing your products away in a sealed container can prevent the cannabis smell from dominating your space. You also don’t want to leave evidence sitting around your home for too long. Ashes, bong water — anything residual should be tossed as soon as you’re finished or else it will really soak into your furniture, carpet, and walls.
If It’s on You
Having the smell in your home is one thing, but carrying it with you, well that’s a whole other issue. Luckily, you have options. If you smoke outside or in an area with good air circulation, you’re less likely to smell like cannabis. After smoking, it’s always wise to wash up with soap and shampoo that have strong scents of their own before you head out. You can also keep a heavy cologne or perfume with you to mask the odor.
Most importantly, keep oral hygiene in mind. Grab a toothbrush with minty toothpaste and brush right after a smoke sesh. Make sure to use some mints, mouth wash, mint gum, whatever you have, and you’ll be smelling fresh and ready to go in no time.
The smell tends to stay in your clothing, so shielding your wardrobe is a proactive way to keep the aroma off of you. Throwing on a protective layer can help absorb most of the odor so that when you remove it, your outfit won’t reek of cannabis. Anything from an old coat to a worn hoodie should do.
Your hair is a great place for cannabis odors to settle, so keeping it covered can make a big difference. Have a weathered hat on standby, or a worn hoodie or beanie you can use to cover your hair. Even tying it into a bun or ponytail helps.
While some of these quick strategies might help keep the smell off of you, if you have the time, it may be worth it to simply throw on clean clothes after showering for worry-free freshness.
Alternative Consumption
Perhaps a more obvious route is to change how you consume cannabis. While not completely odorless, the smells from dabbing or vaping are far more subtle. Then there are edibles, which don’t have a noticeable scent, so you can eat and remain odor-free. With that said, edibles often last longer and are more intense, so this may not work for everyone.
If you’re dead set on traditional smoking, there’s something called a “sploof” that may come in handy. Basically, you take an empty toilet paper or paper towel roll and secure either a paper towel or dryer sheet that’s been folded a few times on one end with a rubber band. Exhale into the open end to help control the smell. You can also try using a glass pipe instead of a preroll, which generates far less smoke, and thus a milder smell. And if one hit is all you need, using a small amount of product will result in even less smoke.
The type of cannabis you have can also affect how smelly your smoke session will be. Indica strains usually produce a milder aroma because their buds are not as plentiful as those of a sativa strain.
And there you go! As you can see, there are plenty of ways to mitigate the strong scent of cannabis, so you can enjoy without having to worry about what your parents think when they come to visit.
Resources:
https://www.royalqueenseeds.com/blog-hiding-the-smell-of-smoked-or-stored-cannabis-n832
https://www.zipscannabis.com/how-to-hide-the-smell-of-weed
https://earthmed.com/blog/27-ways-to-mask-that-weed-smell-when-you-smoke-marijuana