When it’s time to clean cigarette smoke odor from electronics, you will need to think in terms of cleaning without any water or moisture. While that makes cleaning of electronics a bit more challenging, it is still very doable.
Identify any Electronic Devices in your Home
This includes but is not limited to:
- Laptop Computers
- Desktop Computers
- Televisions
- Tablets
- Smart Phones
- Stereo Systems
- Radios
- Wireless Routers
- Alarm Clocks
- Automatic Pasta Machines
Electronic devices have delicate boards in them which need to be kept well away from the water-based cleaning solutions used for most of the rest of the cleaning. Because of this, we need to get creative to clean them. You may not be able to fully remove odors from electronics, but there are a few things which might help minimize it.
Compressed Air
Use Compressed air very generously on any air vent you can find on the device to move air through it, therefor moving as much dust out of it as possible. Dust accumulates quickly inside electronic devices, and there can often be a large build up. Because of this, I’d recommend doing this outside.
Surface Clean
Washing the exterior of the device with a mixture of water and vinegar on a slightly dampened towel will help remove any surface odors. This is especially helpful on devices which you have handled while smoking, such as smartphones, because the odor from the cigarette easy transfers to and from your hands.
Odor Absorption
Odor absorption techniques can be used in isolation with the devices to draw odors out of them. Shut down all devices and place them in a plastic tote with an absorbent as described in our Odor Absorption Techniques article. Leaving them for a few days should have a significant impact. Repeating this step a few times can often help a lot. It may be difficult to apply this technique because electronic devices are such an important part of our daily lives. Consider this step overnight, and repeat it every night for a week or longer to optimally clean cigarette smoke odor from electronics.