How to Stop Cigar Smoke Smell Following You Home
The best way to remove cigar smell from clothes is to take the smoke-exposed garment off, hang it somewhere with good airflow and treat it with a fabric-safe odour neutraliser. Focus on areas such as the collar, lapels, shoulders and sleeves, then allow the garment to dry completely before wearing, storing or placing it in an enclosed space.
A fine cigar may finish in an hour, but the cigar smoke smell on your clothes can stay considerably longer.
Jackets, shirts, suits and outerwear are particularly exposed to smoke during a cigar, and the odour can become much more noticeable once you leave the lounge and enter a car, lift, office or home.
If you want to remove cigar smoke smell from clothing without immediately washing or dry cleaning everything you wear, a simple post-cigar garment-care routine can make a significant difference.
Why Does Cigar Smoke Smell Stay on Clothes?
Cigar smoke contains airborne particles and compounds that can settle onto fabric while you smoke.
Your outer layers receive the greatest exposure, particularly:
Jacket shoulders
Collars
Lapels
Sleeves
Upper back
Shirt fronts
Once these garments move into an enclosed environment, the lingering cigar smell can become much more noticeable.
This is why a jacket that seems relatively unobtrusive outside a cigar lounge can suddenly smell strongly of cigar smoke once you step into your car or arrive home.
How to Remove Cigar Smell From Clothes
For clothing that does not need an immediate wash, use the following post-cigar routine.
1. Remove the Smoke-Exposed Garment
Take your jacket or outer garment off before treating it.
Avoid immediately folding it into a bag, placing it on the back seat of a car or putting it into a garment bag. Enclosed spaces limit airflow and can keep the cigar smoke smell close to the fabric.
Hang the garment wherever possible.
2. Move the Clothing Away From Active Cigar Smoke
There is little benefit in treating a jacket while it is still being exposed to cigar smoke.
Once you have finished your cigar, move the garment to a clean, ventilated area away from active smoke.
Fresh airflow is one of the simplest first steps when dealing with cigar smell on clothing.
3. Use a Fabric-Safe Cigar Smoke Odour Neutraliser
For garments that cannot simply be placed in the washing machine, a purpose-designed garment treatment provides another option.
Savile Noir Premium Garment Mist is formulated specifically for cigar and smoke odour on clothing.
Rather than using a heavily fragranced spray to cover cigar smell, Savile Noir is designed to neutralise unwanted smoke odour on the garment.
Remove the garment before application and always follow its care instructions.
4. Focus on the Areas Most Exposed to Cigar Smoke
When applying a garment mist, concentrate on the outside surfaces that have received the greatest smoke exposure.
These generally include:
Shoulders
Lapels
Collar
Sleeves
Upper back
Outer front panels
An even mist is preferable to saturating the fabric.
5. Allow the Garment to Air and Dry Completely
Savile Noir's current application directions recommend holding the bottle approximately 15 to 20 cm from the garment and applying 15 to 20 light sprays.
Allow the garment to air for approximately 2 to 5 minutes.
For heavier cigar smoke exposure, a second light application can be made once the first treatment has dried.
Do not put the garment back on until it is completely dry.
How to Get Cigar Smell Out of a Suit or Jacket
Suits and tailored jackets need a little more consideration because they may contain wool, structured canvassing, linings and other materials that are not suitable for regular machine washing.
After smoking a cigar:
Remove the jacket.
Hang it rather than folding it.
Place it somewhere with good ventilation.
Apply a fabric-safe odour treatment to smoke-exposed areas.
Allow it to dry fully.
Keep it separate from clean clothing until refreshed.
A soft garment brush can also form part of your regular suit-care routine.
For heavily affected garments, persistent odour or garments requiring professional care, follow the care label and consult a professional dry cleaner where appropriate.
How to Remove Cigar Smell From Clothes Without Washing Them
If you are wearing tailored clothing, travelling, heading to dinner after a cigar or simply do not want to wash a garment after every lounge visit, start with airflow and targeted garment care.
A practical routine is:
Hang. Air. Mist. Dry.
This is particularly useful for jackets, blazers and outer garments that are regularly worn around cigar smoke but are not intended to be washed after every use.
For washable shirts and other clothing, follow the manufacturer's care label when a full wash is required.
Does Airing Clothes Remove Cigar Smell?
Fresh air can help reduce cigar smell on clothing, particularly when exposure has been relatively light.
For stronger or repeated cigar-smoke exposure, airing alone may not provide the result you want.
This is where a garment odour neutraliser can complement airflow by treating the fabric before the garment returns to your wardrobe, car or travel bag.
Can You Remove Cigar Smell From a Jacket Before Going Home?
Yes. Ideally, begin treating your jacket shortly after leaving the smoking environment rather than waiting until you arrive home.
Remove the jacket and move away from active smoke.
Apply your garment treatment in accordance with its directions and allow the jacket to dry completely before putting it back on.
Doing this before entering your car or home can also help prevent the cigar smell carried by the garment from becoming noticeable in those spaces.
Do Not Try to Cover Cigar Smell With Cologne
Cologne and garment odour treatment perform very different jobs.
Applying fragrance directly over cigar-smoke odour can create a combination of perfume and smoke rather than actually addressing the unwanted smell.
Savile Noir was developed specifically as a garment mist rather than a personal fragrance.
The objective is to treat cigar smoke odour on the clothing, not simply introduce a stronger competing scent.
Keep Smoke-Exposed Clothing Away From Clean Clothes
One of the simplest mistakes is returning a smoke-exposed jacket directly to the wardrobe.
Instead, hang the jacket separately in a ventilated location until it is dry and you are satisfied with its condition.
This is particularly worthwhile if the garment normally sits alongside suits, shirts and other clean clothing.
Build a Simple Post-Cigar Garment Kit
For regular cigar smokers, a compact after-cigar kit can make garment care much easier.
Consider keeping together:
Savile Noir Premium Garment Mist
A quality travel hanger
A soft garment brush
A protective cigar case
Breath mints
A clean handkerchief
Savile Noir comes in a compact 30 mL bottle and provides more than 400 fine atomised sprays, making it practical for a work bag, travel kit or cigar accessories case.
Why Savile Noir Was Created for Cigar Smokers
Savile Noir was born from a problem familiar to cigar enthusiasts: enjoying a fine cigar while not wanting the smoke odour to remain in your clothing long afterwards.
Created by a cigar enthusiast with more than 30 years of experience and developed in partnership with Simon Devlin of Devlin's Cigar Lounge, Savile Noir has been designed specifically around cigar smoke and garment care.
Its formulation uses a multi-layered approach designed to neutralise unwanted smoke odour rather than simply cover it with fragrance.
For cigar smokers who move between the lounge, dinner, business, travel and home, it creates one additional step at the end of the ritual.
Hang. Mist. Allow to dry. Move on.
Removing Cigar Smell From Clothes: The Final Step in the Ritual
The cigar itself is carefully selected.
The cut is considered.
The lighter is dependable.
The setting matters.
Garment care deserves the same attention.
Savile Noir Premium Garment Mist is designed to help remove lingering cigar smoke odour from clothing so the experience can stay where it belongs.
With the cigar.
Frequently Asked Questions About Cigar Smell on Clothes
How do you remove cigar smell from clothes?
Remove the smoke-exposed garment, hang it somewhere with good ventilation and use a fabric-safe odour neutraliser on the areas most exposed to smoke. Allow the garment to dry completely before wearing or storing it.
How do you get cigar smell out of a suit?
Hang the suit jacket in a ventilated area and avoid immediately placing it into a wardrobe or garment bag. Use a treatment suitable for the fabric and follow the garment's care instructions. For heavy or persistent odour, professional dry cleaning may be appropriate.
How do you remove cigar smell from clothes without washing them?
Air the garment thoroughly and use a fabric-safe odour neutraliser. This approach can be particularly useful for jackets, blazers and other garments that are not designed for frequent washing.
Does cigar smoke smell come out of clothes?
Cigar smoke odour can often be significantly reduced or removed from clothing through a combination of airflow, appropriate garment treatment, washing where suitable and professional cleaning for garments that require it.
Why does cigar smell stay on clothes?
Smoke particles and compounds settle onto fabric while you are exposed to cigar smoke. The odour can then remain noticeable until the garment is aired, treated or cleaned.
Can I spray Savile Noir on my suit?
Savile Noir is described as suitable for most wool, cotton and synthetic garments. Follow the garment's care label and spot-test delicate or speciality fabrics before broader application.
Can I use Savile Noir while I am wearing my jacket?
No. Remove the garment before applying Savile Noir and wait until it is completely dry before putting it back on.
Should I use Savile Noir before or after smoking a cigar?
Use it after smoking, once the garment is no longer being exposed to active cigar smoke.
How long should Savile Noir stay on clothing before I wear it again?
Allow the garment to air and dry completely. Current Savile Noir directions recommend approximately 2 to 5 minutes following application, depending on the garment and level of exposure.
Can cigar smell from clothing make my wardrobe smell?
Smoke-exposed clothing can make cigar odour noticeable in enclosed areas such as wardrobes and garment bags. Allow the clothing to air and dry before storing it alongside clean garments.
