Culture 101
How To hide The Smell of Smoked or Stored Cannabis
One of the most memorable things about cannabis is the eclectic mix of fragrances that are given off once you light up. Herbal, earthy, spicy, citrusy, woody, and even chocolatey are words that are commonly used to describe the aroma of different strains of weed. Wedding Cake, for example, is a strain whose aroma will remind you of taking a generous bite of a rich and moist fruit cake. Sour Diesel on the other hand can easily knock you off with its pungent smell. As much as these different smells are adored by cannabis lovers, they may be loathed by conservative parents, roommates, or “authorities.” And for the sake of living in mutual understanding it may be necessary to get rid of the smell of weed from time to time.
In the next 15 minutes we are going to be turning every stone until we find the best way to get rid of the smell of cannabis, whether smoked or stored. To make this more interesting, we will first begin by looking at the different reasons why people “hide” the smell of pot. We shall also look at what causes weed to smell as it does and finally we shall get to point; how do you get rid of this smell.
Shall we?
Why Do People Conceal The Smell of Cannabis?
Most weed strains will have a strong aroma which may range from tropical to pungent. Whatever the scent is, over time the aroma of weed becomes stale and not-so-pleasant. This aroma has a great propensity to stick to surfaces such as fabric, walls, and even bodies. It is believed that the smell of weed can stick to walls for years even after the person smoking or using it moves out. Already you can see why a house owner would wish to conceal the smell of weed if they love their walls. So this smell is likely to be pungent over time and also very hard to get rid of.
- Cannabis is still illegal at a federal level
This is a major reason why people try to conceal the smell of cannabis; to avoid getting into trouble with the authorities.
- Stigma
The dark era of cannabis prohibition did a lot to mar the image of cannabis. Many people associate cannabis use with the hippie culture and rebellion among other negative connotations. To avoid being perceived in a negative light some cannabis users will prefer to be discreet about their cannabis use. This means extinguishing the smell of pot completely from their environment. Makes perfect sense, right?
- It simply doesn’t smell as good
For some people, the smell of cannabis is nothing to write to home about, as much as the taste is good. For such, it’s a priority to get rid of this smell once done with the experience.
- Protect personal property
People who don’t use cannabis may not like the smell, especially on their personal property. This includes house owners and friends you may be putting up with or sharing a car and other property. To avoid getting into conflict with them it's best that you protect their property from cannabis stench.
There are several other reasons that may prompt a user to want to get rid of the smell of cannabis; feel free to make the list longer.
But what causes the smell of cannabis?
Cannabis Aroma And Terpenes
Terpenes are aromatic essential oils that produce the different fragrances in cannabis. There are over 200 different terpenes in cannabis but only a handful have been investigated. Each strain will have a different mix of terpenes that are responsible for its unique scent; this is referred to as the terpene profile. For example, the terpene profile of Critical Kush is made up of: linalool, caryophyllene, myrcene, pinene, limonene, terpinolene, and humulene. When you sniff into a jar of Critical Kush you are likely to pick out the different scents of these terpenes.
Here is a breakdown of the common terpenes and the different aromas that they produce:
- Myrcene – skunky, earthy
- Limonene- citrus
- Pinene- pine-like
- Linalool- lavender-like
- Humulene- earthy
- Caryophyllene- spicy
- Ocimene- herbal
- Camphene- camphor like
- Terpinolene- diesel
The most abundant terpene in cannabis is myrcene and it is responsible for the strong skunk-like aroma of cannabis. The smell of cannabis helps to both attract pollinators as well as repel predators. Science is now revealing that terpenes work hand in hand with phytocannabinoids to boost the therapeutic potential of cannabis strains. This is referred to as the entourage effect.
What Affects the Intensity of Cannabis Smell?
Several factors will affect the intensity of the smell left behind by cannabis. This includes factors such as your AC and if it is running or not. Are you smoking in a confined space or outdoors? What strain of weed are you smoking? Are your windows opened or closed? What are you smoking; a joint, bong, or vape? Vapes tend to emit less odor. How has cannabis been stored?
With that sorted, let’s look at some of the best ways to conceal the smell of cannabis. We have broken this down into segments or rooms; feel free to jump to the section that addresses your problem.
How to Hide Pot Smell in Your Room
It’s fun to smoke weed in your room, especially in the good company of long-time friends or acquaintances. However, this is one of the trickiest spots when it comes to getting rid of pot smell. This is because of the many absorbent materials that are likely to be found here. Couches, beddings, clothes, towels, and rugs are among the many materials that will be looking forward to hanging onto every ounce of cannabis smell that you puff away.
So common sense dictates that you try to get rid of as many of these fabrics from your room before you begin indulging. Alternatively, you can cover these items with polythene or an odor-proof material.
Keep windows open to improve ventilation in the room. Investing in a fan or AC is also a good idea. When the air is circulating the cannabis aroma will be forced out of the room.
If the damage has already been done, laundering these items is the most sensible thing to do. You will need lots of detergent to accomplish this.
Another helpful tip is to cover your tracks:
Use Essential Oils
You can use essential oils such as lavender, rosemary, or eucalyptus to mask the smell of cannabis. You can heat up these oils and allow the smell to fill up the room and engulf the smell of weed.
Use Incense Sticks
Incense sticks work in a similar way to essential oils. Light up the incense sticks and allow them to work their magic.
Use Scented Candles
Aromatic candles are also a good option for getting rid of the scent of cannabis. Just be careful not to light any fires accidentally when you are high on weed.
Use Odor Eliminators
Consider sprays such as Febreeze which are good at eliminating strong odors. A burst of aromatic molecules will clad the skunky molecules and neutralize the odor in a short while.
Use Air Purifiers
This is one investment that you will not regret apart from trapping the smelly terpene particles. These devices will also trap harmful particles from second- hand smoke.
Store Cannabis in Mason Jars
Mason jars are usually airtight and can help to conceal the smell of cannabis. Just make sure that you seal the jars tightly at all times.
Store Cannabis in Odor- Proof Bags
This is a quick fix for preventing the smell of your stash escaping and filling up the room. You can also use odor- proof bags to achieve the same benefits.
How to Hide Pot Smell in Your Car
You should know that smoking weed in the car while driving is not allowed. However, smoking in a stationary car is a good idea but is likely to leave your car smelling of skunk.
To get rid of the cannabis smell from your car consider blasting the fans while you toke. This will improve the circulation of air and help to push out smelly air. Another brilliant idea is to crack the windows so that the fumes can get out of the car easily. On that note, make sure that you puff the air outside and not into the car. You could also cover the car seats with an odor- proof material that can be easily removed once you are done. Washing the car thoroughly after indulging is also a necessary measure to help you get rid of pot smell. You should consider paying for a deep clean.
Did you know that coffee smell can help to mask the smell of terpenes in weed? Sure it does. Spread some coffee grounds on smelly surfaces of your car and allow the magic to happen.
Odor neutralizers will also work perfectly in your car, invest in the best!
How to Remove Pot Smell From Your Hair and Body
Cannabis smell can also cling to your body and frustrate your efforts at keeping this habit private. Unfortunately you may not be able to tell that you are smelling of weed unless someone close to you alerts you. To avoid this kind of embarrassment, get rid of the smell before it happens.
How can you do this?
For starters, consider blazing in the outdoors where there is maximum circulation of air. This will clear away the terpenes and prevent them from accumulating on your body or clothes.
Secondly, you can change how you consume cannabis. While smoking joints is usually fun and adventurous, you are likely to accumulate the heaviest aroma from this method of consumption. Alternatives such as edibles and gummies will help to deal with the problem of pot smell once and for all. If you really need to light up consider using a vape pen which will also minimize the chances of pot smell clinging to your body.
The other genius idea is to take a complete shower, hair to toe, once you are done toking. This is a sure-fire way to ensure that you will be smelling fresh as ever after taking weed. Make sure to use scented soap for the best results. Do you know what else you can do after taking a shower? Bath yourself in Giorgio Armani or Estee Lauder and no one will guess what you have been up to.
Apart from your body and hair, you should also be concerned about your clothes, right?
How to Remove Pot Smell From Your Clothes
The first thing is to prevent your clothes from catching pot smell in the first place. For starters, you could remove them entirely if the environment allows. This will have dealt with that problem completely. But when this is not on the cards, consider wearing an odor- proof outer layer. A hoodie or jacket should be able to capture all the terpene particles and prevent them from getting to your clothes.
Splashing cologne over your weed infused clothes is likely to create a disgusting aroma. However, this may help you achieve your desired result either way. It’s best if you can lay your hands on an odor neutralizer and splash on your clothes.
The goodness with clothes is that they can always be laundered. Washing your weed smelling clothes with detergent is likely to get rid of the nasty pot smell.
As they say with most things, prevention is better than cure. While we have extensively looked at how to get rid of cannabis, it’s still necessary to look at how to avoid getting here in the first place.
How do you go about this?
- Consider dabbing the cannabis
Dabbing involves taking cannabis in small dabs that are highly concentrated. The “dab” is placed on a red hot nail and heated. The fumes are then inhaled. This method limits the fumes produced, at least as compared to regular smoking. You will need a dab rig and a blowtorch to do this. Of course you will also need some expertise which is not so hard to acquire. Just get someone skilled to demonstrate or check on You Tube.
- Consider vaping
Vaping limits combustion because the buds are exposed to lower temperatures. As much as this improves flavor, the odor is reduced.
- Use a Sploof
This article will not be complete without the mention of good old sploof. It is easy to DIY your own sploof at home. All you need is a toilet roll, an elastic band, and washed fabric which you attach to the end of the toilet roll. Exhale the smoke into the open end of the roll and the odor will be captured in the fabric.
