Buying a home owned by a smoker can put you at risk of breathing in third-hand smoke chemicals, according to a new study by San Diego State University. The mark left by smokers has long been the bane of some homeowners, with the unpleasant odour of smoke and tobacco remaining trapped in furniture, walls and carpets. We'll leave the chemicals to the scientists, but these eight actions should at least help you shift the lingering smell smoke invariably leaves: Waving a wet towel around is a cheap, if slightly silly-looking way to soak up smoke particles and significantly reduce the smoky smell of any room. If you're serious about getting rid of smoky smells, you can buy an ozone machine. These machines release ozone particles, which attach themselves to surfaces and purify the air. But be warned, ozone machine prices can be well over £150. Having a deep clean of all affected surfaces may take time, but will help eradicate retained smoke. Yvonne Manomano, cleaning operations manager at DIY and cleaning services company Handy, recommends “mixing warm water, a quarter cup of vinegar, a quarter of soda and a half of ammonia” for effective results.

Leaving bowls of vinegar around the house neutralises the odour of smoke and means you'll never be without a dip for your chips (okay, not that kind of vinegar!). [Related story: 7 ways the smoking ban changed our lives] “Carpets tend to be the biggest offenders in terms of absorbing the smell of smoke,” says Manomano. “If you find that even after significant airing your room still smells of smoke, it might be time to thoroughly clean your carpet.” Sprinkling baking soda all over carpets naturally removes odours and has the added benefit of making it look like it’s been snowing in your lounge. Leave the baking soda for an hour and then simply vacuum it up. These work either by having filters that physically collect odour molecules or (and this types sounds way cooler) by generating electric fields which attract smelly particles and trap them. Odour eliminators like Air Wick Flower Diffuser can remove smoke smells, and are especially good when used on specific areas of a room, like a sofa or a windowsill.

“You can purchase an odour eliminating spray for under £10,” says Manomano. “Make sure to air the space before and after spraying, for the best results.” If all else fails, having your sofas reupholstered and floors re-carpeted are effective ways of getting rid of trapped smells. air purifier american madeAgain, these are costly but will get the job done.commercial dehumidifier air purifier Have you had trouble getting the smell of smoke out of your home? honeywell hepa tabletop air purifierWhat did you do? Let us know in the Comments section. Features carbon pre-filter that absorbs odor and VOCs Includes built-in air quality sensors Customers love easy-to-clean design (see reviews)

The Winix PlasmaWave Air Cleaner Model 5300 features 3 stages of air cleaning to capture and neutralize a broad range of indoor pollutants quietly and efficiently. The HEPA filter captures 99.97% of particles as small as 0.3 microns in size, the carbon pre-filter absorbs odors and VOC's (volatile organic chemicals), and the PlasmaWave plasma generator attacks airborne pollutants at the molecular level. A built-in air quality sensor provides "set-and-forget" operation by adjusting the fan speed automatically. Suitable for very large rooms: clean air delivery rate of more than 350 sq. ft. 3 - Stage Filtration Odor Absorbing Carbon Pre-Filter Stage 99.97% Effective True HEPA Filter Stage CADR Room Size Rating 350 sq. ft. Air quality sensor adjusts operation automatically 5 does this unit have a remote 4 Is it wall mountable? Can it be mounted on the wall to reduce floor clutter? 4 CAN THE FILTER BE WASHED AND REUSED.....NOT THE BLACK ONE THE WHITE ONE