If you’ve ever been caught in a situation where you’ve just finished a joint, and you absolutely cannot afford to smell like weed (Mother’s Day springs to mind), you’ll know that this scenario is accompanied by the kind of panic non-stoners can’t possibly comprehend. Cannabis smell can be hell, and you don’t need a police canine to detect it. The average human nose can smell cannabis from meters away.
If you're kicking back on a Saturday night in the comfort of your own home, it's not an issue. But what if your circumstances are different? Maybe you sparked one to calm your nerves before a big date or a job interview, and you’re now faced with the reality of “Uh-oh! Now I absolutely reek of cannabis”.
Option A is ‘cancel the appointment’, and option B is ‘rock up and hope nobody notices. Neither of these are ideal, so could there be a third, hidden option where you can take fast action to eliminate the dank, pungent, unmistakable (yet wonderful) aroma of finely cultivated cannabis? Sort of.
Many growers take great care around odor control when cultivating cannabis plants, and rightly so - that stench is a sure-fire way of attracting unwanted attention. The cannabis industry is well aware of the odor issue and has developed various solutions to address it. But what do you do when you’re the problem? Getting rid of the characteristic smell of weed is like trying to outrun Usain Bolt – in theory, it is possible, but until I see it with my own eyes, I refuse to believe it. However, there are steps you can take toward damage limitation, and you should at least know what these steps are. So if you've ever been caught in a panic, and wondered how to get rid of weed smell, this article is for you.
Why does cannabis smell?
While one of the most appealing things to stoners is the aroma of freshly-harvested cannabis, that skunky smell can cause problems. It’s no secret when someone’s been smoking weed, and admittedly some strains are far more pungent than others. Whether woody, earthy, fruity, skunky, (and definitely Cheese) anyone who knows cannabis smells can identify it in a heartbeat, and while cannasseurs will give each other knowing looks and winks, some people may be less charitable in their reactions.
Cannabis odors are the work of terpenes - essential oils native to the cannabis plant. Terpenes aren't exclusive to cannabis plants; you'll find them in other plants as well. Terpenes are what make lemons smell lemony, and mint smell minty. In fact, terpenes such as menthol, limonene and eugenol can be found in toothpastes, mouthwashes and some oral gels. Then there's esters and aldehydes, which occur in fruits, and VSCs (volatie sulfur compounds) such as 3-methyl-2-butene-1-thiol , which has been found to contribute to the Skunk Smell?
That ordinarily magical marijuana smell sticks to your hair, your skin, and your clothes - and can cause problems. While you’ll have a job getting rid of it in a hurry, a little bit of preparation and a little bit of savvy can mitigate the damage.
To get rid of weed smell, there are a serious of steps you can take. It gets trapped everywhere, so you have to take a multifaceted approach which includes skin, hair, clothes, and breath. Get rid of weed smell by working your way through this list, and thank us later:
How To Get Rid of Weed Smell on Skin
That smell is everywhere, remember. Clothes, hair, hands, breath – it sticks to everything. If you have time and the facilities, jump in the shower and get a good lather going with soap, shower gel, shampoo, etc. Guys with beards should give their beard a good shampoo as well because that smell will make itself at home in facial hair, and boy, will it hang around. If you don’t have the option of a shower, giving your hands (and face, if possible) a good scrub with warm soapy water will go a long way to get rid of weed smell.
It’s not 100% failsafe, but it will help. If you’re really in a pickle, at least go heavy with the hand sanitizer. Hand sanitizer is still widely available in pretty much all public buildings since COVID-19, so get stuck in. Hand sanitizer is pretty strong-smelling, so in addition to cleansing, it brings a degree of odor-masking.
How to get rid of weed smell from clothes
A quick costume change will get you well ahead of the problem in an ideal world. Weed odor will stick to your clothes, and that skunk smell can linger for hours, so if you have an outer layer like a jacket or hoodie, take it off to smoke and keep it away from your possible.
Otherwise, you're in business if you can pull off a Clark Kent-style rapid change. If not, then a spritz of body spray, deodorant or cologne will have to do for its masking potential. It’s far from ideal and not a natural scent, but it’s something. Resist the temptation to wear a Magic Tree air freshener around your neck like a medallion. That’s just weird. It's probably better to smell like pot.
How to get rid of weed smell from your breath
Even your breath will carry the smell of marijuana for some time after smoking, so you mustn’t forget to take action if you’re about to be close to other people. The usual suspects such as mints, mouthwash, sprays, and gum are fine but don’t rule out something fruity like boiled sweets or hard candies as an alternative. You’ll most likely have a touch of the ol’ cottonmouth going on anyway, so it’s in your best interest to hydrate. Water's good but grab a strong, fruity drink, and you’re already halfway there.
How to get rid of weed smell from hair
Options here are the most limited, and it’s self-explanatory as to why. In fact, when putting together ideas to deal with smelly hair, the ideas ranged from the sublime to the ridiculous. While you can realistically tackle the smell of marijuana smoke on all other areas of your person, dealing with hair is a much larger headache (if you’ll excuse the pun). Reasonable options are scarce here; you can’t change your hair, and you’re highly unlikely to shave it off in a pinch to get rid of weed smell, right? So what do you do? What can you do? If you have long hair, tie it up to keep it out of the way of the smoke and fumes. There’s not much other than grab a can of Dry Shampoo and spray it out as best you can.
Failing that, all you can really do is whack some product on it and hope it’s enough to mask the smell of weed - although it will trap it in your hair until it’s washed. Hairsprays, gels, mousses, clays, and waxes are almost always scented, so this is an option worth considering if you’re really in a bind and you really can’t wash that weed smell out of your locks. Hey – I did say sublime to ridiculous.
Prevent weed smell
I'm not going to say don’t smoke weed in the first place – I’m going to assume if you’re reading this article, it’s probably too late for that advice anyway. But for future reference, there are ways to get your fix without the reek. The smell originates from marijuana plants, and understanding this can help in applying prevention methods to mitigate it. You don't have to get rid of weed smell if you don't smell of weed to begin with. Work smarter, not harder.
Can you get low-odor Cannabis Strains?
Yes, there is such a thing as low-odor cannabis strains. Seedsman offers a variety of different marijuana strains that have typically been selectively bred to produce less odors during their growing phase, and as a result, may be a little less pungent when smoked. They’re not odor free, and the difference isn’t enormous, but it’s a start. Take a multi-pronged approach and you lessen the chances of getting that look after a sesh.
Does a sploof trap cannabis odors?
A sploof is a type of DIY air purifier, a funnel to blow your smoke into. These can easily be fashioned from a cardboard tube like a toilet paper roll or paper towel roll and some tumble dryer sheets. Pack the tube with dryer sheets, one at a time and loosely - you don’t want to pack them too tightly. Cover the top of the tube with one dryer sheet and secure it with a rubber band or string, and you’re ready to go. Smoke as normal, and exhale into the sploof to keep the smoke and smell of cannabis to a minimum. See this article for a complete guide to making a sploof.
If you don’t want to make your own, check out Smoke Buddy on Amazon. Always handy to keep around.
Get high without smoke
Smoking is always going to produce a smell. Those pesky yet delicious terpenes, the aromatic compounds which give cannabis its multitude of beautiful aromas, will leave their mark – and more so when you burn them. Different types of cannabis, such as cannabis sativa, have distinct odor profiles that can be quite noticeable. Joints and bongs are, therefore, high risk for odor production, but vaping, using a vaporizer or vape pen is a good deal less risky. If you want to be somewhat covert in your use so you don't need to worry about how to get rid of weed smell, switch to a method of consumption that doesn’t involve burning or smoking your cannabis to consume it. This is where edibles come in extremely useful.
Still, you should monitor your dosage and timing of your consumption before attending any events – you don’t want them kicking in halfway through the big meeting and leaving you spaced out and gulping water. Gummies, cookies, and cakes can be munched without the fear of that telltale smell landing you in trouble. Oils and concentrates are also an excellent route to travel as an alternative to blazing your weed since any smell doesn’t linger. Just don’t spill it on your shirt, and you’ll be fine.
Ventilation helps get rid of weed smell
Have your smoke session outside in the fresh air or by an open window or door where there’s at least plenty of air exchange to pull some of the smoke away from you. Volatile organic compounds contribute significantly to the smell of marijuana, and proper ventilation can help reduce their concentration. If there’s a breeze, just don’t stand downwind and have all the smoke blowing back against you, essentially throwing the smell all over you at high speed. Smoking indoors with poor or no ventilation is absolutely the worst thing you could do – if you’re hotboxing, you’re on your own. No scented candles are that scented! Try out some ozium gel as well if you have to do it inside. Much better than bathroom freshener spray!
If you’re trying to hide evidence, don’t forget to empty your ashtray (which also stinks) and think about giving a wash in some soapy water to help bury residual odors. Cannabis is great, but those who don’t like it usually really don’t like how it smells. If you’re going to be somewhere your THC funk won’t be welcome, take proactive steps to ensure you don’t stand out.
Masking or removing cannabis is odors at short notice is a tall order, but not completely impossible if you take the steps outlined in this article. A sploof is a huge difference-maker, a gamechange of sorts when it comes to cutting down the aromatic punch of pungent pot. Condsider adding one of these to your arsenal, then keep wipes, hand wash, deodorant, mints and a change of clothes in your stoner kit and you (should be) just fine.
