Hiding The Smell of Smoked or Stored Cannabis

How to conceal the smell of cannabis.

We’re confident you’ll agree with us here: weed smells great—incredible, in fact. The skunky and earthy aroma of the herb provokes a sense of nostalgia and excitement at the same time. It reminds cannabis users of sessions past, and lets them know when a long day has come to an end.

However, not everyone appreciates the obvious smell of weed. Sometimes, smelling like you’ve just hit a bong for breakfast doesn’t go down too well. Whether you’re attending a work meeting, family gathering, or riding public transport, covering up the smell will put your high mind at ease.

Below, we’ll cover the most effective ways to cover up the smell that clings to your body, clothes, car, and even hair after a smoking session. Use these techniques to blaze whenever you see fit, and come out the other end smelling fresh and clean.

How to Hide the Smell of Weed in Your Room

Smoking cannabis in the comfort of your own room trumps almost any other location imaginable. Lying on your bed with a large joint, your favorite music, and some delicious snacks has most smokers teetering on the edge of nirvana.

However, the lingering fear of stinking out your apartment block or getting busted by a neighbor or landlord often prevents cannabis lovers from experiencing complete bliss. Check out how to prevent the smell of weed from taking hold, and how to remove it when it does, below.

Prevent a Weed-Filled Room

As the age-old saying goes, prevention is better than a cure. By stopping the smell of weed from taking hold in the first place, you’ll boost your chances of staying under the radar. The cheap and simple trick of ventilation often suffices!

• Ventilate!

Before hitting a bowl or blunt, crack open a window and turn on a fan. Of course, this technique directs the smell of weed outside of your window. But many smokers prefer this outcome compared to weed fumes filling up their hallway.

Proper storage also plays a key role—weed smells even before you smoke it. Keep your stash in an airtight container to stop terpenes from leaking out into your room.

How to Mask the Smell of Weed in Your Room

If you’re smoking exceptionally smelly weed—or it’s simply too cold to open a window—the next port of call involves doing your best to cover up the scent. There are various methods smokers use to cover their tracks, with additional terpenes often serving as the best solution.

• Essential Oils

Terpenes are strong enough to underpin the smell of weed, so logic suggests they are strong enough to cover it up! Essential oil diffusers utilise terpenes found in particularly aromatic plants —enter rosemary, eucalyptus, and lavender—to make rooms smell as fresh as a daisy. Use these devices to override the signature smell of weed with the aromas of more innocent flowers and plants.

How to Hide the Smell of Weed in Your Home

Most cannabis users start their love affair with cannabis in their college dorms or a room in their childhood home. Eventually—following graduation, promotion, or other avenues—they move out into their very own abode. This big move comes hand in hand with considerably more freedom, such as blazing a bong at breakfast and hitting bowls in the bath (peak pleasure for most stoners).

If you’d rather keep the smell of terpenes out of your house, check out the prevention methods below. If you’re in need of an emergency cover-up, see how to mask the ever-increasing odour.

Prevent Your House from Smelling of Cannabis

Of course, adequate ventilation still applies when smoking in other areas of your house. If you have a favorite spot to blaze, bust open a window and turn on a fan. Ideally, choose a room where guests are less likely to enter, and one with good ventilation.

• Head Outside

Alternatively, head out to the garden. If you live in a sunny region, make the most of the vitamin D and sit among your garden plants. If you’re dealing with a cold snap, sheds and outhouses provide great refuge and will prevent you from stinking out your home.

• Proper Storage

Also, remember to store your weed wisely to prevent terpenes from leaking when you're not even smoking. Mason jars and air-tight bags work great at trapping terpenes.

How to Mask the Smell of Weed in Your Home

After blasting your house with terpenes almost every day, your nose will become rather desensitised to just how similar your abode smells to a Dutch coffeeshop. Although far from an issue for you, it can become a cause for concern when guests announce their surprising presence within the hour. But fear not, there are several actions you can take to get your home smelling fresh and smoke-free before they arrive.

• Incense Sticks

Light incense sticks and place them in the most affected areas. Much like essential oil diffusers, incense sticks release strong aromatic compounds into the air that are surprisingly good at covering up the odour of weed.

• Candles

Aromatic candles also do a good job at masking terpenes in the air. With a huge selection of scents out there, choose whichever hits your nose in the right way.

• Odour Eliminators

Although the last resort for hemp-clad weed smokers, chemical formulas do a superb job at covering up the smell of weed. Sprays such as Febreeze and Oust rapidly replace the skunky aroma with a refreshing and effective burst of aromatic molecules.

• Air Purifiers

Air purifiers work by circulating air through a series of fine filters. Not only can they help to remove smelly terpenes from the air, but they can also trap some of the potentially harmful substances found within second-hand smoke.

How to Hide the Smell of Cannabis in Your Car

Although we advise against driving and smoking weed, cars actually provide a superb smoking location when stationary. Not only will blazing in a vehicle stop your house from smelling, but cars also feature inbuilt ventilation systems and—perhaps more importantly—half-decent sound systems that add a punch to that reggae bass.

Prevent Your Car from Smelling of Weed

Heated seats. Fans. Music. Pretty LEDs. Sometimes it seems like cars were made to be smoked in. If you love blazing in your four-wheeled stallion, check out these means of keeping it smelling fresh.

• Blast the Fans

Before hitting the tip of your joint with a lighter, put the fans on. If you really want to avoid a smelly car, putting up with the loud noise will pay off.

• Crack the Windows

Ventilation will carry terpenes out of your car, preventing them from seeping into the material of your seats. Open the windows on either side to keep a constant flow of air rushing through your vehicle.

How to Mask the Smell of Weed in Your Car

If you’re in a rush to burn a joint, chances are you forgot about prevention—no worries! Even if your car now smells more like your grow room, use the tips below to address the issue.

• Air Fresheners

Nearly every car features the quintessential air freshener dangling from the rear-view mirror. Often relied upon to keep the smell of drive-thru food at bay, they also help to combat the smell of weed.

• Coffee!?

Yes. The dominant and equally addictive smell of coffee covers the smell of terpenes effectively. Place a bag of coffee grounds into your car and let them sit for a day before removing them.

• Odour Neutralisers

Odour neutralising products don’t just temporarily mask the smell of weed, they physically bind to the aromatic molecules and remove their scent. Place these blocks in your car after a smoke to have it smelling neutral in no time.

• Pay for a Deep Clean

Head to the cleaners. A deep interior clean of your car will have it smelling as good as new. A combination of industrial cleaning products and a topping of air freshener will eradicate even the stinkiest of terpene profiles.

How to Remove the Smell of Weed from Your Hair and Body

Terpenes don’t just cling to furniture after a smoke, they also linger on your hair and body. You might not detect the smell of weed on your person after a smoke, but everyone in your office will be hit by a wave of cannabis when you step foot through the door.

Prevent Your Hair and Body from Stinking of Weed

Preventing the smell of weed from clinging to your body will save you from some awkward moments at work and elsewhere. Use these tips to remain smelling fresh.

• Blaze Outdoors

Smoking outdoors will reduce the chance of smelling like bud after a smoke. Increased airflow will move the terpenes away from your body, especially if you face away from the wind.

• Change the Route of Administration

While smoking offers a satisfying ritual, it also immensely increases the chances of getting busted. Use your weed to create extracts or edibles! But be warned, edible highs are often much more intense.

How to Mask the Smell of Weed on Your Body and Hair

Once you're coated in terpenes, your love for weed will be on full display until you utilise one of the options below.

• Take a Shower

Smoking at home before you head out means you can jump in the shower first. Use a powerful shampoo and body wash to remove the smell of terpenes from your skin and hair.

• Pungent Perfume

If you’re smoking on the go, carry around a bottle of particularly potent perfume in your bag. Apply generously before heading back to the office to cover the smell of clinging smoke.

How to Get Rid of the Smell of Weed From Your Clothes

Not only does weed smoke cling to hair and skin, but it also resides on clothes for relatively long periods. Here are some tricks for keeping that scent to yourself.

Prevent Your Clothes from Smelling of Weed

The key to stopping your clothes from smelling like weed: don’t expose them in the first place. Check out your options below.

• Wear an Outer Layer While Smoking

If you’re heading somewhere immediately after a smoke, wearing an outer layer while you light up can take the brunt of the smell. A hoodie or jacket will capture most of the terpenes and intercept them from latching onto the clothes underneath.

• Smoke Naked!

Before you leave your house, lay out your clothes ready to go and place them in another room. Kick back, take your time, and enjoy your joint. Once finished, take a stoned stroll into the other room, suit up, and leave the house smelling fresh!

How to Mask the Smell of Weed on Your Clothes

A quick smoke on your lunch break or just before catching the train can leave your clothes smelling very herbal indeed. Cologne works well at keeping body odours at bay, and it also helps to cover up the scent of problematic terpenes. Just make sure to apply more than usual to get rid of the obvious smell.

How to Smoke Weed Without Causing a Smell

For many cannabis users, their first time experiencing weed involved smoking a joint or bong. Many users stand sternly by this means of administration, never wavering in their loyalty. Sure, traditional smoking provides a sense of ritual and community, but there are plenty of options that are much less smelly.

Dabbing

Dabbing involves dropping concentrates onto a red hot nail. Although these preparations contain a lot more cannabinoids, they burn a lot less plant material than a joint. There is some smell produced, but it’s not nearly as “telling” as regular smoke. Dabbing involves using a large rig and a blow torch, but it serves as a great option just before heading out the door.

Vaporizers

Vaporizers expose cannabis flowers and extracts to much lower temperatures than smoking. Through vaporization, these devices target cannabinoids and terpenes without burning them (causing combustion). As well as improving the flavor experience, vaporizers create much less of an odour.

Sploof

If you do insist on smoking, consider using a sploof. Cheap and easy to make, they consist of a toilet roll tube, elastic band, and piece of paper towel. Attach the towel to one end of the tube and exhale smoke into the opposite end. The makeshift device helps to intercept some terpenes and reduce the smell.

What Kills the Smell of Weed?

To recap, here are some of the most effective ways to banish the smell of weed when you need to act fast:

• Air fresheners
• Scented candles
• Incense sticks
• Essential oils
• Proper ventilation
• Store your weed wisely
• Alternative methods: vaping and dabbing
• Use a sploof when possible