Posted on December 23, 2021 by Munchies

You’ve just hung out with your friends and smoked all afternoon, and now you’re headed to meet your parents for dinner at your grandparents’ humble abode. You’re probably wondering, “what’s the best way to stop smelling like a weed (and fast)!” There are so many benefits to cannabis, but there might be times you aren’t so keen on smelling like weed. Sometimes it is nice to keep your high between yourself and yourself only for fear of judgment from strangers or your boyfriend’s uptight mom. There are a few approaches to ditching the smell of cannabis that are easy, quick, and inexpensive. 

From tips and tricks during smoking to what to do about your weed breath, how to get rid of weed smell on clothes quickly, and your house, we’ll share what we know so that you’ll be prepared for every part of your smoking ritual. Then, you’ll never have to ask, “Do I smell like weed?” again!

How not to smell like weed while smoking:

Most smokers like the smell. We’re not talking, not smoking, but before you smoke, there are some things to consider! Such as:

  1. Consider where you stand if you’re smoking outside, try to be aware of where the smoke is blowing and try not to be in that spot. (You know, that spot.) You can also tilt your head towards the sky and blow the smoke upward because hot smoke will rise. We highly recommend this when there isn’t a ton of wind outside! And if it is a windy day, don’t stand downwind. Just don’t tell your friends about this trick, or you’ll all be fighting for the good spot in the circle.
  2. Ventilate, ventilate, ventilate! When smoking inside, you might be tempted to hotbox, or you might forget, but you should always open a window when you’re smoking inside. If you have access to a fan, even better. Turn on the ceiling fan, or set up a standing fan. Do you have two fans? Even better. One pro tip is to set up a standing fan close to the open window and blow the smoke into the back of the fan — this will move the smoke outside.
  3. Put your hair up. Have you ever smoked and realized that your hair smelled like weed later that day? If you have long hair, put it into a ponytail to keep it from absorbing smoke. Other options include putting on a hat or covering your hair with a hood from your sweatshirt.
  4. Wear a “smoking” outfit. Whether this is a sweatshirt or an entire outfit change, it’s a good idea to at least change the top piece of clothing you’ll be wearing when smoking. Many people have a smoking hoodie they can keep in their trunk or somewhere easily accessible and won’t make them smell. This way, when you’re done with your session, you’ll have fresh and clean clothes to wear underneath.
  5. Make a sploof! What is a sploof? It’s something you hold that minimizes the smell of marijuana. You can make one yourself from a cardboard cylinder taken from a paper towel or a toilet paper roll. You then need a dryer sheet and a rubber band — folding the dryer sheet a few times and securing it over the cardboard cylinder with the rubber band. Then simply blow your smoke through the open end of the sploof so that the smoke has to travel through the dryer sheet! And ta-da, magic.
  6. Smoke in your bathroom. The steam from the shower will mix with the smoke and help lessen the smell. Bonus points if your shower has a fan, you can use it as well. 

How to get rid of weed breath:

Your breath is often a clear indicator that you’ve just smoked! Yes, we have to be honest. If you’ve smoked, your breath definitely smells. After you’ve finished smoking, is there anything you can do for your breath, specifically? Yes, there is.

  1. Brush your teeth. This is the most effective way to eliminate weed odor from your breath! If you want extra credit, you can use mouthwash and floss. Obviously, make sure you’re brushing your teeth with toothpaste! Not only will it help your weed breath, but it will also help your breath in general. Your dentist (and your girlfriend) will be delighted.
  2. Chew Gum! It’s easy, cheap, you usually have some lying around, and who doesn’t like blowing bubbles? This is a great way to freshen your breath from the weed smell without it being evident that you need to cover up your weed breath.
  3. Use mouthwash. Maybe you’re at your best friend’s house… surely someone in the house has mouthwash. Their sister? Their mom? Sluethely check the medicine cabinet and gargle. This option offers the best of both worlds as it plays a heavy part in dental hygiene, which is always a bonus in general and especially for cannabis users!
  4. Eat an apple. There are certain foods that can actually help break down compounds that cause bad breath, weed breath included. Eating an apple is scientifically proven to improve your breath after your smoke session. All thanks to polyphenols. Just don’t eat the apple you just smoked out of.
  5. Drink a big cup of coffee! No one really wants coffee breath, it’s true. But if the desire is to cover up cannabis breath, then coffee breath will be preferable. Many people also find it more acceptable to smell like coffee than cannabis.
  6. Have a snack. (You’ll probably want to, anyway.) But eating any food after smoking will get the smell of weed off your breath. Leave it with, well, whatever you last ate, whether it’s chicken nuggets or chocolate milk. 
  7. Have some citrus! Lemons, oranges, limes — it’s not only delicious, but citrus is also a fighter for marijuana breath, woo! It prompts saliva to produce and helps neutralize bad breath.
  8. Eat a lozenge. Hard candies, cough drops, and mints work, too—all of the above will freshen your breath after smoking. Mints work incredibly well, and all are easy to carry around. Just keep in mind, sometimes to a keen or suspicious person, smelling like too much mint might be a dead giveaway.
  9. Drink some water. If all else fails, you can rely on water to help rinse away the smell of weed from your palate, at least a little.
Man smoking in darkness with an orange light showing.

How to stop smelling like weed in your home:

  1. Light a scented candle, use essential oils, or natural incense. Natural scents actually help hide the smell of weed. Palo santo or sandalwood are especially great at hiding the smell. You could also use some essential oils in a diffuser. Just make sure not to use artificial deodorizers because they will mix with the marijuana smell instead of covering it up — which is not what you’re trying to go for! You can also burn incense before smoking to keep the marijuana smell from overtaking your house.
  2. Get an air purifier. This is definitely worth the investment! A good-quality air purifier can neutralize and eliminate any weed odor in your home.
  3. Purchase odor absorbing gels. Cheaper than an air purifier, these little guys will take care of smoke in the room you’re smoking in.
  4. Try carpet cleaner. If you’re regularly smoking in your house, your carpets might hold onto the smell of cannabis. You can use carpet cleaners to remove any odors that have seeped into the floor. Carpet shampoo is also a great alternative.
  5. Cook something with a pungent smell. Quickly chop up an onion (or slowly) and start sauteeing it on the stovetop. You can add garlic, spices, and other veggies too. Now, you have a snack, and you’ve covered up the weed smell in your house with something more delicious. Don’t have time to cook? Pop a bag of movie theater popcorn into your microwave—now your home will smell like buttery goodness.
  6. Air fresheners! Whether you use plug-in air fresheners or Febreeze that you can spray on-demand, both will help mask the smell of weed. Just make sure you’re using a neutral scent of Febreze and not something outrageous so that everyone will know when they walk in your house and it smells like Hawaiian Breeze that you are stoned.
  7. Store your marijuana in an airtight container. Items like mason jars and Rubbermaid containers keep odors from getting out!

How to get weed smell off you 

Now that you know how to cover up weed breath, get your home to not smell like weed, and things to do before you smoke to not smell like weed. This is how to get rid of weed smells on a person.

  1. Wash your hands. Even scrub your fingertips. It’s a good thing to do anyway, but especially when ensuring you don’t smell like weed after smoking! Especially if you’ve smoked a blunt. You should always have some hand sanitizer available in case you can’t wash your hands!
  2. Use a face wipe! Washing your face is another way to remove any odor from your face after smoking, and it’s refreshing too — but if you don’t have a sink available, a face wipe will do the same trick!
  3. Spray perfume, body spray, or cologne. It’s a good idea to carry some with you just in case. Just make sure you’re not using too much — or else it will be obvious you’re attempting to cover up a scent! You also don’t want to always use the same spray every time you smoke, or it will also be obvious you’re trying to cover up the scent. Try to wear the scent consistently.
  4. Consume cannabis in a different way. Consider edibles or vaping. Edibles come in all shapes, sizes, types, and flavors. And if you are wondering how to smoke weed without smell, vapes might be the way to have the feeling and effects of smoking weed without the smell. It doesn’t just prevent the release of harmful tar and carcinogens, but the smell is much less pungent, too! 
  5. Change your clothes. This might seem obvious, but if you’re able to, changing your clothes will get rid of the smell of weed ASAP!
  6. Take a shower. If all else fails and you have the option, taking a shower will guarantee the smell of weed is off of you. Pay extra attention to your hair and your fingernails. You might want to choose this option before a significant event, like your wedding or your grandfather’s funeral (but we aren’t judging)!
  7. Smoke a cigarette. If it’s an emergency and you need to smell not like weed immediately, smoke a cigarette. Sure, it will make you smell like a cigarette, but this could be preferable to weed in some specific situations.

You might be wondering how to tell if you smell like weed. One interesting aspect of how to not smell like weed is that oftentimes you cannot tell when you smell like weed. It’s true! It’s near impossible to detect the smell of weed on oneself after getting high or being around other people who have smoked, similar to smoking cigarettes. Something you may want to keep in mind when smoking, and luckily, now you know how not smell like weed!

**(Disclaimer reminder: This article is not medical advice. It is based on anecdotal user experience alone. If you are thinking about incorporating cannabis (delta-8 THC, delta-9 THC, CBD, etc) into your medicinal routine, please consult a healthcare professional. Do not stop taking any prescribed medications without first consulting your doctor.)

Disclaimer: This article reflects the laws of the United States at the time it was written. Because cannabis laws in the United States laws are subject to change at any time, please make sure that you are always staying up to date on your federal, state, and local county’s cannabis laws. Additionally, we are NOT encouraging anyone to break the law––we are simply showing people ways to legally and discreetly bring their cannabis products along with them on their travels so that they may have access to those products when they reach their intended destination.

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