Cannabis is a flower. Like other flowers, it produces terpenes. These chemicals are designed to attract bees and other pollinators, as well as providing therapeutic benefits for humans. But terpenes also create cannabis’ variety of distinctive odors.
Perhaps you live with a partner who isn’t the biggest fan of the smell of cannabis. Maybe you’ve been keeping your usage on the down-low with relatives, and now they’re dropping by. Here are some tips for how to get rid of the smell of cannabis from your home, so you can maintain as much discretion as you’d like.
Strategies to Prevent the Smell of Cannabis in the First Place
Storing your buds in an airtight, glass container will keep them fresh for months and discourage more skunky aroma from developing. Glass jars also stop smells from escaping when your cannabis is tucked away in a drawer. Many users buy stash jars, which are compact and purpose-built with an automatic vacuum seal. Avoid plastic, which won’t keep smells in and can also damage your flower. Below are other strategies you can try.
Choose a Low-Odor Strain
Different strains have varying degrees of fragrance potency. Choosing a low-odor strain should mean you have to do less work to mask the smell. A VidaCann budtender can help you choose a less aromatic strain.
Make a Sploof
Although it will always escape eventually, a sploof can help diffuse a large cloud of cannabis smoke. Get a paper towel roll, wrap a dryer sheet over one of the ends and secure it with a rubber band. Then simply exhale smoke slowly into the open end of your sploof.
Cover Your Hair
Smoke has a habit of latching onto things you’d rather it didn’t, including your hair. Tucking your hair away or wearing a hat the next time you light up will reduce the amount of smoke that can reach and cling to your hair.
Stop Burning Cannabis Flower
You generate more smoke — which also means you produce more smell — when you burn cannabis flower in a joint, bong, or pipe. Vape pens, on the other hand, gently heat cannabis and produce less of an odor. Edibles expel no evidence into the air at all, making them the most discreet option for consumption.
Techniques to Get Rid of the Smell of Cannabis
Leaving cannabis out in the open guarantees that your home will be filled with its pungent scent for much longer. If you’ve just rolled a joint, pack away your equipment before you light it. If you use a bong, clean the glass regularly to prevent debris from gathering and emitting odors. Below are other techniques you can try.
Ventilate the Room
The more you can keep windows open, before and during a smoking session, the better. It probably won’t be the perfect solution if a relative is coming round in ten minutes, but in general, it will help the smell clear faster.
Light up With the Shower Running
Known as a “Hawaiian Hotbox,” smoking with a hot shower running encourages the smoke and its smell to dissipate along with the steam. The extractor fan in the bathroom will then suck up any remaining clouds. You can also place a towel along the bottom of the door to create more of a sealed space.
Clean Yourself
Even if you do a good job at clearing smoke from the air, you may be wafting skunky odors from your clothes and body when you walk around your home. Take a shower, change your clothes, brush your teeth and spritz a little perfume or cologne. Many smokers swear by a dab of patchouli essential oil behind the ears.
Use an Air-Purifying Fan
Air purifiers usually contain a filter layer or two and a fan that sucks in the air. They’re designed to remove odors, smoke, dust, pet smell, and other allergens—providing a space with clean air. Using an air-purifying fan will trap and remove at least some cannabis smoke from the atmosphere.
Masking Agents to Cover the Smell of Cannabis
Many air fresheners contain harmful chemicals, but safer alternatives are now appearing on the market. Some natural products have even been specifically designed to mask the smell of cannabis smoke, with brands such as Cannabolish becoming available. Below are some other ways to mask the scent of cannabis in your home.
Burn Incense
Incense will replace the smell of cannabis with another strong but arguably more socially acceptable aroma. The smoke will also visually mask any cannabis smoke that’s still in the air. Buy some high-quality Nag Champa incense sticks to fill your home with floral and woody tones.
Diffuse Essential Oils
Another method to effectively mask the smell of cannabis smoke is to drop your preferred blend of essential oils into a diffuser or oil burner. Essential oils also contain varied therapeutic components. When inhaled they travel up your nose, into your olfactory system, then out to other parts of your body.
Light Aromatherapy Candles
If you want to cover up the smell of cannabis with a milder scent like vanilla or citrus, invest in a scented candle. They’re an inconspicuous way of filling your home with a pleasant fragrance. No one needs to know you had an ulterior motive for lighting it.
Cook up a Meal
Cooking any dish that contains aromatic spices will help to cover up the smell of the terpenes from your cannabis. Another popular option with cannabis smokers is to lightly burn a packet of popcorn, as its smoke and smell will linger in the air for a long time.
Enjoy Both Cannabis and an Odor-Free Home
There’s no magical solution. You just need to learn how to get rid of the smell of cannabis. If you try out and combine different techniques from this list, you’re sure to find a method that works for you.
If you’re looking to explore the medicinal benefits of cannabis from your Florida home, VidaCann can deliver to your door. We provide a medical dispensary delivery service across Florida, so you can enjoy VidaCann flower even if you’d prefer not to visit one of our dispensaries.
