Getting rid of that cigarette smell

[chopwood carrywater]

I have recently made the transition from IPU hospice to home hospice and I am running into a problem that was never a problem before...

I am going into some homes where there are hard core smokers and the smell doesn't just linger on my clothes, it adheres to anything that was in the house with me. I don't love it but I can deal with it. But I am concerned that it may be bothersome to my later visits and any one else I come into contact with.

I am not kidding when I say that my wife instantly got a head ache when I came home after a visit to a heavy smoker's home. I had to remove all - and I do mean ALL of my clothes and put them outside to air out before I could even those them down to our laundry room. Even the paper I had been writing on smelled of cigarettes.

This is a new problem for me and I am reaching out to see if any of you hospice or home health RNs/CNAs have practical solutions.

I have been told to try febreeze, my wife says that can make her a bit headachy too and I am not a fan of it either.

I don't mind bringing a change of clothes but I'm not sure if it's practical.

Thanks in advance for your ideas.

[Spidey's mom, ADN, BSN, RN]

I have no other recommendations but feel your pain. I try to schedule smokers at the end of the day but it doesn't always work out. I also ask them not to smoke when I am there but it doesn't matter - the smoke permeates the house and just lands on you!

I also keep Febreze in the car and spray myself and my nurse bag down.

And I shower as soon as I get home.

I grew up with smokers - I hated it as a kid having to go to school reeking of cig smoke and vowed never ever to even try cigs. I never did!

[chopwood carrywater]

Thank you all for your suggestions. I'll start trying several of them and see if they will work for me.