Weed smell is one of the most easily detectable, farthest spreading, and most distinctive smells. This is due to a class of chemicals known as terpenes, which are contained in the tiny smoke particles.
Those particles readily stick onto clothing, especially polyester clothing that has been given an electrostatic charge in the dry winter air.
As a result, you may discover that after a prolonged smoking session in a small room, all your clothes now have a 'weedy' smell, alerting anyone near you of your recreational activity.
For this inconvenience to occur, you obviously don't need to smoke yourself - second-hand smoke is just as effective at odorizing your clothes.
Although there are a few effective tips and tricks we'll give you to get weed smell off clothes fast, the most sure-fire way is to actually wash the clothes. Since the vapors and the smoke generated by weed contain volatile oils, a detergent is required to effectively wash off the smell.
Using the highest temperature possible for your particular fabric is a good idea to ensure full removal of the smell.
But what if you're in a hurry or can't be bothered with the washing machine? Here are a few other quick tricks you can try:
Ozone Generator
If you own an ozone generator, you can throw it and the clothes in a closet and turn it on for 15 minutes and you're done.
Yes, they are that good and that powerful. But there are rules you must learn before using them. There is a reason I gave a closet as an example. You need a small, enclosed area to protect living areas from having too much ozone in the air.
Ozone kills and destroys all organic matter, it's why air is fresher after a thunderstorm. Thunderstorms create ozone.
Sunlight and Fresh Air
It's best to use sunlight that hasn't been filtered by a window. Although all visible light causes some deterioration of the aromatic molecules in weed smoke, UV light is the most effective and glass windows block it.
Just hang your clothes outside for 20 to 30 minutes, rotating them multiple times in the process. The light will oxidize and eliminate the smell and the heat will help some of the more volatile constituents evaporate.
Although there might be some residual smell left after this sun-exposure 'process', it will be greatly reduced.
Fabreeze or Other Odor-masking Products
I have a cousin that introduced me to cannabis, and my aunt used to yell at him saying, now the house smells like weed and Fabreeze.
Fabreeze contains a chemical which 'traps' aromatic molecules and prevents them from leaving the surface of the clothing. This is probably the quickest and most effective method and is usually the most often-recommended one on discussion forums.
Air fresheners can also be used in an emergency, but as a side effect, they may impart a stronger and even more difficult to remove the smell.
Mask the Smell With a Stronger One
Using regular perfume or deodorant can mask the smell of cannabis in a critical situation. Although this may leave people around you wondering why you've used so much cologne, in many settings this can be the lesser evil than them recognizing the smell of weed on you.
This method isn't ideal, but it does work if you have no other options left. Just not with a cop in most instances. Use it only if your clothes don't smell that much. If your clothes have a strong weedy smell, the added fragrance of perfume may backfire by bringing more attention to you.
There is another interesting variation of this smell-masking method - smoke a cigarette. If you're already a tobacco consumer this is pretty straightforward. If not, you can borrow a cigarette from a smoker friend and smoke it without inhaling.
The smell of tobacco is just as strong as that of weed and will create somewhat of a 'decoy', confusing the noses of nearby people.