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How to Mask the Smell of Weed

smell of weed
Written by Sarah Friedman

Smoking weed is great, right? But it’s not for all places and all times, at least that’s what we’re told. And sometimes, it becomes a good idea to cover tracks and make sure nothing is smelled. There are several ways you can mask the smell of weed, from DIY concoctions, to standard deodorizers, to neutralizing products.

There are lots of products on the market to help you mask the smell of weed. Whether its a neutralizing spray, odor-proof bags, or incense, you can make sure to get rid of that smell. The great thing about gummies and vapes is that these practices aren’t necessary as there is no smell to mask. We’ve got tons of great products from delta-8 THC, to hemp-derived delta-9, to THCV. Check out our deals, and figure out the best way to consume your cannabis, so you can keep it a private affair. For more articles like this one, make sure to subscribe to The THC Weekly Newsletter. Also save big on Delta 8Delta 9 THCDelta-10 THCTHCOTHCVTHCP & HHC products by checking out our “Best-of” lists!


Why hide?

If you’re looking to smoke a secret joint in your church’s back room, or want to bust out some bong hits at your nephew’s birthday party, these are situations where you might not want everyone around to know what you’re doing. Maybe you’re staying at your parents and they’re super strict, or maybe your new boyfriend isn’t into dating a big smoker. Whatever the reason, whether you’re toking alone or with company, it’s best to know ways to cover your tracks.

My most egregious pot-smoking was when I used to drive, and keep a one-hitter stowed in the compartment between the two front seats. I’m not telling anyone they should smoke while driving, I technically didn’t, saved the hits for when I reached my destination, and then put my car in park so I could grab a couple tokes before going into work, or my mom’s house, or whatever else I was dreading enough to require smoking up beforehand.

I used to keep little bottles of perfume in my car, and I’d spray it down after smoking up. Sometimes I’d take a small lap around a block just to let the air through the windows. If I sprayed too much, my car smelled like a giant chemically-derived honeysuckle, and if too little, it smelled like a honeysuckle that was smoking a joint. And I, no doubt, trailed the scent with me, even if I wasn’t trying.

weed smoke

Mask the smell of weed by covering it up

First and foremost, you can handle your cannabis smell issue in the same way high school kids have been doing it for generations, and how I was doing it in my car. Just spray something over it. There’s a reason why incense and cannabis go together so well. If you’re sitting in your room getting high, getting in a quick hit in a bathroom, or found some corner to light up privately in, just have something to spray, or that will cover the smell.

I used cheap perfumes because I was cheap, and that wasn’t necessarily the best solution. There are plenty of options when it comes to a spray deodorizer, and you can go full chemical, or naturally-based. The important aspect to this option is having a smell that can be used to mask the smell of weed. You can even get those little keychain spray holders to ensure that no matter where you are, you can squeeze out something fresh and non-cannabis scented.

Perhaps the best bet for stationary smoking, is lighting a stick of incense, or using an infuser for essential oils. Patchouli oil and Nag Champa have been long-used methods of covering the smell of cannabis smoke. Other oils like lavender or mint are strong and can cover up many unwanted smells. You have the options of lighting a stick of incense, using a spray, an oil diffuser, candle, or even potpourri.

Mask the smell of weed when travelling

I used perfume to cover the smell of smoke in my car, but what about when you’re travelling with flowers, and want to make sure they don’t get you in trouble if you’re stopped? Whether you’re going by car or train or bus, having cannabis in these situations is generally illegal, and precautions should be taken. Once again, there is the option of using a spray to cover a smell, but there are newer and better ways to attack this problem.

One of the newer inventions is bags and luggage that are smell proof. Everyone knowns you can Ziplock your stash, or put it into multiple plastic bags to mute the smell, but these remedies only last for so long before the smell seeps through. And they’re not powerful enough to get past dogs.

There are companies now putting out plastic products that have a higher level of smell secrecy. Like the brand Smelly Proof, or the use of stash cans. Stash cans are containers that are usually airlocked, whereas plastic bags meant for storing do a similar thing, but in a standard – but stronger – plastic bag format.

mask smell of weed

Yet another option is a brand like Absent Designs, which makes smell-proof bags for travelling, coming in a variety of sizes from basic purse size, to full on airline luggage size. This brand, and brands like it, use absorbent materials like charcoal to literally absorb the scent before it can go into the air. According to Absent, the bags are dog-proof, and can be reinvigorated by a quick trip to the dryer in order for it to release its absorbed material and make room for new. I bought a wallet-sized pouch, and didn’t have dogs to contend with, but when zipped in, I certainly can’t smell a single thing.

Mask the smell of weed with cannabis neutralizers

There’s another way to do this, whether dealing with weed smoke, or the pungent smell of fresh flowers. And that’s to simply neutralize the smell. Now, this isn’t actually simple, but requires finding natural chemicals that can attach to cannabis particles in the air, and neutralize their scent. A couple companies are already putting out some pretty great products.

The company NSNT (No Smell No Tell) puts out an odorless spray made of organic materials, and without added chemicals, that can literally take the smoke right out of the air, and without leaving any scent behind. I tested this out along with Cannabolish, a scented spray (I got Wintergreen, but Lavender is an option too) which also did great to immediately neutralize all smell of weed, utilizing natural components. Though both sprays can be used on all water-safe materials, I only used them in the air for my test on cannabis. I did, however, spray them both on old laundry to see what would happen, and found that their powers extended past weed-neutralizing usages.

Cannabolish offers candles and gel as well as spray. While neither company went too far into the chemistry of how their products work, they both stipulated the use of natural components, and the absence of dangerous chemicals. In both cases, the explanation for neutralization came from the ability essential oil components have to attach to cannabis molecules thereby changing them, and the way they smell.

Mask the smell of weed with DIY spray

If you like the idea of neutralizing a smell without leaving heavy chemical scents in the air, but don’t feel like buying a conventional product, you can make your own at home. One of the best odor neutralizers is standard baking soda, which can be used from things like getting rid of the smell of cat urine to neutralizing cannabis smoke.

Baking soda is a naturally alkaline substance that can neutralize acidic substances, which many smells are. It does this by changing the pH balance in the air. Baking soda can be used in different ways. It can be left on a material like carpet and then vacuumed off, or it can be mixed with water to create a sprayable mixture that can be used in the air. The addition of lemon adds a great scent to the room, while also giving an extra odor-eating kick.

spray neutralizer

Here’s a great DIY recipe for making a baking soda spray to mask the smell of weed. This simple recipe can be put together by virtually any stoner who wants to create a spray to get rid of their weed smell. Just have some on standby for your smoke sessions to ensure you can control the smell of the room, even when smoking up.

  • Get together 1 ¾ cups distilled water, one teaspoon baking soda, and one tablespoon of lemon juice.
  • Mix it together and wait for the fizzing to stop.
  • Pour into spray bottle.
  • Spray where needed.

Conclusion

Covering up the smell of cannabis can be very important at times. It might even be the difference between sitting in a jail cell and being free. With the products and information listed above, you should be able to find the optimal way to mask the smell of weed for your specific purposes, and keep your smoking sessions completely private.

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DisclaimerHi, I’m a researcher and writer. I’m not a doctor, lawyer, or businessperson. All information in my articles is sourced and referenced, and all opinions stated are mine. I am not giving anyone advise, and though I am more than happy to discuss topics, should someone have a further question or concern, they should seek guidance from a relevant professional.

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About the author

Sarah Friedman

I look stuff up and and write stuff down, in order to make sense of the world around. And I travel a lot too.