If you’ve used cannabis flower, or know someone who does, you know that it has a characteristic odor. Although some people aren’t bothered by it, a few may find it quite stinky.
If you’d like to learn how to hide the smell of weed in your home, we have some key tips for you. Try these out the next time you’re looking to keep your high discreet.
What Makes Weed Smell So Strong?
Marijuana has a strong odor, both when it’s smoked and when it’s being stored. But what causes that smell?
The answer comes down to terpenes. Although many plants contain some amount of terpenes (the compounds that produce scents in plants), cannabis has a high concentration of them, making its odor particularly strong.
In addition to making cannabis smell, terpenes affect the high you get from it, creating a more psychedelic or relaxing effect, depending on the type and concentration. If you’re familiar enough with your bud and the effects you enjoy, you may even be able to smell whether or not you like a particular strain based on its terpenes.
7 Tips for Hiding the Smell of Weed
Some people are not bothered by the strong odor of cannabis, but many find it smelly or want to hide the odor for the sake of family or friends who dislike it. If you want to know how to hide weed smell in your home, here are a few tips to keep your air smelling sweet.
1. Take Your Smoke Outside
One of the best ways to keep the smell of cannabis from lingering in your home is to take it outside. If it’s legal to do so in your area, smoking outside allows the smoke and accompanying scent to simply drift away with the wind, leaving no smell inside your house.
Be sure to look into whether smoking outside is legal in your area. Even if cannabis use is legal, there may be restrictions on using it outside of your home.
2. Increase Your Ventilation
Proper ventilation can also help remove the smoke and smell right away. Open as many windows as you can to create a cross breeze and clear the smoke out more quickly.
You can also smoke right next to the window and blow it outside to speed up the process. Adding a fan blowing outward can also propel the smoke out of the space more quickly. Just keep in mind that neighbors with open windows or people walking down the street may be able to smell it, so try to be courteous.
3. Smoke in the Bathroom (No, Really!)
If you don’t have access to a well-ventilated room and can’t smoke outside, the next option is to take advantage of the ventilation in your bathroom. Smoking in the bathroom may be a cliché, but it’s for a reason. Most bathrooms have some kind of fan to ventilate steam and moisture from the room.
If you want to smoke in the bathroom, stick a rolled-up towel or pillow against the door to block the smoke from exiting that way. Turn the hot shower on full blast to build up steam. Then turn on the ventilation fan, light up, and watch your smoke disappear with the steam.
4. Exhale Through a Sploof
A sploof is simply a handheld filter through which you can blow your smoke to cut the smell. Although there are some commercial versions, such as the SmokeBuddy, making your own is pretty simple.
You’ll need a tube, such as an empty toilet paper or paper towel roll, a dryer sheet, and something elastic like a rubber band or hair tie. Simply fold up the dryer sheet or stack a few together to create some layers. Place those over the end of the tube and secure them tightly with the elastic.
Blow your smoke through the tube when exhaling to catch the particles in the dryer sheet. When the sheet starts to look grimy and full, replace it.
5. Keep Your Cannabis Sealed
Cannabis doesn’t only smell when it’s lit. The flower itself produces a pungent odor that can be smelled even when you’re not imbibing. To keep the smell from escaping, seal your weed in an airtight, smell-proof container. There are some smell-proof containers you can buy, such as carbon-lined bags and vacuum-sealed storage jars or boxes. But if you don’t want to invest in something fancy, you can use something you already have at home.
Mason jars are designed to be airtight for canning, so they’re also good at containing the smell. Vacuum-sealed bags for food storage can also keep your flower and the air fresh.
6. Consider Alternative Methods
Smoking is not the only way to get your high. If you want the effects without the smell, consider switching to a smokeless method. Edibles have little to no scent and can be stored in smell-proof packaging to eliminate any lingering odor. Tinctures and oils are also a great alternative with little or no odor. Keep in mind that edibles may take longer to kick in, and the high often lasts longer, so plan accordingly.
If you still prefer inhaling your cannabis, vaping is another less stinky option. Many vapes are odor-free or come in more pleasant flavors and scents like fruits or candy. This method still allows you to experience the quick effects of inhalation without stinking up your home.
7. Reduce Your Use
The more you smoke at once, the more smoke has a chance to escape. Although it may seem more efficient to roll a joint or pack a large bowl or a bong, especially if you’re sharing, it also produces a lot more smoke and smell.
Packing a smaller bowl with just enough for a single hit at a time means nothing is left burning when you’re done. All the smoke goes into your lungs and can then be exhaled through a sploof or blown out the window to reduce the smell even more.
Find Your Next Discreet High at DDM Cannabis
Whether you’re looking for some flower to try out these tips or want to experiment with less stinky options like edibles and tinctures, DDM Cannabis has what you need. With two convenient locations in Blackstone and Mendon, your next smoke is right around the corner. Stop in and talk to one of our expert budtenders, or place an order online for quick and convenient pickup.