Paper items such as books, documents and certificates from a smoker's home may reek of cigarettes long after the items are removed from a smoky environment. Instead of just tolerating the stale smell, deodorize the affected items using natural odor-eating substances and a generous amount of fresh air. It may take repeated attempts and several methods to completely rid the objects of the cigarette smoke smell.
Expose the paper to fresh air outdoors during dry, nonhumid weather. Clip loose papers to a clothesline on a nonwindy day using clothespins or binder clips. If a clothesline is not available, rest the papers atop an item such as a clean grill grate or clean window screen, again using the clothespins or clips to hold them in place. Prop the holding device up at an angle against a building or table to allow airflow to reach both sides of the paper. Air out books by standing them vertically with the pages fanned slightly open. Allow the items to air out for several hours or all day, if possible.
Fill the bottom of a clean plastic bin with baking soda. Place a plastic crate or smaller plastic tub with holes on the sides atop the baking soda.
Set the paper inside the crate or smaller tub. If the object is a book, stand it up with the pages fanned open so the book stands on its own.
Place the lid on the outer plastic tub and leave it in a dry, nonhumid environment for at least a week. Ideally, keep the tub in an area that receives at least a little daylight, as dark, dank areas may lead to mold or mildew.
Check the paper item inside the plastic bin after a week. If it smells fresh and no cigarette odor remains, deodorization is complete. If it still smells, lift the inner crate or tub out and replace the baking soda with fresh baking soda. Place the inner crate containing the paper back inside the outer tub and seal the tub once again.
Open the bin after another week. If the paper still smells of smoke, air it out using the method in Step 1 again. Repeat the sealed and fresh-air deodorization treatments again, if necessary, for an item that smells highly of smoke.