# Attention smokers: everything in your house is ruined. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [April 19, 2014, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-smokers-everything-in-your-house-is-ruined/686471 "2014-04-19T04:43:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2014, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-smokers-everything-in-your-house-is-ruined/686471/41 "2014-04-19T17:45:25Z")
We had friends way long time ago who were both two-pack a day Camel smokers. The woman used to bring over cookies for the kids. The first time she brought them, I took one bite and spat it into the sink. We didn’t have the heart to tell her that every time she brought them, they went straight into the garbage can once she left. In other words, not only did the furniture, carpet and everything else in the house stink, so did the flour she made the cookies with. I’m assuming that it was also in any other grains, pastas and other edibles in the cupboard. And I smoked at the time, but not in the house; it was disgusting. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2014, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-smokers-everything-in-your-house-is-ruined/686471/42 "2014-04-19T18:19:25Z")
> [@Bo\_Pai](#): > > Speaking of lead, did you know that Vitruvius warned of lead poisoning, two thousand years ago? Nobody listened. Naturally. > > Anyway… > > It has nothing to do with one’s state of health. It has to do with the body’s ability to respond to toxins. A smoker’s body is in a perpetual state of “toxin-management”. He’ll still die, but he’s not going to die first. If somebody is able to stay on their feet long enough to accomplish an air exchange and save your ass, it’s probably going to be a smoker. > > Who said anything about “health”? How were we ever able to survive before last month, having no access to your vast knowledge and sage advice. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2014, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-smokers-everything-in-your-house-is-ruined/686471/43 "2014-04-19T18:24:59Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > We had friends way long time ago who were both two-pack a day Camel smokers. The woman used to bring over cookies for the kids. The first time she brought them, I took one bite and spat it into the sink. We didn’t have the heart to tell her that every time she brought them, they went straight into the garbage can once she left. In other words, not only did the furniture, carpet and everything else in the house stink, so did the flour she made the cookies with. I’m assuming that it was also in any other grains, pastas and other edibles in the cupboard. And I smoked at the time, but not in the house; it was disgusting. Those must’ve been unfiltered – my grandmother smoked, AND she did so in the house, but her baking was divine. (Damn, I miss her cooking) I mean, that just sounds hardcore. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2014, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-smokers-everything-in-your-house-is-ruined/686471/44 "2014-04-19T18:26:49Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > Thats not true – You can simply go through and remove all the unwanted apostrophes. The problem is that you might miss some, or else remove ones that really ARE necessary. > > ‘’‘’‘’‘’‘’‘’ You need to take your unwanted apostrophe’s down to the Dumpster, at least, or better still burn them with fire. (ETA: Burn them _outdoor’s_ please, and only on permissive burn day’s.) Rather a waste of effort to gather up all those unwanted apostrophe’s if you’re just going to leave them laying around at the bottom of your post. I allocated ten apostrophe’s for this post, and only used five of them. Here are my leftover’s: ‘’‘[del]’'[/del] (ETA: Okay, I used two more.) ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2014, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-smokers-everything-in-your-house-is-ruined/686471/45 "2014-04-19T18:48:41Z")
Since we’re tossing anecdotes around like, well, like cigarette ashes, here’s another. All the people I’ve known in person who smoke and who say they don’t smoke in their home…well, they do. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2014, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-smokers-everything-in-your-house-is-ruined/686471/46 "2014-04-19T18:49:46Z")
> [@Senegoid](#): > > Here are my leftover’s Was that intentional? ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2014, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-smokers-everything-in-your-house-is-ruined/686471/47 "2014-04-19T19:10:20Z")
> [@Monty](#): > > Was that intentional? No, the other five uses were. _WHOO’SH_ ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2014, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-smokers-everything-in-your-house-is-ruined/686471/48 "2014-04-19T19:19:45Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > No, the other five uses were. > > _WHOO’SH_ Drat! And I counted–rather, I miscounted the apostrophes in your post, too! ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2014, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-smokers-everything-in-your-house-is-ruined/686471/49 "2014-04-19T19:33:55Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > This is the Pit, so you don’t need to back up anything you say with citations. Cite? [sub]Somebody had to say it.[/sub] ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2014, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-smokers-everything-in-your-house-is-ruined/686471/50 "2014-04-19T19:49:10Z")
> [@thirdname](#): > > This is a public service announcement for smokers. > > Please be aware that everything in your house is ruined. It is all saturated with a stench that is obvious and offensive to anyone who doesn’t suck on cancer sticks every day.[…] > This applies to everything in your house. You might think only your clothes and upholstery are ruined, and it is fine to sell anything else. This is incorrect. Everything is ruined including your computers, stereo, and any other electronics, and many other non-porous items. > > That is all. Ask me if I give a shit. ---
**Author:** ![Helena330](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/helena330/32/531_2.png) [@Helena330](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helena330)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2014, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-smokers-everything-in-your-house-is-ruined/686471/51 "2014-04-19T19:50:58Z")
> [@Bo\_Pai](#): > > Speaking of lead, did you know that Vitruvius warned of lead poisoning, two thousand years ago? Nobody listened. Naturally. > > Anyway… > > It has nothing to do with one’s state of health. It has to do with the body’s ability to respond to toxins. A smoker’s body is in a perpetual state of “toxin-management”. He’ll still die, but he’s not going to die first. If somebody is able to stay on their feet long enough to accomplish an air exchange and save your ass, it’s probably going to be a smoker. > > Who said anything about “health”? I’m guessing it’s not cigarettes you’re smoking… ---
**Author:** ![Lasciel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e79b87/32.png) [@Lasciel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lasciel)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2014, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-smokers-everything-in-your-house-is-ruined/686471/52 "2014-04-19T19:53:10Z")
To tack on to the rant, if you smoke in the house constantly, please don’t borrow library books. We have a few patrons who return books after as little as a week, and the covers have tarry ash grit on them, there are ashes on the pages, and the whole book reeks. We had to ask them to not use the bookdrops, because the smell was transferring to the other books in there. We have to scrub the covers with rubbing alcohol, then fan them out and set them outside to air out before we can reshelve them. One was returned after it had been ‘lost’ for a few months, and it had been a brand new book - it was yellowed and so sticky that we couldn’t save it. Ew. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2014, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-smokers-everything-in-your-house-is-ruined/686471/53 "2014-04-19T20:01:52Z")
My truck, which I bought (used) in 2000, _still_ smells of cigarettes when it rains… ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2014, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-smokers-everything-in-your-house-is-ruined/686471/54 "2014-04-19T20:04:43Z")
> [@Monty](#): > > Isn’t _everyone_ allergic to tobacco? The stuff is a poison, after all. The nicotine is poison. I think I’m also allergic to the plant that has nothing to do with the nicotine. I suspect if I walked through a tobacco field, I’d break out in a rash. ---
**Author:** ![phouka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c5a1d2/32.png) [@phouka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phouka)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2014, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-smokers-everything-in-your-house-is-ruined/686471/55 "2014-04-19T20:12:32Z")
Yeah, I taught at a school in Dallas for a semester. The smoking ban had been in place at least fifteen years, but the faculty lounge still smelled like stale cigarette smoke. The walls were sticky with nicotine residue, and the ceiling was yellow. I could smell it on my cothes when I left the room. It was very clear they’d never even repainted the room. I spent very little time there. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2014, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-smokers-everything-in-your-house-is-ruined/686471/56 "2014-04-19T20:20:55Z")
> [@Bo\_Pai](#): > > It has nothing to do with one’s state of health. It has to do with the body’s ability to respond to toxins. A smoker’s body is in a perpetual state of “toxin-management”. He’ll still die, but he’s not going to die first. If somebody is able to stay on their feet long enough to accomplish an air exchange and save your ass, it’s probably going to be a smoker. Do you have any evidence to support this assertion? ---
**Author:** ![Bo\_Pai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f19dbf/32.png) [@Bo\_Pai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bo_Pai)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2014, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-smokers-everything-in-your-house-is-ruined/686471/57 "2014-04-19T20:48:11Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > This is the Pit, so you don’t need to back up anything you say with citations. But you’re full of shit. You have no idea what you are talking about. If you need a citation, then rest assured, I’m not talking to you. It’s the very basis of immunology and the obvious, less than instant rate of transformation between organic system states. Not to mention that it’s so ridiculously logical that ten seconds of thought should be more than long enough to form, at the very least, a coherent thought on the topic. But criticism and personal attacks, from some quarters, is \*\*\*also \*\*\*perfectly logical, so it’s all good, eh? And I don’t mean to imply that I am \*\*\*not \*\*\*full of shit. It is very likely that I am as I am human and only able to observe a fraction of the tiniest fraction of an even tinier fraction of what is - for all intents and purposes and from a human perspective - an infinite universe. So, what do you want? A point? No problem. Telemark 1 - BP 0. Well done! ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2014, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-smokers-everything-in-your-house-is-ruined/686471/58 "2014-04-19T20:52:10Z")
If you think it’s true, you should be able to pony up a citation. ---
**Author:** ![Antigen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/848f3c/32.png) [@Antigen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antigen)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2014, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-smokers-everything-in-your-house-is-ruined/686471/59 "2014-04-19T21:55:14Z")
> [@elbows](#): > > So smoker Granny’s Rembrant and antique heirlooms are ruined then? So it’s okay if we give them to your cousin then? And you’ll raise no protest because, for you, they’re ruined? It depends on the specific item, but no, there’s not much from my mother’s smoke-filled house that I’d want to inherit. Jewelry, china, silver - those will survive a few decades of smoking and come out all right, but all the quilts and upholstered furniture are going straight to the curb. My suitcase reeks after I’m there for a weekend, and Febreze only does so much to get the stink out. I can’t fathom trying to un-stink an ottoman. Maybe the all-wood furniture would be ok. To be honest, I’m really glad she sold her condo a few years ago and moved to an apartment, because I didn’t want to have to deal with trying to sell her extremely smoky place. Without emptying it out completely, tossing the curtains, and washing and repainting every single wall, I’d probably only have been able to sell it to another smoker. ---
**Author:** ![Bo\_Pai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f19dbf/32.png) [@Bo\_Pai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bo_Pai)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2014, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-smokers-everything-in-your-house-is-ruined/686471/60 "2014-04-19T22:05:46Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > If you think it’s true, you should be able to pony up a citation. But why would I? Why would I leaf through textbooks, hunting for a reference that could be understood by someone who doesn’t even have enough interest in the topic to express an understanding of his own on the matter? Why would I do that? Do you do that? If you do, then why? I’m not being facetious. I am perfectly willing to entertain the idea that there might be a very good reason for it, but damned if I can think of what it might be. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-smokers-everything-in-your-house-is-ruined/686471.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-smokers-everything-in-your-house-is-ruined/686471.md?page=4)