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Autumn and winter are the perfect seasons for a bonfire. However, if you've ever been fireside for an evening, you know the struggle of trying to remove the smell of smoke from your clothing.

This smell can be incredibly pervasive and difficult to get rid of. Luckily, it's not impossible but you do need a couple of expert tips to help you. Heather Nixon, Bio-D's sustainability and regulatory manager, has shared her top tips for getting the smoke out of clothing - and the first one is crucial.

If you have an item of clothing that reeks of wood smoke, the most important thing is to wash it separately from your other clothes.

This will stop cross contamination across other items, and also allows for a more intensive wash to really get the smell out.

Clothing items with a smokey scent should be washed at a warmer temperature too.

Heather said: "I'd typically recommend choosing a warmer washing machine cycle - if safe according to your item's care label.

"Choosing a warmer temperature when washing can help loosen the smoke particles that have attached onto the material fibres and more effectively remove the lingering smell."

If you have a scented laundry detergent, this can help too. Certain fragrances have neutralising properties.

Heather said: "I'd also recommend using a fragranced laundry liquid and fabric conditioner if possible. Products fragranced with lavender oil for example, which have natural odour neutralising qualities."

If you can, Heather also recommends drying smoky items outside. She said: "Air-drying clothes that smell of smoke after washing can help to lift any remaining odours. Choose a dry but breezy day to help speed up the drying process whilst removing the smell of smoke."