diff --git a/molpipeline/any2mol/smiles2mol.py b/molpipeline/any2mol/smiles2mol.py
index 0d7c45e6..34d0d31d 100644
--- a/molpipeline/any2mol/smiles2mol.py
+++ b/molpipeline/any2mol/smiles2mol.py
@@ -2,6 +2,13 @@
 
 from __future__ import annotations
 
+from typing import Any, Optional
+
+try:
+    from typing import Self  # type: ignore[attr-defined]
+except ImportError:
+    from typing_extensions import Self
+
 from rdkit import Chem
 
 from molpipeline.abstract_pipeline_elements.any2mol.string2mol import (
@@ -13,6 +20,42 @@
 class SmilesToMol(SimpleStringToMolElement):
     """Transforms Smiles to RDKit Mol objects."""
 
+    def __init__(
+        self,
+        remove_hydrogens: bool = True,
+        name: str = "smiles2mol",
+        n_jobs: int = 1,
+        uuid: Optional[str] = None,
+    ) -> None:
+        """Initialize SmilesToMol object.
+
+        Parameters
+        ----------
+        remove_hydrogens: bool
+            Whether to remove hydrogens from the molecule.
+        name: str
+            Name of the object.
+        n_jobs: int
+            Number of jobs to run in parallel.
+        uuid: Optional[str]
+            UUID of the object.
+        """
+        super().__init__(name=name, n_jobs=n_jobs, uuid=uuid)
+        self._remove_hydrogens = remove_hydrogens
+
+    def _get_parser_config(self) -> Chem.SmilesParserParams:
+        """Get parser configuration.
+
+        Returns
+        -------
+        dict[str, Any]
+            Configuration for the parser.
+        """
+        # set up rdkit smiles parser parameters
+        parser_params = Chem.SmilesParserParams()
+        parser_params.removeHs = self._remove_hydrogens
+        return parser_params
+
     def string_to_mol(self, value: str) -> RDKitMol:
         """Transform Smiles string to molecule.
 
@@ -26,4 +69,45 @@ def string_to_mol(self, value: str) -> RDKitMol:
         RDKitMol
             Rdkit molecule if valid SMILES, else None.
         """
-        return Chem.MolFromSmiles(value)
+        return Chem.MolFromSmiles(value, self._get_parser_config())
+
+    def get_params(self, deep: bool = True) -> dict[str, Any]:
+        """Get parameters for this object.
+
+        Parameters
+        ----------
+        deep: bool
+            If True, return a deep copy of the parameters.
+
+        Returns
+        -------
+        dict[str, Any]
+            Dictionary of parameters.
+        """
+        parameters = super().get_params(deep)
+        if deep:
+            parameters["remove_hydrogens"] = bool(self._remove_hydrogens)
+
+        else:
+            parameters["remove_hydrogens"] = self._remove_hydrogens
+        return parameters
+
+    def set_params(self, **parameters: Any) -> Self:
+        """Set parameters.
+
+        Parameters
+        ----------
+        parameters: Any
+            Dictionary of parameter names and values.
+
+        Returns
+        -------
+        Self
+            SmilesToMol pipeline element with updated parameters.
+        """
+        parameter_copy = dict(parameters)
+        remove_hydrogens = parameter_copy.pop("remove_hydrogens", None)
+        if remove_hydrogens is not None:
+            self._remove_hydrogens = remove_hydrogens
+        super().set_params(**parameter_copy)
+        return self
diff --git a/tests/test_elements/test_any2mol/test_smiles2mol.py b/tests/test_elements/test_any2mol/test_smiles2mol.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..97edd6d1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_elements/test_any2mol/test_smiles2mol.py
@@ -0,0 +1,53 @@
+"""Test smiles to mol pipeline element."""
+
+import unittest
+from typing import Any
+
+from molpipeline import Pipeline
+from molpipeline.any2mol import SmilesToMol
+
+
+class TestSmiles2Mol(unittest.TestCase):
+    """Test case for testing conversion of SMILES input to molecules."""
+
+    def test_smiles2mol_explict_hydrogens(self) -> None:
+        """Test smiles reading with and without explicit smiles."""
+        smiles = "C[H]"
+
+        # test: remove explicit Hs
+        pipeline = Pipeline(
+            [
+                (
+                    "Smiles2Mol",
+                    SmilesToMol(remove_hydrogens=True),
+                ),
+            ]
+        )
+        mols = pipeline.fit_transform([smiles])
+        self.assertEqual(len(mols), 1)
+        self.assertIsNotNone(mols[0])
+        self.assertEqual(mols[0].GetNumAtoms(), 1)
+
+        # test: keep explicit Hs
+        pipeline2 = Pipeline(
+            [
+                (
+                    "Smiles2Mol",
+                    SmilesToMol(remove_hydrogens=False),
+                ),
+            ]
+        )
+        mols2 = pipeline2.fit_transform([smiles])
+        self.assertEqual(len(mols2), 1)
+        self.assertIsNotNone(mols2[0])
+        self.assertEqual(mols2[0].GetNumAtoms(), 2)
+
+    def test_getter_setter(self) -> None:
+        """Test getter and setter methods."""
+        smiles2mol = SmilesToMol(remove_hydrogens=False)
+        self.assertEqual(smiles2mol.get_params()["remove_hydrogens"], False)
+        params: dict[str, Any] = {
+            "remove_hydrogens": True,
+        }
+        smiles2mol.set_params(**params)
+        self.assertEqual(smiles2mol.get_params()["remove_hydrogens"], True)