Smoke Odor

[clueless]

Now that we are empty nesters the wife and I are trying to sell our house. The only criticism we have gotten from anyone is "It smells like smoke." Duh! She is a cigarette smoker and I have smoked my pipes. We have several of the (Home Depot) air cleaners running constantly. She is planning to put vinegar around the house because she has heard that absorbs smells.

Are there any other effective steps we might take besides masking with other smells?

Thanks

 

[juanmedusa]

I bet some here can help. Good luck.

 

[RDPipes]

A Ozone machine will kill most any smell but, they can't be used while the room is occupied by humans, animals or plants. A good one is a bit pricey starting at $300 but, trying to sell a home that smells of smoke is worth the extra money. Also many hotels and such use them for the same purpose. Ozone Machines

 

[Brewdude]

Ya, Ozone generators were what I first thought of too.

Didn't realize that people or pets couldn't be around when they operate. Seems I've read some stuff about those which can operate while folks are in the area. Are those different, or am I dis-remembering?

:?:


Cheers,

RR

 

[Brewdude]

And further to the OP's question, if there is significant nicotine stains on walls or ceilings (brown/yellowish sticky substance) wouldn't this have to be physically removed as well? One certainly couldn't just paint over it.

Just trying to be thorough in my thinking. I may have to face this very same issue in a few years when (and if) I finally retire and move.



Cheers,

RR

 

[RDPipes]

Ya, Ozone generators were what I first thought of too.

Didn't realize that people or pets couldn't be around when they operate. Seems I've read some stuff about those which can operate while folks are in the area. Are those different, or am I dis-remembering?

:?:


Cheers,

RR

Any Ozone generator that is okay to run while your in the room won't do anything really. And yes, if it's that bad that there is brown sticky stuff all over the walls and ceilings this will have to be cleaned off before any painting is done if for no other reason but, to assure proper paint adhesion.
Long ago when we smoked in the house every few months the mop would come out and I'd clean the walls and ceilings, of course stucco ceilings couldn't be cleaned but, thankfully those rooms weren't smoked in.

 

[ontariopiper]

My experience has been that smoke odor is VERY difficult to remove from a house/car/camper/etc.

Soft furnishings, carpets and even books absorb the smell and hold on for dear life, though a good steam clean/shampoo and Febreeze help a lot. Nicotine stains on walls and ceilings can be scrubbed off with a TSP (TriSodiumPhosphate) and water solution, but it's hard, generally thankless, work, as every hard surface generally needs treatment.

Work room by room and clean EVERYTHING, and DO NOT smoke in the house again until it's sold and you move. The more smell you can reduce/remove, the better your selling price is likely to be. Around here, even smokers won't pay top dollar for a smelly house.

On the up-side, it might provide a good opportunity to go through all your "stuff" and thin out/declutter and start packing away stuff for the move.

Good luck!

 

[d4klutz]

Good advice above. The only thing I can add is to get some KILZ paint primer and paint every painted surface with it after cleaning. It will keep any residual odors from off-gassing over time.

 

[TMacphersonNH]

Good advice above.  The only thing I can add is to get some KILZ paint primer and paint every painted surface with it after cleaning.  It will keep any residual odors from off-gassing over time.  

Absolutely this . I had our furnace back up when I was getting treatments. Get the red oil based version. One priming coat eliminates all the smell. But then you can smoke inside anymore!

 

[MartinH]

I have to ditto the Kilz paint primer. I have also found (at least in my car) that having an open container of ground coffee does the trick. But, yes, clean the walls as best you can, without destroying the drywall. Then a good, thick coating of Kilz, then 2-3 coatings of paint should do the trick for the walls. Do you have a painted or textured ceilings? Textured ceilings are the biggest PIA in the world to paint. So, be careful how much paint you put on at any time, or the textured stuff will fall off, hit the floor, or worse, hit you in the eye. It's happened to me! Also, get a very thick (thick padded) roller for the ceiling. They make special ones for ceilings and they are worth the price! You do not want to go back and patch that mess, it never looks right!

In terms of fabrics, you can also rent a good stream cleaner, Lowe's has the best one that I've been able to find, if you have a Lowe's in your area. Ozone also works, but do be careful while using it. You can't have anyone in the house, and I think there are other, verified health hazards. You may want to look at this site, or others like it.

http://www.nachi.org/ozone-generator-hazards.htm

Good luck with this! I've been there, it is a SERIOUS PIA!

Martin

 

[daveinlax]

You might want to bring in a company like Servicemaster. I've heard than work wonders. :shock:

 

[Jevverrett]

Kilz is the way to go if painting becomes necessary. You may want to call around some equipment rental places and see about the ozone generator first though. And maybe an extraction cleaner for the carpets. I did pre move in restoration cleaning for some years on rental properties, and that's about as far as we ever went with it. It always seemed to work fine.

On a side note, anybody who is going to BUY a house I would imagine would want to paint anyway. And maybe change the carpeting also. I would probably mention that if it comes up while you're showing the house in the meantime.

 

[idbowman]

ZorbX.

Inexpensive spray that eliminates odors...not an "air freshener" like Febreeze, etc. Once the smell is out, it doesn't return (unless you smoke again, of course). It's unscented and takes care of the job and is MUCH easier on the wallet (and less time consuming) than ozone machines or Killz. If nothing else, grab a bottle (available at big box and hardware stores) and try it in a room ($10-$15 depending on size/location). If it works, use it everywhere. It comes in formulas to mist/spray the air in a room or as a surface cleaner. I've used this for to desmoke my home and car for years and have never once been disappointed. From my personal experience, it's heavy-duty enough to take care of "long term" odors that have built up over time not just the "I just smoked so I should spray right away" situations.


If nothing else, the price and convenience make it worth trying before you resort to costlier and less user-friendly measures.