How To Remove Cigarette Smell From Your Home
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If you found the perfect home only to be completely turned off because it was previously occupied by smokers, fear not here is a way to solve the problem from top to bottom. The best defense against smoke residual smoke odor is a good offense.
There are several different methods to remove, purify, or change the environment to neutralize or destroy the smoke smell and nicotine residue clinging to the walls. After doing some research, it appears that a 3 sided strategy may work best.
Part One: The Deep Cleaning:
This forum has a bunch of great ideas first, a common truth is that the smoke residue will tend to collect around small fixtures such as outlets, and also within the air ducts. The Maids is a cleaning service that offers regular home cleaning service, but they also have a deep cleaning service that is designed to root out allergy causing irritants from a house including smoke residue. They also have a move-in move-out cleaning service, as well as furnace filter changing.
Also under the cleaning strategy, should be listed the professional duct cleaners for a given area. I found this one that serves San Clemente. Price quotes that I have found online seem to show that this service can cost a few $200 or $300, but you'll want to get an estimate from a local professional who handles it in your area.
Part Two: Remove and Replace the Smell:
We're fortunate that being by the ocean, it is easy to open up the windows and get some incoming salt air ocean breeze. That's exactly what most of my research suggests. Open the windows often, and keep the fresh air circulating, in time the smoke smell dissipates.
Next, identify any areas that have absorbed and retained extra amounts of smoke. Common suspects include carpet, wood, and drywall. While it isn't necessary to replace all of the drywall or wood in the house, replacing the carpet is a great idea.
The next major and key strategy is to purify the air with an ionizer. Other real estate agents my office use the "Sharper Image Ionic Breeze" and it has been surprisingly effective for them with removing odor.
The final stage of this step is to use candles, air fresheners, and tasty smelling baked goods to replace the smell. Apple pie anyone?
Part Three The Cover Up:
Using baked goods to replace the smell is a crossover technique to the important step, which is to literally cover up any remaining odors. Most of the research that I have read suggests using a product like Febreeze, but more importantly to paint the walls. The key thing is not to just paint over the walls only to have the smoke oder come seeping back through the paint. So for this, use a damp washcloth with some soapy water to treat "problem areas". Then after that dries, use a heavy coat of base primer. Home Depot or Lowes can help you select the right one. There are special interior primers that have that thicker consistency. Then paint with as many coats an colors you desire.
Remember, if the house if perfect don't let the odor bother you, because offensive odor can be eliminated with some effort and time.
If you found the perfect home only to be completely turned off because it was previously occupied by smokers, fear not here is a way to solve the problem from top to bottom. The best defense against smoke residual smoke odor is a good offense.
There are several different methods to remove, purify, or change the environment to neutralize or destroy the smoke smell and nicotine residue clinging to the walls. After doing some research, it appears that a 3 sided strategy may work best.
Part One: The Deep Cleaning:
This forum has a bunch of great ideas first, a common truth is that the smoke residue will tend to collect around small fixtures such as outlets, and also within the air ducts. The Maids is a cleaning service that offers regular home cleaning service, but they also have a deep cleaning service that is designed to root out allergy causing irritants from a house including smoke residue. They also have a move-in move-out cleaning service, as well as furnace filter changing.
Also under the cleaning strategy, should be listed the professional duct cleaners for a given area. I found this one that serves San Clemente. Price quotes that I have found online seem to show that this service can cost a few $200 or $300, but you'll want to get an estimate from a local professional who handles it in your area.
Part Two: Remove and Replace the Smell:
We're fortunate that being by the ocean, it is easy to open up the windows and get some incoming salt air ocean breeze. That's exactly what most of my research suggests. Open the windows often, and keep the fresh air circulating, in time the smoke smell dissipates.
Next, identify any areas that have absorbed and retained extra amounts of smoke. Common suspects include carpet, wood, and drywall. While it isn't necessary to replace all of the drywall or wood in the house, replacing the carpet is a great idea.
The next major and key strategy is to purify the air with an ionizer. Other real estate agents my office use the "Sharper Image Ionic Breeze" and it has been surprisingly effective for them with removing odor.
The final stage of this step is to use candles, air fresheners, and tasty smelling baked goods to replace the smell. Apple pie anyone?
Part Three The Cover Up:
Using baked goods to replace the smell is a crossover technique to the important step, which is to literally cover up any remaining odors. Most of the research that I have read suggests using a product like Febreeze, but more importantly to paint the walls. The key thing is not to just paint over the walls only to have the smoke oder come seeping back through the paint. So for this, use a damp washcloth with some soapy water to treat "problem areas". Then after that dries, use a heavy coat of base primer. Home Depot or Lowes can help you select the right one. There are special interior primers that have that thicker consistency. Then paint with as many coats an colors you desire.
Remember, if the house if perfect don't let the odor bother you, because offensive odor can be eliminated with some effort and time.
