You have finally found the new home you’ve been looking for or you’ve located a great apartment in the perfect location, but something in the air is not right. Something stinks. The previous residents were smokers. And this new home of yours reeks of cigarette smoke. So, how can you rid your home of that awful tobacco smell? As a premier moving company in Brevard County, we have seen this all too often and we know it’s not going to be easy. But with hard work and patience, your new home could be smelling fresh and clean.
If you’re renting, make sure to check your rental lease agreement to see what rights you have as a tenant. You may find that it could be the landlord’s responsibility to get rid of the smell or pay for any costs endured for cleaning.
OK, so how do we clean the air? Well, fresh air is what we want, so if possible, open all of the windows. Let your home fill up with as much fresh air as you can. It won’t rid the home of the smell, but it will help. Also, fill bowls with white vinegar and set at least one in every room, depending on the size of the room. Just keep them out of reach of pets and small children.
While air fabric fresheners can cover the smell of smoke, they won’t get rid of the smell. They will only mask it for a time. The smell will always come back.
A great way to lessen the smell of the smoke is to use an air purifier. Keep the purifier in the room you use the most, since it takes time for the air to become clean. Keep it in high traffic areas the kitchen or the living room during the day and switch it to the bedroom at night. For any family member that is allergic to cigarette smoke, an air purifier is a must.
The key to getting rid of smells is cleaning the entire home – but especially the ceilings. Ceilings retain the smoke smell the most. Many people assume cleaning just the walls is enough. But it’s even more important to clean the ceilings, too. Cleaning products that contain ammonia and glycol are the best to use in this situation. These ingredients will neutralize the smell.
WARNING: Keep pets and small children away from the room you’re working on with these chemicals. Work on one room at a time and test a section of wall or ceiling to see how the paint stands up to the cleanser.
After a day or two of having thoroughly cleaned the surfaces, if you can still smell smoke, you may need to repaint the walls and ceiling. Your local paint store should have a sealant that will seal off the smell which you can apply to walls and ceilings first before you repaint.
Make sure to clean your carpets, too. Carpets retain a lot of the smell, so use a strong rug cleaner. Spread the product liberally, covering corners and edges. Vacuum, let the carpet dry, and check for the smoke smell. If it persists, consider hiring a professional. If you’re renting, check your lease to see if the landlord should pay for treatment.
Make sure to clean the doors and floors, windows, mirrors, blinds and drapes. Drapes may need to be dry-cleaned. If so, tell the dry-cleaner about the smelly smoke situation. If your drapes can be washed, wash them in hot water and vinegar. Just don’t let them sit for too long, vinegar is a natural bleach.
