clean up help...

[John Waterhouse]

I rented my duplex out to some druggies (no, i didn't do a background check and yes, i will DEFINITELY do that from here on out), and they left the stench of meth and cigarettes in the place. I've painted and it just smells like paint mixed in WITH the pre-existing smell. I REALLY don't want to replace the carpet seeing as they were the only ones to live on that carpet since it was installed just before they moved in! Anyone have any odor-eliminating methods? Yes, i've done basic cleaning and tried to HIDE the odors with spray stuff.

Thanks,
John

[Bryan Swallow]

Odor clean up can get pretty tricky, so I'll give you some of the basics. These are general guides, and I will add a bit to help your situation.

Source- identify the source of the odors and remove, if possible. Since they were meth smokers, this will probably be all surfaces, which you don't want to remove.

Clean- ALL remaining surfaces. In a situation like this, it is not enough to clean the carpet and floors and countertops. There must be a top to bottom wipe of ALL surfaces, including walls and ceilings. You'll want to use a cleaner that is designed for the mess you're cleaning. Meth leaves a chemical residue behind that will seep into walls, so you'll have to use something pretty strong, and wear respiratory and skin (gloves, sleeves and goggles) protection. You will also want your ductwork cleaned, along with the airhandler, and filters replaced.

If cleaning doesn't solve it, and you still have some residual odors- Deodorize using product specifically designed to eliminate (not mask) odors. They can be applied by fogging, spraying, or wiping onto surfaces. Carpets can be rinsed with a solution of one of these products mixed with the rinse water in the carpet cleaner (test for color fastness first!)

You can also call a company to run an Odorox or Ozone machine for a day. Do that only after you've completed the first steps, as it can cost a few hundred, and companies will not likely warranty the results if they have not done the cleaning themselves. Ozone must be run when the building is unoccupied, I don't recommend renting one and learning as you go! The only reason I recommend these to you is, as you'll see, the next steps become very expensive, very fast.

Still odor?- Seal and paint the walls and other surfaces. Sealing is a must, if there is something there strong enough to survive and still give off odor, it will seep through paint, or possibly cause the paint to fail. If the odor is coming from the carpet, remove and replace carpet AND pad. It probably seeped through to the padding, and is coming back after each cleaning.

For cleaning supplies, I recommend going down to your neighborhood commercial carpet cleaner supply, such as an Interlink. They will carry many types of cleaners and deodorizers designed for these situations.

Cleaning odors can be very simple, or very intensive, as you can see. Hopefully yours won't be so bad. Good luck!