My Guide To Cigarette Smoke

[Dan Mackin]

Cigarette smoke can be a big problem in a lot of homes. While I'm sure it is not nearly as bad as it used to be, getting rid of the scent can be a massive pain. Recently a client of mine expressed interest in a small Denver condo (750 sqft). The whole unit wreaked of cigarettes and that was even with new carpets and paint. To get a better grasp of what would really be involved in remediating the smell I called in a good buddy of mine. My friend runs a medium sized restoration company who covers everything from bad smells to full fire restoration. Below are the tips that I learned from this experience including some extra tips from the knowledgeable @Bill S.. Keep in mind that the general mind frame here is anything porous needs to be sealed or replaced.

Windows:

These are all based on the frame material. If the frame is metal it is generally fine. Wood or vinyl will likely need replacement.

Floors:

Sub floor should be cleaned and sealed with a shellac primer. This means tearing out the carpet, pad, vinyl, etc. If you have wood floors it's up to you on what you would like to do. Sanding them down and staining may work. Obviously if you've torn out the flooring then you'll be replacing it with new.

Walls:

Scrubbed clean. You can do this in any way you would like. A recommended method is vinegar and water. Next you'll need to seal the entire wall with shellac primer. Finish the walls with 2 coats of paint

Ceiling:

The one thing everyone seems to forget. Ceilings are just walls, but above. The ceilings needs to be cleaned as much as possible. This isn't the easiest task especially with popcorn texture. After the cleaning the ceiling should be painted with a shellac primer and 2 coats of paint.

Kitchen/Bathroom:

Cabinets needs to be cleaned and painted with shellac primer. Counters don't need to be replaced, but if they are laminate it is advised. 

Everything Else:

If you can't paint it then you need to clean and scrub it. This goes for ventilation systems, radiators, ceiling fans and anything else you can think of.

Final Step:

Run an Ozone and Hydroxyl Generator for a few days once the work is complete. This should help finish off any remaining scents within the house. It's best to run the generator when no one is home. 

Overall smoke remediation can be done, but it's not fun to do it correctly. Each case is different. My examples from above were for a small condo that had been smoked in daily for 10 years. For example, the unit above came back with a quote of $5200. Admittedly I told him I didn't want discounts in the quote since it was for negotiation purposes, but this is still a good reference that it is not a cheap job. Lots of that cost was labor, so if you've got some time then buy a respirator and supplies and get to work. Hopefully some folks find this information helpful.

[Lynn McGeein]

We just went through this as we purchased a foreclosure with a smoking tenant in place who then remained for 18 years (and also turns out had a cat we didn't know about and could never smell due to the smoke odor). There are some great threads on here if you search that helped us plan successfully. All carpet, padding, vinyl removed, then cleaning air handler and vents, chimney, dryer vent, replaced oven range hood & bathroom fans, trashed the cabinets (were 30 years old and gross by that time, anyway), sanded down all doors and trim that were good enough not to just rip out, actually sanded the interior of the fireplace, ordered new windows (old metal ones needed replacement, anyway) and exterior doors, then cleaned everything with several applications of TSP, concrete slab downstairs with gallons of white vinegar to neutralize the cat odor which you could smell once the cigarette smell abated, then used Kilz original on all walls, ceilings, sub flooring, trim, doors, everything but slab where tile was going. Smell is gone.

I don't like ozone generators after researching them, but borrowed a HEPA air filter from a friend and also bought the really good 20 x 20 air filters and duct taped them to a box fan.  Amazed at how dirty the filters got so quickly.   

The TSP was key. I think it's not allowed in some states, and I don't like how environmentally unfriendly it apparently is, but it was essential.