7 Tips for Removing Cigarette Smoke From a Home when Selling

7 Tips for Removing Cigarette Smoke From a Home when Selling

When selling your home, you want to make it as desirable as possible to get the best price. Anything that could put off buyers will get in the way of this aim and could cost you.

Cigarette smoke is one of those problems that can negatively affect the opinion of potential buyers, even if they smoke themselves. If a smoker has lived in the home, cigarette smoke removal is an issue that needs to be solved before showings begin.

As well as the odor, the paintwork can be stained by the nicotine in the smoke. However, there are many things you can do to deal with these problems and make your home easier to sell.

Fresh Air

Open up the home as much as possible, opening windows and doors to allow fresh air in. Fans can also help the airflow through the home to get rid of the odor.

Bowls containing baking soda, vinegar, activated charcoal, and even kitty litter, can be placed throughout the home to absorb the smell.

Air purifiers or ozone generators can remove a persistent smoke smell. If you have an air purifier with a HEPA filter, that can solve the problem. But if that doesn’t work, an ozone generator could be an option. The ozone needs to reach high levels to combat air pollutants, however, this can be harmful to health and isn’t advised for occupied spaces.

Clean Up

The first step in cleaning the home is to get rid of cigarette butts and any ashtrays in the property.

As the walls will attest, the chemicals in cigarette smoke stick to surfaces. There are environmentally friendly cleaning products, such as hot water with white vinegar mixed 50/50 can be used to clean hard surfaces in the home.

If a stronger or deeper clean is required to deal with stains on walls and ceilings baking soda can be added. Add half a cup of baking soda to a cup of vinegar and 2 cups of water, and use a sponge to clean the surfaces.

Painting

Even after cleaning the walls and ceilings, a fresh coat of paint will normally still be required to totally remove the smoke odor and staining. Primer designed to combat odors can be used before the final coat to ensure the smell is gone for good.

Cleaning the Floors

Smoke will be absorbed into carpets and other furnishings. If you don’t want to replace the carpets, they can be cleaned. Baking soda can be sprinkled and left overnight before vacuuming to lessen the odor.

If there is still a problem, white vinegar and water can help. Hiring a professional cleaner is another option that can help you avoid the need to replace the carpets.

For hardwood floors, you can use a similar mixture to the walls. It might take two or three applications with a mop to remove the odor before a final rinse.

The baseboards and doors shouldn’t be forgotten either. You might avoid the need to repaint if you can scrub the nicotine off. A sponge with water and a suitable cleaning product might return these painted surfaces to their original color.

Windows

Window frames will also need to be cleaned as well as the windows themselves. Curtains and blinds will absorb a lot of cigarette smoke, and it might be better to simply replace them.

You can also try cleaning, soaking blinds in a suitable cleaning solution for a short period can remove the nicotine. Curtains can be taken to the dry cleaners, or machine washed on a hot setting to avoid replacing them.

Furniture

Upholstery will hold the smell of cigarette smoke which can be improved with baking soda left overnight. This should be vacuumed off the next day, and if there is still an odor, white vinegar or specialist cleaning products can make a difference.

White vinegar can also be used on other furniture, like cabinets, to deal with the smoke residue.

Filters

Filters in air conditioning units can hold on to the odor of cigarette smoke. When the unit is used, the odor is redistributed around the home. Filters should be replaced to prevent this from happening. Adding some essential oils to your filter can help s well.

Final Thoughts

Removing cigarette smoke odor from a home, might not be a quick job. With smoke getting into every part of the room, completely removing the issue can mean a lot of cleaning, repainting, and replacing. Though if you do a good job, your hard work will pay off with an increased sale price for your home.