Get Rid Of Smoke Smells In Your New Home With These Tips

If there's anything we can all agree on about cigarettes, it's that the smoke from them leaves a stubborn, smelly residue. Even after a smoker moves out of a home, evidence of the habit inevitably remains, which can leave the new resident trying to find ways to reverse the damage. If you're in this unwanted position as a new homeowner, you don't have to gut your entire home to eradicate the smell of smoke. Instead, you can use common cleaning items you probably already own, plus a few more.

What's frustrating about cigarette smoke odor is that it can be difficult to remove because of its chemical content. As cigarette smoke wafts through the air, it leaves residue from tar and nicotine, among other direct and indirect carcinogens. This residual contamination, referred to as "thirdhand smoke," gives off the foul, lingering stench, so if you eliminate the residue throughout the home, you can eliminate the smoky odor.

Expect to spend a day or two cleaning and deodorizing your new place, and open as many windows as you can for ventilation while you work. You'll need rubber gloves, a soot sponge, mild detergent, vinegar, a scrubber, a vacuum with a HEPA filter, glass cleaner, and paper towels. You may also possibly need baking soda and a carpet steamer. Depending on your experience and comfort level, you should be able to clean all areas of your home yourself, but keep in mind that you can also hire a professional to do the dirty work.

Your walls and ceiling are among the largest surfaces to tackle, and both can be cleaned using a soot sponge, warm water, and mild detergent. Don't forget to clean the baseboards, trim work, and corners. Do one or two more wipedowns, squeezing and rinsing the sponge between wipings. Alternatively, you can make a solution of a tablespoon of ammonia to a cup of water, though you will still want to rinse with warm water afterward. Use a scrubber on surfaces with stubborn residue. Other surfaces can be cleaned with these items too, but follow up with glass cleaner on windows and mirrors.

Another large surface that needs cleaning is the floor. Mop with a mixture of neutral-pH soap and warm water for wood flooring and vinegar and warm water for laminate. Follow up with a surface-appropriate floor cleaner. For carpets, run a vacuum cleaner with a HEPA filter over them. You can also add baking soda and let it sit overnight. Using a deep-cleaning, scrubbing carpet shampooer can also be great for carpeted floors. Alternatively, if you can afford it, consider replacing all the carpeting in the home.

Cleaning these areas will remove a large amount of the smoke smell, which might be enough if you plan to never use your AC or heat. Unfortunately, you'll need to get rid of stubborn smoke odors in your HVAC system too, so you'll need to deep-clean the vents, ducts, and coils, as well as replace the filters with various hand-cleaning tools and a vacuum. You may also want to use an air purifier or dehumidifier. However, most people leave the HVAC cleaning to a professional and pay a few hundred bucks.