Removing the Smell and Stains from Nicotine Covered Walls

Ron's Painting

RESIDENTIAL • COMMERCIAL • INTERIOR • EXTERIOR  • FAUX FINISHING in Southwest Florida.

Serving Sanibel and Captiva Islands, Fort Myers, Naples, Bonita Springs, Estero and Cape Coral, FL.

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Removing the Smell and Stains from Nicotine Covered Walls

Recently I had a question come in from a lady named Beverly in Bonita Springs. She was in the process or purchasing a home in which the previous owner smoked inside the home. As a result, everything from the ceiling and walls to the trim and A/C/ vents were not only yellow, but also smelled like cigarette smoke. Although they had a plan for replacing both the carpet and window treatments, they were wondering what to do about the cigarette smell in the home.

Like Beverly, many people acquire homes that have discoloration as a result of cigarette smoke also have an odor that seems nearly impossible to remove from the walls and ceilings of the home. Rest assured, if you are in this situation then Ron’s Painting is here to help. We have successfully helped many soon-to-be new homeowners just like Beverly remove the smoke odor from their homes.

How, exactly, do we do it? Keep reading!

The first thing we do is wash down everything that has been tainted—in this situation the ceiling, walls, trim, and A/C vents using a mixture of TSP and water. After using this mixture, we rinse the treated areas with fresh water. If the majority of the nicotine comes off the walls, then we can often just paint over it all and the smell is gone. More often than not, this quick solution is not enough to remove the amount of nicotine build up that has occurred over the years from a heavy smoker.

When the first method does not work, we then apply an oil-based bonding/sealing primer to the house. We have used several different primers in the past including Cover Stain (oil-based) and BIN (shellac-based), depending upon the specifics (primarily whether the home has popcorn ceilings that cannot be washed down). Once the primer is dry, we completely repaint the home using Sherwin Williams Harmony (which has odor-eliminating technology) on the ceiling and walls and then Pro-Classic on the trim.

If you are looking to remove unwanted smoke-colored walls and the associated nicotine smell from a home, then rely on our expertise! Call us today at 239.275.0425.

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