How do you get rid of the smell from a heavy smoker?

How do you get rid of the smell from a heavy smoker?

11:51 AM, 20th July 2015, About 9 years ago 17

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We have a very heavy smoker moving out of a property and wanted to know the best way for getting rid of the smell and freshening up the place. It’s a large 4 story and we’ll get in professional cleaners, but wondered if anyone had any good tips.columbo

Thanks Gillian


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Comments

Neil Patterson

11:55 AM, 20th July 2015, About 9 years ago

Hi Gillian,

Clean carpets, lights and windows (and soft furnishings is there are any), paint walls and ceiling, leave several onions cut in half on dishes in the middle of rooms.

The smell could be gone in less than a week hopefully

Alan Loughlin

15:38 PM, 20th July 2015, About 9 years ago

not sure it can be, best advice is ensure no smoking tenants get a key, I write this in the contract.

Pauline Anderson

15:38 PM, 20th July 2015, About 9 years ago

I use a clean air ioniser. Always found it to be effective and quite fast, but 4 floors will probably take a while.

Ian Cognito

16:51 PM, 20th July 2015, About 9 years ago

Think laterally. Advertise the property as a 'smokers paradise'.

Alan Loughlin

17:03 PM, 20th July 2015, About 9 years ago

it is easy to see whether a person is a smoker, they cannot hide it, if they are just say no, put it in the ad, and in the contract, it is impossible to rid a house of the smell entirely.

17:24 PM, 20th July 2015, About 9 years ago

"Smokers welcome", perhaps? That should narrow down your competition for tenants!

Alan Loughlin

17:31 PM, 20th July 2015, About 9 years ago

my experience is that any property which smells of smoke is simple unlettable.

17:49 PM, 20th July 2015, About 9 years ago

Reply to the comment left by "Jerry Jones" at "20/07/2015 - 17:24":

No, the last tenant was a favour to a friend and it's not something we really want to encourage.

Michael Barnes

11:28 AM, 21st July 2015, About 9 years ago

My experience is that you have to replace all fabrics (curtains, carpets, etc) and redecorate all walls, ceilings and gloss work: the smell and staining sticks to everything.
Attempts at cleaning or masking the smell only have short-term effect. I have washed curtains 3 times and still they smelled.

A complete redecoration and replacement of fabrics is not too bad if it has been a long unfurnished let, but expensive if short let or furnished let.

If you had a no smoking clause in the contract, then you can use the deposit to cover some of the costs.

I believe that you cannot stop a tenant smoking in the property, and I treat my 'no smoking' clause as a means of making deductions from deposit (although I do say "no smoking" when conducting viewings).

Alan Loughlin

11:41 AM, 21st July 2015, About 9 years ago

I can smell a smoker from 5 mts away, and always say no. we also discreetly look in their car. any signs and it is a definite no no

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