How to get the Smoke out.

No one likes walking into a place with the lingering smell of smoke. It's very off putting for potential tenants, especially if they are non- smokers. So what happens if you buy a property and it smells like smoke, or you have found out your previous tenants didn't follow the rules and now the house smells like smoke? How do you get rid of the smell?

Vinegar

Vinegar is an acidic agent containing mainly acetic acid and water. Historically it's been the most available mild acid. And while you don't want to put it on your carpets or any fabric (can bleach and stain those!) you can put it on walls (diluted with water) to absorb the smell. Vinegar in a bowl can be used to absorb onion odors while cooking so you can bet it's going to get the smoke smell out of walls and linoleum floors. Distilled white vinegar with water on a clean cloth is all you need to get your hard surfaces smoke free. 

Vinegar (always dilute it with water so it doesn't damage surfaces) can also clean: 

- stainless steel and glass

- is an effective antibacterial cleaner

- removes rust from iron and steel components (de-rusting sheet steel is done using vinegar)

Baking Soda

For fabrics you can use common baking soda, an alkaline agent. Carpet and furniture made of fabric completely absorbs the smoke smell (ever been in a pub where smoking used to happen nightly and that stale cigarette smell lingers for years). Apply one box of baking soda to your furniture and carpet and come back and vacuum it up the next day. Repeated applications can remove any remaining odors.

During the Manhattan Project scientists discovered that uranium could be washed out of cotton cloth with a 2% solution of baking soda and water. Powerful stuff!

Activated Charcoal

Activated charcoal is a godsend also. Place several bowls of activated charcoal around the unit and let them sit for a day to absorb the smoke smell. Carbon is great in water filters, and activated carbon has the same effect on odors in an apartment or home.

What Else?

When those options don't work try hiring a steam cleaner for your carpets. It's amazing what a steam cleaner will suck out of your carpets.

Hire professional cleaners. There's no shame in getting professionals in to clean your property. They know what they are doing and they can save you time and sweat. Find a recommended company and get them to work their magic. Alert them to the particular smoke odor and they should know what to do.

Have you had a property with a lingering smoke smell, what did you do?