Smoke smell HELP!

[cbg]

Are you sure that the smell is due to the smoking of various things (cigars, cigarettes, week etc), or due to smoke smell from candles or incense? I suspect that your lease does not prohibit candles or incense.

Smokers don't tend to realize this since they're so used to it, but there is no way a non-smoker would mistake the smell of cigarette smoke for candles or incense. They smell completely differently.

 

[LdiJ]

Smokers don't tend to realize this since they're so used to it, but there is no way a non-smoker would mistake the smell of cigarette smoke for candles or incense. They smell completely differently.

She mentioned that the smell was "pungent" which is why I made that clarification. There are even some ingrained cooking smells that can be "pungent". I am a former smoker, so I do understand what you are saying though.

 

[quincy]

Smokers don't tend to realize this since they're so used to it, but there is no way a non-smoker would mistake the smell of cigarette smoke for candles or incense. They smell completely differently.

The smell of tobacco smoke clings to not only smokers hair but to their clothes and their furniture. Even wood items in the home of a smoker will acquire a smelly nicotine film.

In our rentals, we use KILZ to block stains prior to repainting the house interiors. It seems to do a good job of covering both stains and smells.

Most nonsmokers can distinguish between fireplace or campfire smoke, candles, food smells and cigarettes. The smell of cigarettes is distinctive.

 

[LdiJ]

The smell of tobacco smoke clings to not only smokers hair but to their clothes and their furniture. Even wood items in the home of a smoker will acquire a smelly nicotine film.

In our rentals, we use KILZ to block stains prior to repainting the house interiors. It seems to do a good job of covering both stains and smells.

Most nonsmokers can distinguish between fireplace or campfire smoke, candles, food smells and cigarettes. The smell of cigarettes is distinctive.

I would guess that most can, but I am aware of some landlords who will claim that any smoky type odor that is pervasive is from cigarette smoking even when its not.

 

[quincy]

I would guess that most can, but I am aware of some landlords who will claim that any smoky type odor that is pervasive is from cigarette smoking even when its not.

Maybe. I haven't run across many landlords who try to take advantage of their tenants. The reputations of the landlords are too valuable.

 

[LdiJ]

Maybe. I haven't run across many landlords who try to take advantage of their tenants. The reputations of the landlords are too valuable.

There are a lot of slum lords out their Quincy, who don't care about their reputations at all. There are also land lords out there, like one whose son recently posted on these forums, who start out meaning well, but get it ALL wrong.

 

[Tara_P]

There are a lot of slum lords out their Quincy, who don't care about their reputations at all. There are also land lords out there, like one whose son recently posted on these forums, who start out meaning well, but get it ALL wrong.

The smell is distinctly smoke. By “pungent” I meant a distinctly strong smell. I would not try and take advantage of my tenants. I just want to get the smell out of my home so that my new tenants will be pleased with the condition of the residence when they move in this weekend.

 

[LdiJ]

The smell is distinctly smoke. By “pungent” I meant a distinctly strong smell. I would not try and take advantage of my tenants. I just want to get the smell out of my home so that my new tenants will be pleased with the condition of the residence when they move in this weekend.

The first thing that I would do is wash down the walls and ceiling, and have the carpet shampooed. Unless you used flat paint that isn't washable...then you are going to need to go the primer route. If you have other fabrics within the unit Febreze tends to work far better than people realize.

 

[quincy]

The smell is distinctly smoke. By “pungent” I meant a distinctly strong smell. I would not try and take advantage of my tenants. I just want to get the smell out of my home so that my new tenants will be pleased with the condition of the residence when they move in this weekend.

Anything that can absorb smells needs to be thoroughly cleaned. There is not much else you can do. Trying to mask odors with other odors (like scented candles or sprays) won't work.

 

[LdiJ]

Anything that can absorb smells needs to be thoroughly cleaned. There is not much else you can do. Trying to mask odors with other odors (like scented candles or sprays) won't work.

But neutralizers will sometimes work. Febreeze is a neutralizer, not a scented spray.

 

[Gail in Georgia]

" Are there any other items that I need to provide for proof so I can cover myself??"

Do you have curtains in the rental? If so, take one down and store it in a sealed plastic bag. These tend to hold smoke odors.

For what it's worth, my partner was a heavy tobacco abuser. When he passed away last July (from lung cancer; not a surprise considering his smoking history) I began washing the walls of the bedroom he used as a his workroom. Took pictures of a half washed wall; one side the original light blue; the other half a (literal) chocolate brown. The white blinds were also a dark tan as were the closet doors. One did not realize the extent of this until I began to do this.

Of course this was after 19 years of heavy smoking in this room.

Gail

 

[quincy]

" Are there any other items that I need to provide for proof so I can cover myself??"

Do you have curtains in the rental? If so, take one down and store it in a sealed plastic bag. These tend to hold smoke odors.

For what it's worth, my partner was a heavy tobacco abuser. When he passed away last July (from lung cancer; not a surprise considering his smoking history) I began washing the walls of the bedroom he used as a his workroom. Took pictures of a half washed wall; one side the original light blue; the other half a (literal) chocolate brown. The white blinds were also a dark tan as were the closet doors. One did not realize the extent of this until I began to do this.

Of course this was after 19 years of heavy smoking in this room.

Gail

The discoloration is what we used to discover in our rentals. Now very few of our tenants are cigarette smokers so the time we have to spend cleaning walls and woodwork has been reduced substantially.