Q&A: Smoker Smell

I just moved into a new apartment. The previous tenant smoked, and I can’t get rid of the smell! How can Sunshine Home Maintenance help?

Nicotine is a tricky substance to get rid of. To really get rid of tobacco odor, you need the right equipment and materials. Fortunately, Sunshine has you covered!

Sometimes we walk into a place where the owner has been smoking for over 40 years—the smell is in everything! The first step is to get rid of everything you can from the previous tenant—drapes, rugs, wallpaper—and then washing and sealing the large surfaces, like walls, doors, baseboards, and trim.

Carpets are very susceptible to nicotine permeation. In some cases, steam cleaning followed by a deodorizing spray may be enough to remove the offending odor. In more extreme cases, though, the only solution may be to tear out the carpet and replace it.

Hardwood floors, on the other hand, are easier to salvage. Our procedure for wood floors is to sand them down, scrub with steel wool, recoat and seal. While we’re at it, we can give attention to other problem areas on the floor, such as burns or discolorations, and take steps to fix them.

The end result not only smells better but gives your apartment a new lease on life!