How to Get Rid of Cigarette Odors in Your Home

If you’re selling a home in Lake City, FL or elsewhere, you know that presentation is everything – but what if your home smells like cigarette smoke? Should you do what you can to eliminate the smell or just hope that buyers don’t notice?

The answer is pretty clear: You should eliminate the smell, because odds are that buyers will notice, and it could cost you a sale. In a recent study, researchers found that the odor of cigarette smoke can reduce a home’s value by up to 30 percent, while 56 percent of buyers are likely to buy a smoker’s home – and 27 percent said they absolutely would not buy a home that smelled like smoke.

Here’s how to get rid of cigarette odor in your home.

Cigarette odors can linger for years, long after the last butt has been crushed out. You can do your part to remove them before you list your home for sale by:

Changing the lightbulbs
Cleaning all the floors
Cleaning the HVAC system
Investing in an air filter
Washing ceilings and walls or repainting the house
Washing window treatments

Change the Lightbulbs

Smoke-infused dust settles on lightbulbs, and when the dust heats up, the odor comes out. Change all the bulbs around the house, starting with the rooms that see the most smoke.

Clean the Floors

Start with deodorizing baking soda on the carpets and see how well that works. If it’s not good enough, have them professionally steam-cleaned. Remember, too, that some odors are too deep – you may have to replace the carpeting entirely.

Clean the HVAC System

Smoke flows through all the air ducts, and that dust that settles on the lightbulbs gathers there, too. Have the ducts professionally cleaned, and change the filter on your unit, too. Clean the evaporator coil, which can blow the smell throughout your home each time it’s turned on.

Invest in an Air Filter

A HEPA filter and charcoal odor eliminator can go a long way toward purifying the air that’s already in your home. If it’s humid outside, run a dehumidifier, too.

Wash Ceilings and Walls, or Repaint

The ceiling collects most of the smoke particles, which means you should start there first. Wash everything down with a 3-to-1 vinegar and water mixture or a trisodium phosphate cleaner, which can remove the smoky smell and stains. If that fails to remove the smell, think about repainting – if you use an odor-neutralizing primer, you can seal away cigarette odors. (Without an odor neutralizer, the smell will eventually seep back through.)

Wash Window Treatments and Clean Furniture

Fabric absorbs smoke smells like a sponge, so wash all your window treatments and have your furniture professionally cleaned.

Are You Selling a Home in Lake City?

If you’re selling a home in Lake City, we’d love to help you.

Call us at 386-243-0124 or get in touch with us online to find out what we can do to advertise your home and help you sell it quickly – and at the right price.

If you’re also looking for a new home, check out our:

How to Get Rid of Cigarette Odors in Your Home