Cigarette smoke leaves a lingering odor that’s extremely undesirable in a rental unit. If your property has a stale smoke smell from a previous renter, it’s important to thoroughly clean and deodorize the space before you attempt to rent it to someone new. The following tips will help you refresh your space so you can readily rent it out for a premium rate.
Open Doors and Windows
Keep windows and doors open as much as possible throughout the cleaning process. Airflow is essential to get rid of the unpleasant smell of cigarette smoke. Place box fans in the windows to increase circulation. Place one fan facing outward and another facing in so you’re sending stale air out of the unit and drawing fresh, clean air in.
Turn off the heating and cooling while you have the windows open so you don’t waste energy. Keep the space open as much as possible while you’re cleaning the unit, but do close it up when you’re away and anytime that it is raining. Allowing excess humidity into the unit can encourage microbial growth, which is another problem entirely.
Change Air Filters
A fresh air filter will help remove smoke smells from your rental property. The existing air filter is probably circulating smoke particles through the unit anytime the furnace or air conditioner is running. Installing a fresh filter is one of the first things you should do when you begin cleaning the unit. You may want to replace the filter again when the cleaning process is complete so you have the cleanest air filter possible when prospective renters begin touring the unit.
Clean the Ceiling and Walls
If you’re wondering how to get rid of the smoke smell as efficiently as possible, the answer is to work from the top down. Smoke rises, and apartments with smokers will typically have a discolored film on the ceiling. There are several cleaning solutions that you can use to break down this film and eliminate the odor and staining.
- For easy stains: 1/2 gallon warm vinegar mixed with 1/2 gallon warm water
- For moderate stains: 1/2 cup of ammonia in one gallon of warm water
- For difficult stains: 1 tablespoon trisodium phosphate in a gallon of warm water
Put your chosen solution in a spray bottle and spray liberally on the ceiling. Use a paint roller on a long pole to spread the cleaning solution across the ceiling. Change to a fresh roller when the current one becomes significantly discolored.
Once you’ve cleaned the ceiling, you can continue to use the same solution on the walls. Here, it’s often easier to scrub with a cloth or sponge. Use gloves when you’re working with ammonia or trisodium phosphate.
Deodorize Carpeting
Figuring out how to get rid of cigarette smells in the carpet is challenging. You should first consider whether you’ll replace the carpeting between renters. If you have the budget for new carpeting, this is a great selling point for renters. Not only is new carpet free from the odors of past renters, but it’s also softer and cleaner. If you want to keep the existing carpet, you’ll need to take a multi-step approach to the cleaning process.
- Sprinkle baking soda liberally on the carpeting and allow it to sit overnight.
- Vacuum up the baking soda, preferably using a vacuum with a HEPA filter.
- Spray the carpet with a one-to-one mixture of vinegar and water.
- Allow the carpet to dry overnight.
- Repeat the process as needed.
If this DIY carpet cleaning method doesn’t work, you may need to enlist the services of a professional carpet cleaner. These professionals often have access to equipment and chemicals that you may not.
Wash Hard Floors
Scrub the floors with a cleaning product that’s formulated for the type of flooring that you have in your unit. For most hard floors, you can use a mixture of warm vinegar and water followed by an application of hydrogen peroxide. Do not allow these products to puddle on the floor if you have hardwood. Wash the floors quickly, then open the windows and turn on fans to dry the floors as quickly as possible.
Alternatively, you can wash wood floors with a mixture of two tablespoons washing soda and two tablespoons dishwashing detergent in a quart of water. An orange oil or lemon oil cleaner formulated for wood floors is a fresh-smelling follow-up. For grouted flooring, scrub the grout with a paste made from baking soda and vinegar.
Clean Other Surfaces
When you’re addressing how to get rid of the smoke odor in an apartment, it’s important to consider every surface in your unit. Things like cabinets and blinds can retain the smell of smoke just as much as the carpet and walls. Use your warm vinegar and water solution to wipe down blinds, window sills and frames, door frames, baseboards, cabinets, countertops, and any other surfaces in the rental. You may want to add a squirt of dish soap to the solution if you’re cleaning areas that are noticeably stained.
Paint the Unit
A fresh coat of paint will make a big difference in any unit where a smoker has lived. Hire a painting contractor who will use an odor blocking paint or primer as an added layer of defense against any lingering smoke smell. Paint not only the walls but the ceiling as well. If you have painted cabinets, doors, baseboards, or window and door frames, a fresh coat of paint will help here as well. The paint not only seals in the smell, but it also eliminates discoloration and helps the whole unit feel fresh and new.
Freshen the Air
As the last step in your cleaning process, you should take a few simple measures to freshen the air. This might include:
- Using an essential oil diffuser
- Boiling lemon or orange peels in a pan of water
- Using an air purifier
A thorough clean will help you restore your rental property to its original glory and create a pleasant odor-free unit for the next renter.
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