Stale cigarette smells!

smartandshrewd

Does anyone have any tips on getting rid of stale cigarette smells?

The people in the flat downstairs have started smoking and it's making my lovely home absolutely stink! :mad: They never open their windows and a quiet word hasn't made any difference, not sure what else I can do.

I'm dreading the winter coming along when it will be too cold to air the place off during the day. Inconsiderate idiots! :mad:

crawley_girl

Air freshner? Smelly candles?
I remember reading somewhere that white vinegar can get rid of smells but can't remember what you need to do with it... am sure someone on here will know!

Poor you, sounds really disgusting and unfair that it is making your home smell! Yuck!

babyshoes

That's awful! If it was me dealing with this I would have a problem as I am mildly asthmatic and cigarette smoke is a trigger.

I think you need to take this further as it shouldn't be your responsibility to deal with the smell - it is interfering with your right to enjoy your home. Perhaps you need to have more than a quiet word with them, try another more formal conversation, then if that doesn't help, follow it with a polite but formal letter outlining your complaint and what you wish them to do about it. Keep a copy in case you have to escalate it, as well as details of any other exchanges you might have with them. If the flat is rented, you could copy these to their landlord.

If that doesn't work, then your local environmental health office should deal with this sort of thing, as well as complaints about noise, rubbish etc. Contact your council and ask them who they suggest you speak to. They may recommend arbitration at first or they may send someone to tell the neighbour to find a solution.

If it becomes a real very serious problem, I believe they have the power to evict seriously anti-social neighbours, but I don't think yours are quite in this league yet - they need to start having drunken/drugged noisy drum and bass parties or illegal raves every day and all night, while also threatening everyone on the street with a weapon and damaging property before they can evict them, from what I can make out... At least that's how it seems when I read the news!

carolinosourus

If it's a rented property, often in the contract it will state that the property should be non-smoking. Not sure how you could find out who the LL is, but it might be worth contacting them?

ubamother

bowls of vinegar - white or malt - on windowsills helps a lot.

carriebradshaw

smartandshrewd wrote: »

Does anyone have any tips on getting rid of stale cigarette smells?

The people in the flat downstairs have started smoking and it's making my lovely home absolutely stink! :mad: They never open their windows and a quiet word hasn't made any difference, not sure what else I can do.

I'm dreading the winter coming along when it will be too cold to air the place off during the day. Inconsiderate idiots! :mad:

if they don't open their windows how is the smell getting into your flat,is it drifting up the stairwell or something? I don't understand how it's getting into your flat

ETA : not having a go btw just a bit puzzled

geek0

There are anti-tobbaco airfreshners i think but i would have a word with the landlord if the smell of smoke is getting into your flat from another maybe they can seal the doors better or something.

zippychick

An oil burner, tea light candle and some nice oil in the top - or tartlets



Tartlets


I have a yankee candle burner which is specially designed for tartlets. Like this one

I actually smoke, and my house rarely smells of it. People often assume i dont smoke in the house as you cant smell it.

smartandshrewd

Thanks for all of your replies, some great ideas, will definitely try vinegar on the windowsill at first, and contact environmental health.

The tenant is actually the owner, (sorry about the confusion, Glasgow speak), so no contract or landlord.

The smell is strongest at the edges of the room, so I'm guessing these old tenements aren't built to be totally draftproof. It threw me at first - how can it possibly come through a plastered ceiling - but then there's all sorts of factors like cladded walls, old lead drainpipe cavities which are internal etc. Suppose it keeps the place damp free.

It's just so bl***y annoying!

Thanks peeps, we'll see how I get on...

smartandshrewd

zippychick - might try out your tart-burning idea, just found a Yankee candle neutralising tart for tobacco which should certainly help

ShaShaSha

i had this problem with my prev flat and moved wen we had our daughter because her stuff stank of it, the tenant downstairs always had her windows open too!! so we couldnt tell her not to smoke in her own home!

the problem was coming from cupboards, so maybe get some expanding foam or sealant to stop any coming in xx