smoking home with tar stained ceilings and walls

ksinger

Hi All
I have acquired a house. Its about 20 years old and from the outside it looks like it needs a tidy up and lick of paint. 
Windows and doors are sound and it has a nice drive...so the curb appeal is there. 
However, open the front door and its a different story.
The lounge, hallway, stairs, and landing walls and ceilings all look to be painted a golden brown. (the kitchen which is newish and the kitchen walls and ceiling, look to be fresh plaster and painted with no staining).
The story is a lady lived there for 20 years who was a heavy smoker. I can't smell smoke myself or anything else for that matter since I had a dose of covid but I am told by friends who have looked around the property that it stinks profusely of cigarette smoke.
Upstairs in the bedrooms the ceilings are stained but not as badly. The walls are papered in the bedrooms to so I'm hoping removal of paper will reduce some smell of smoke and that I can wash the walls and paint. I simply don't know what to do to remove the stains in the effected areas. They aren't light stains, I actually thought the ceiling had been painted a golden yellowy brown colour! 
Does anyone know of a specialist company that will remove these stains. I am desperate as normal cleaning companies I have contacted just flick a duster (so to speak) and don't do this kind of stuff. Has anyone ever had this problem and successfully got rid of stains and smells?
I had hoped to move in myself but am now considering just selling it on which is such a shame. Its in a terrible state at the moment but if it were a clean property it would be lovely.
Any advice at all would be so appreciated.

Brie

Sugar soap.  My heavy smoking FiL used to scrub the lounge every couple of years to get the walls and ceiling back to something close to white.  Painting it a definite colour was also helpful.  A commercial cleaning company - the sort that work for businesses rather than just private citizens - should be able to help.  Sorry - I don't know of any myself but if you give a general location someone may be able to make a suggestion.
 

HampshireH

Sugar soap. The nicotine will start running down the walls. It's truly disgusting but necessary.

Once scrubbed zinsser all walls/ceiling to stain block.

A professional decorator should be able to assist you if you don't want to do it yourself. 

AdrianC

You can't smell it yourself... Bonus!

So get a bucket, a big roll of sturdy washable cloth, and a shedload of sugar soap, and GET SCRUBBING. Get some flippin' elbow grease on it! That's all it needs... and lots of it.

Skiddaw1

Another vote for sugar soap. It'll work a treat.

luvchocolate

There are many threads on this subject if you do a search