Cleaning a house that belonged to an habitual smoker

pollyanna_26

mrsjaw said:

My husband recently bought a pair of unworn shoes on FB marketplace - they are gorgeous shoes but oh my word they don't half stink of cigs!  We have tried sprays, wipes and putting them out on the window ledge but nothing is getting rid of the smell.

They are tied up in a bin liner at the moment while we search other options - I've told him they're going in the bin at the weekend if a remedy isn't found 

It could be worth you trying Neutrodol Carpet Odour Destroyer inside and outsode the shoes and sealing them in a bag for a while. Jeyes Freshbin Powder does a similar job. I've never tried it on shoes but have on other things not just carpets and bins.

Just hoover or brush away after a few days.

If he's unable to wear them because of the small it's worth trying.

pollyx

pollyanna_26

Lovely to see you cornishchick. I've been wondering how you are and if you recovered fully from the virus.

Take care and stay well.

pollyx

JIL

Watching the new Jack Reacher this week, he said it was 9 months before the smell goes.

We bought our current home and it was over a year since it had last been lived in but it still stunk of cigarettes, we were always planning to renovate and it took a very long time to get rid of stale smoke smell. Definitely in the wallpaper and carpet. 

A really good steam clean will really help. I think once that's done a big carton of fabreeze and windows open and you would be well on the way.

weenancyinAmerica

With smelly books, it is recommended that you put the book in a bag with some kitty litter and leave it for about a week. Might work with shoes and other items. 

pollyanna_26

I've been having a think about the house next door to yours MN. It does sound a good idea next door to yours so  no need for travelling back and forth if you bought a house somewhere else. I unsderstand you need your own space rather than move back in to your house.

I am wondering why a landlord would allow a property to get in to such a state. Do you know if he did the usual landlord checks?

Gas and Electric , condition of the house inside and out etc?

I have a number of former firemen friends who invested their pensions as they were allowed to retire early in buying houses to rent out.

They bought run down properties in nearby villages , gutted them and brought them up to modern standards while keeping the character of those victorian ansd edwardian properties and they have long waiting lists for those rentals.

They are lovely men but no property of theirs would ever be allowed to get in a state; They do a full annual check.

I would wonder not only about the nicotine but the condition of the house from the roof to the ground and you would need a full survey to establish that. I've no idea which direction the drains run to your house but if the tenant d

I'm not meaning to put you off it may be ok but you really need to know it's not going to be a money pit. You had to do a diy fix in the kitchen when you bought your house due to lack of funds.    just make sure the house next door is ok. It's meant to be your forever home peaceful and calm  so you need to take care to make sure it will be.

pollyx

mothernerd

Think the landlord is a friend of the ex-tenant's son. He bought it cheap when the previous landlords had had enough (people doing midnight flits, anti-social tenants, the last and worst were drug dealers - Sunday sample parties, burning rubbish including aerosols in the back yard, multiple occupants and gangs of teenagers at weekends). I went to the other neighbours about approaching the landlord (they were afraid of reprisals) and was about to offer the use of my back room for surveillance purposes when they went (decided I wasn't going to let them drive me out of my house).

The landlords' men kept wanting to tell me about the state of the place when they were cleaning it out - someone had been sleeping in the yard under an old door leant against the kitchen wall. The tenant had been there about 10 years (his mother was there too at first),can't remember if there were other tenants before that as it was when I was living at the big house (4 bed not prison). I know he moved in whilst DS2 was living there as we'd walked into town together and he wondered why I'd been talking to this man - I told him afterwards that that was his new neighbour. His son and social services were both going round fairly regularly but I think in the past 3 years he's been refusing offers of help and wasn't looking after himself. 

pollyanna_26

Some of my post seems to have gone into the ether. Talking about the drains I was wondering if the fact the tenant wasn't taking care of the house  could have impacted on your drains needing Mr and Mrs Builder to sort them out again.

It sounds as though you had some strange people next door. If and it's a big if the house isn't going to be a money pit you could maybe put in a very low offer. People are unlikely to be queing up to buy it but only a full survey would show you what could be neeed and they aren't cheap.

If you were to buy it forget about keeping carpets and other floor coverings just chuck the lot out. You have to watch your health and tbh I'd put up with bare floorboards rather than scummy carpets etc until I could afford new stuff.

I don't want to upset you but think long and hard about this. If you decide to give it a go get that full survey first.

pollyx\

Tim_Isle

mothernerd said:

When I did my dad's house (20 years ago) it took me between 18 months and 2 years to clear the smell of smoke that had impregnated the walls and fabric of the house. I did this by leaving all the windows open when I was there (doors too when possible) using neutradol and plug ins that were to combat cigarette damage.

Any tips on speeding up this process.

In the decorating trade they paint the ceilings with oil based undercoat to seal the  ceiling then emulsion. You could also use one of the Zinser products to seal it

pollyanna_26

I hope the move from mums back to yours is going ok MN. Are you still considering buying the house next door? Give yourself a chance to get sorted and settled back in your own home. You must be exhausted with all the lifting and shifting so need some proper sleep before anything else .

If you are still considering the house ask for a proper viewing when your mind is clearer after the recent very challenging times

It may prove to be too big a challenge and a money pit when you view or may not be as bad as it sounds.

The conidtion od gas, electrics, roof , drains  are important along with other things.

If you do consider it that full structural survey must be done before you even think of making a low offer to take into account the condition of the house.

Some things can be an affordably fix . A neglected roof, outdated and not maintained electic wiring. gas , drains and all plumbing aren't.

pollyx

 

ETA No idea where all that white space has come from!