How to deal with smoke-stained walls/ceiling

Question

I just bought an apartment complex. One of the units was occupied for nearly 30 years by a chain smoker. He had a stroke one week after I bought the place and his family is cleaning out the apartment.

SIDE NOTE: This is why you should always have a reserve! I bought the place June 1st. This guy had a stroke one week later. Two tenants moved out in the middle of the night and one of them didn't pay any rent for June. I'll file for eviction on two more tenants next week because they are behind on rent. That's five units out of 11 that will come vacant one month after purchasing. Every unit needs cleaning, paint, and at least minor renovations. I'm projecting putting $6,000 into them. If I weren't prepared financially, this would kill my entire portfolio!

What is the best way to deal with walls that are heavily stained by cigarette smoke? I've washed walls and painted with Kilz on other units and it was hit-or-miss. This is the worst I've ever seen so I don't want to waste time and money on something that won't work.

Jim K. · Answer

@Nathan G.

If it is a severe case, there isn't much you can do because it seeps into the dry wall which may mean your best plan of action is to replace it.

Basic Steps for a chain smoker:

1A. If the walls don't use latex paint, use a product TSP to clean every inch of the walls (be sure to use proper protection & ventilation). You can also try a natural mixture of ammonia, white vinegar, baking soda & extremely hot water.1B. If the walls are painted with latex paint, DO NOT USE TSP as it will do more harm than good. Instead use a strong detergent like Mr. Clean or Fantastik.

2. Then use a cleaner like Orange Cleaner or L.A.'s Totally awesome and scrub the bad areas (both available at Dollar stores and actually pretty helpful here)

3. Once the wall surface is completely clean, paint on Zinsser's BIN or Coverstain Primer. KILZ is cheaper, but not as good from my experience. The more coats, the better chance of getting a complete seal. Typically 2 is good if you know what you're doing, 3 if not.

Here are a few additional methods I'd look at if it was an extreme case:

-Replace all soft materials in the house (carpet, drapes, etc.)

-Have the HVAC unit cleaned out and use

-Rent an Ozone or hire a company to clean the air

-Replace the drywall all together

-Another option is to clean, paint with KILZ (removing most of the odor but not all), and to simply market that unit as a smoking unit.

Hopefully this helps Nathan

Peter S. · Answer

I just did the same thing with a building i bought. Thirty years of muck, smoke, cooking grease, dents,  water leaks, peeling paper and everything else. I just ripped it out and replaced it all. Nothing better than seeing a nice clean wall be put up. Mold resistant drywall sheets are about 14 bucks a piece. When the walls are off, you can inspect or replace the studs, electrical, insulation, etc. For me its a no brainer.

Kathleen Leary · Answer

A few random additions based on my (similar) experience:

I've used TSP & mopped the walls (ugh!). I feel it does a better job than anything else I've tried, but it's not available in all states. Do NOT buy stuff labeled "TSP replacement" or any such BS because it won't do the job.

Do not use water-based BIN or Kilz - not worth the time to put it on. Get the old-school oil- or shellac-based stuff & open the windows.

On that topic, nothing beats opening all the doors & windows & airing the place out for as long as possible. The drywall, studs, HVAC vents, subfloor & insulation all stink to high heaven, too - if I were able, I'd rip it all out & replace it.

Many people have had good results with ozone generators - I have no experience but it might be worth looking into as an adjunct to everything else. They can be rented.

Even after clean-up, you might well consider marketing it as a smoking unit as Nathan G. suggested, PROVIDED the fumes don't impact any other units through the venting, etc.

All I can say is "Good luck!"  Been there, done that.

Nathan Gesner · Answer

I'm not positive but I think the unit was last painted about 30 years ago. It's probably an oil-based paint and could be cleaned before priming with Kilz or some other product. I intend to rip out the flooring  and then paint the subfloor with Kilz as well. It also needs some new windows, new flooring, upgraded electrical, etc. I could easily spend $6,000 on this unit alone.