Dublin, CA · Member since 2020 · 69 posts · 15 votes
My newly purchase house has a Cigarette smoke from the previous owner. Ozone treatment and duct cleaning is done, it helped but still smoke is there. Next step is I am moving to get house paint with Zinsser or Kilz primer. Can someone point me extact product I should look into since there are many version of it. I could Kilz Restoration Interior Primer but not sure if this is going to work or should I look into Zinsser. Please advice.
Specialist · Frederick, MD · Member since 2017 · 474 posts · 454 votes
5y
@Prachi Metha - I recently took ownership of a home with the same issue. My contractor did the work. As @Rick Albert mentioned, we wiped down EVERYTHING with TSP. We also had the ducts cleaned, replaced carpeting, replaced blinds (they were yellow from the smoke), and then painted. I think he used Kilz primer, although he may have cut a corner there, to be honest. In the end, the smoke smell was gone. Although we talked about it we never used or needed the Ozone machine.
Real Estate Agent · Los Angeles, CA · Member since 2018 · 2k+ posts · 1k+ votes
5y
On my first house hack, I was in the same situation (Seller was a heavy smoker of 30 years). I had the walls scrubbed down with Trisodium phosphate and then did two coats of Kiltz that is specific to nicotine.
Specialist · Frederick, MD · Member since 2017 · 474 posts · 454 votes
5y
@Prachi Metha - I recently took ownership of a home with the same issue. My contractor did the work. As @Rick Albert mentioned, we wiped down EVERYTHING with TSP. We also had the ducts cleaned, replaced carpeting, replaced blinds (they were yellow from the smoke), and then painted. I think he used Kilz primer, although he may have cut a corner there, to be honest. In the end, the smoke smell was gone. Although we talked about it we never used or needed the Ozone machine.
Rental Property Investor · TN · Member since 2018 · 2k+ posts · 2k+ votes
5y
We used TSP on the walls, then KILZ, replaced the ceiling and floor with KILZ on the plywood on the floor before the Vinyl laminate planks, cleaned the ducts but the HVAC smell was so strong even after two duct cleaning we had to replace the HVAC system, ducts and all.
I have done a whole house kilz treatment twice. Once for cigarette smoke. Once for cat urine. It stopped the smell in both cases. Now I will say that when I say whole house, I am talking about all surfaces except the windows themselves.
On a side note, I have two other opinions of the matter. A painter once told me that if you wash the walls with TSP ( the good stuff that is horrible for everyone) and the. Repaint; you shouldn't have the smell anymore. This assumes you are doing the blinds, flooring, washing all the woodworks, etc. the second opinion came from a friend of mine who cleaned professionally for about 10 years. He stated outright that you can mask and seal smoke smell, but you can never remove it unless you remove the materials.
Rental Property Investor · Concord, GA · Member since 2015 · 3k+ posts · 3k+ votes
5y
Thorough wash with TSP. Then prime with a shellac or oil based primer. You can use any kind of paint for topcoat once that is done. Everything else should be washed down or replaced. (thoroughly clean the interior of the kitchen cabs for instance)
Specialist · Easton, PA · Member since 2018 · 1k+ posts · 2k+ votes
5y
@Prachi Metha
Here’s what I did on a house I bought with 40+ years of smokers. Scrubbed walls/ceilings/trim with a deck scrubber and the purple heavy duty Simple Green from Home Depot. One bucket of cleaner with deck scrubber, one bucket of clean hot water with a regular sponge mop to wipe walls and ceilings. Corners I did by hand. One coat of Zinser water based 1-2-3. Amazing results and no smell. The tar will run down the walls like mud, it’s pretty gross
On my first house hack, I was in the same situation (Seller was a heavy smoker of 30 years). I had the walls scrubbed down with Trisodium phosphate and then did two coats of Kiltz that is specific to nicotine.
Good luck!
Good luck is pretty ambiguous. Could mean that Killz worked great, or, good luck cuz it sure didn't work for me. Could you be more specific?
On my first house hack, I was in the same situation (Seller was a heavy smoker of 30 years). I had the walls scrubbed down with Trisodium phosphate and then did two coats of Kiltz that is specific to nicotine.
Good luck!
Good luck is pretty ambiguous. Could mean that Killz worked great, or, good luck cuz it sure didn't work for me. Could you be more specific?
Good luck with the project is what I meant. Kilz worked great for me.
Contractor/Investor/Consultant · San Diego / Phoenix · Member since 2021 · 12k+ posts · 15k+ votes
4y
Zinser 123 was always the best. But I had one house where the odors were so bad (pets, not smokers) that I eventually had to have a drywall company re-texture all the drywall, then primer and paint.....