You’ve just moved into your new-to-you home — and it reeks of cigarette smoke. 

Or maybe you’ve recently quit smoking and are now realizing the smelly repercussions of smoking indoors.

You’ve tried it all, including:

  • Airing out the space
  • Spraying air freshener
  • Lighting scented candles 
  • Glade PlugIns and other scent maskers

But no matter what you do, that offensive, stale cigarette odor keeps coming back.

You might even be able to see the evidence –– nasty yellow nicotine stains on your walls or orange and brown drip marks. 

It’s time to rid your home of that stubborn cigarette stench and those unsightly stains once and for all!

The process of cleaning tobacco smoke off walls can be challenging. 

With this guide, you’ll learn how to decide when to do it yourself, and when to call in the pros — so you can say goodbye to cigarette smoke for good.

 

Table of Contents

 

cleaning tabacco smoke off walls

 

Does Cigarette Smoke Stay in Walls?

The slow smoldering of wet materials in cigarette smoke leaves behind a thick, oily nicotine tar that easily sticks to your walls. That nicotine and odor get trapped under layers of dust and moisture on the walls throughout your home.

The repeated incomplete combustion of cigarettes can make cigarette smoke more difficult to remove than smoke from a house fire or last night’s accidentally charred dinner.

Yet, simply painting over the walls without cleaning is not a solution and will cause more trouble later on.

 

3 Reasons To Clean Cigarette Smoke From Walls

If the smell and unsightly stains aren’t motivation enough, here are three compelling reasons to clean the tobacco off your walls.

 

#1: Lessen Your Exposure to Thirdhand Smoke

You’ve probably heard about secondhand smoke, but thirdhand smoke is a relatively new concept.

Thirdhand smoke is the residual nicotine and other chemicals from cigarette smoke that can attach itself to:

  • Skin
  • Clothes
  • Hair
  • Dust
  • Furniture
  • Carpets; and 
  • Indoor surfaces 

Exposure to thirdhand smoke can come from touching surfaces contaminated with the chemicals or even breathing the off-gassing from these surfaces.

Scientists are still studying the dangers of thirdhand smoke on humans, but an animal study found that thirdhand smoke can cause significant damage to multiple organs, including your:

  • Liver
  • Lungs; and
  • Skin

According to a study, nicotine residue in thirdhand smoke forms carcinogens that can even cause cancer.

Thirdhand smoke exposure can be especially dangerous to children, with harmful short-term and long-term effects that may lead to:

  • Asthma
  • Hyperactivity; and
  • Type II diabetes

Even your pet isn’t exempt from the hazards of thirdhand smoke.

 

#2: Remove Odor and Tar Before Painting

If you think re-painting your walls is the answer to restoring the look and freshness — think again. Repainting your walls is purely a cosmetic quick fix.

It’s imperative that you remove the odor and tar from your walls before you dive into repainting. 

Painting over cigarette smoke and tar will only mask the smell temporarily.

Soon the tar stains will seep through, and the odor will return. Only now the odor is trapped under a layer of paint, and you’ve made an even bigger problem for yourself. 

As an added incentive, it’s much easier for the new paint to adhere to a clean, dry surface, even if you plan to apply a layer of odor-blocking primer before regular paint.

 

#3: Remove Odor and Tar Before Moving

Cigarette smoke can also cost you money when it’s time to move.

If you’re renting, your landlord may charge you a pricey fee for smoke remediation.

It can cost apartment owners an average of $4,935 to restore a unit to a condition that a non-smoker who has allergies can rent without suffering from an allergic reaction.

A survey revealed that if you own your home and want to sell, smoking in your home may diminish its resale value by up to 30%. 

But what if you’ve already made the mistake of smoking in your home?

If that’s the case, it’s time to deep-clean those walls from top to bottom and restore your home’s freshness before moving out.

 

clean tabacco off walls

 

How To Clean Cigarette Smoke-Damaged Walls

Those pesky yellow stains on your walls mean you’ve got smoke damage and will need to focus on addressing both the odor and the stains.

It can be a painstaking process, and we’ll take you through your options step by step below.

 

What Is the Best Way To Clean Smoke Stained Walls?

If you’re stuck with unsightly smoke stains on your walls, you’re faced with two options:

  1. If you’re a do-it-yourself kind of person, you might dare to do the labor-intensive job and save a little money; or
  2. You may prefer to leave it to the experts.

Either way, don’t re-paint your walls until you’ve done one of the following.

 

How To Clean Cigarette Smoke From Walls the DIY Way

Are you ready to roll up your sleeves and tackle cleaning the tobacco smoke off your walls the do-it-yourself way?

Grab a bucket and some elbow grease and follow these five steps:

  1. Start by cleaning the walls with a vacuum and upholstery brush attachment to help remove any loose dust and debris. 
  2. Make a cleaning solution of:
    • One gallon of hot water
    • Three tablespoons of dish soap; and 
    • A half-cup of baking soda
  3. Scrub the walls using a soft sponge or rag to break up the stains and help remove loose debris stuck to the walls. Work in small sections. Dry the wall as you go to avoid saturation and further damage to the drywall and paint.
  4. Don’t forget to clean behind outlet faceplates along the walls. Other hard-to-reach and often forgotten areas include: 
    • HVAC return vents
    • Refrigerator compressor coils
    • Ceiling fans and blades
  5. Be sure to put on gloves and protective eyewear and open your windows for optimal ventilation before this step. 

Pour into a spray bottle a degreasing mixture composed of:

      • One cup of undiluted vinegar (white or apple cider)
      • One cup of ammonia or lemon juice 

Ammonia is dangerous to inhale and can cause skin and eye irritation, so don’t skip the safety precautions.

  1. Spray the degreaser onto a small section of the wall and scrub gently with a sponge. Wipe down with fresh water, wringing out your sponge in between scrubbings. Don’t forget to dry as you go. 

This process can be difficult and may need to be repeated over the next few days until the walls appear clean. 

Are you still, seeing stains? If so, you will likely want to call in a professional.

 

How To Clean Walls From Cigarette Smoke the PURE Way

The best way to clean smoke-stained walls is to call in the experts. 

Through a natural and effective oxygenation process, the professionals at Pure Environmental can offer complete removal of the stains that have bonded to the walls of your home, including:

  • Tobacco
  • Smoke
  • Tar
  • Nicotine 
  • Ash; and 
  • Other contaminants

The Pure process involves using a specially formulated spray degreaser to agitate and scrub surfaces, followed by a high-powered extractor to physically remove the stubborn particulates. 

A preheating process is implemented to dilate the pores in materials such as brick, drywall, and stone, to release the trapped smoke odors into the air so they can be cleaned.

Pure Environmental then follows up with the PurAyr™ air scrubber to purify the air and extricate any remaining contaminants from corners and crevices — leaving your home feeling fresh and clean again. 

 

how to clean walls from cigarette smoke

 

What Is the Best Way To Clean Cigarette Odor From Walls?

Cigarette odor removal can take many shapes and forms. 

Ensure that you follow the steps below if you want to try removing the smoke smell yourself — or contact professionals at Pure Environmental who can use the best technology available. 

 

How To Clean Cigarette Odor From Walls the DIY Way

  1. Your instincts to first air out the space are spot-on. Ventilation is key, so open all the windows and turn on the fans. Place portable fans in front of the windows, facing outward, to blow out any remaining odor. Let the room breathe for as long as possible before, during, and after the cleaning process. 
  2. Strategically place bowls filled with odor-neutralizers around the room. These can be filled with substances that are known for helping absorb unwanted smells, such as:
    • Vinegar
    • Coffee 
    • Cat litter
    • Baking soda; or
    • Activated charcoal

Allow the bowls to sit for a few days if you can.

  1. Utilize the technology of a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) purifying system to thoroughly clean the air.
  2. Use a soft sponge to wash the ceilings and walls with a solution made from:
    • One cup of white vinegar
    • Two cups of warm water
    • One-half cup of baking soda

Work on small areas at a time, being sure to wipe with a clean sponge and dry as you go.

  1. Repeat washing two to three times until the odor is dissipated.

 

How To Clean Cigarette Odor From Walls the PURE Way

Odor is often the first sign of unhealthy indoor air quality. Without the right tools, you could be left spinning your wheels and spending your money trying to identify the cause –– especially when you don’t have the obvious stains to blame.

That’s why the professionals at Pure Environmental wield the technology of the PurAyr™ air scrubber.

This small machine packs a punch of power with its ability to scrub the tiny odor-causing particulates from the walls and purify the air at the same time.

When you call the experienced team at Pure Environmental for cigarette odor removal, you can be sure your indoor air quality will be restored.

 

how to clean walls from cigarette smoke

 

Commonly Asked Questions About How To Clean Cigarette Smoke From Walls

 

How Do You Prevent Cigarette Smoke From Damaging Your Walls?

The best way to keep cigarette smoke from damaging your walls is to prevent it from entering your home. 

If you’re going to smoke:

  • Smoke outside the home 
  • Close all windows and doors; and
  • Regularly dispose of your ashtrays

Or consider smoking electronic cigarettes instead of regular cigarettes. Bear in mind that this may cause other problems due to heavy metals in electronic cigarettes.

If cigarette smoke is coming into your home from neighbors, close your windows and doors as quickly as possible. 

 

Does Cigarette Smoke Come Out of Walls?

The short answer is yes. However, getting cigarette smoke out of walls can be tricky. This is due to smoke’s ability to penetrate walls and the residue it leaves behind. 

The most effective way to clean cigarette smoke from walls is by hiring professionals.

 

How Do You Clean a Smoker’s House?

Cleaning a smoker’s house is no small task and for the best results, call in the professionals. To do it yourself: 

  1. Clean all hard surfaces: Spray or wipe down each hard surface with a solution of one part white vinegar and one part hot water. 
  2. Clean the walls and ceilings: Use a sponge to wash each wall and ceiling with a solution of one-half cup ammonia, one-fourth cup vinegar, one-half cup baking soda, and one gallon of hot water. Rinse your sponge frequently and dry each surface as you go.
  3. Clean all carpets and rugs: Shampoo or steam clean all rugs and carpets. You may hire a professional or rent a carpet steam cleaner and do the job yourself.
  4. Clean the furniture: Steam clean all fabric furniture. 
  5. Use activated charcoal: Hang bags of activated charcoal throughout the home to absorb smoke odors. 
  6. Purify the air: Once the house is clean, use a HEPA air purifier/filter to improve indoor air quality and remove odors, smoke, and other volatile organic compounds (VOCs). 

 

What Cleans Cigarette Smoke Off Walls?

A variety of solutions are used to clean cigarette smoke from walls. These may include: 

  • A degreasing mixture composed of:
    • One cup of undiluted vinegar (white or apple cider)
    • One cup of ammonia or lemon juice 
  • A cleaning solution made from:
    • One gallon of hot water
    • Three tablespoons of dish soap
    • One half-cup of baking soda
  • Commercial products, such as soot and smoke removers or citrus degreasers
  • A vacuum cleaner to remove dust and particulates from the walls
  • A bleach mixture composed of equal parts of bleach and water 
  • A steam cleaner to blast away the odor from walls, ceilings, carpets, and hard furniture

 

clean nicotine from walls

 

Contact PURE Environmental To Help Remove Cigarette Smoke Stains and Odor From Your Walls

There’s nothing quite like the stench of stale cigarette smoke wafting around your home.

It can seep into your clothes and squelch your social life. 

Unpleasant smells caused by cigarette smoke not only affect your lifestyle but can also diminish your property value and trigger adverse health effects. 

For odor removal services in Portland and Tacoma, do yourself a favor and let the experts at Pure Environmental help remove cigarette smoke stains and odor from your walls and give your home a fresh start.

At Pure Environmental, we employ the most up-to-date PurAyr™ nanotechnology that allows us to rapidly remove embedded odors — without the use of chemicals.

With the science of the Advanced Oxidation Process (AOP), we do more than just eliminate odors — we eradicate fine particulate matter that contaminates the air and surfaces of smoked-in homes, including:

  • Smoke
  • Fumes; and
  • Ash 

The result is a sanitized, odor-free environment.

Don’t ignore that unpleasant cigarette smell in your house, call Pure Environmental today and let us make your environment PURE again.

 

how to clean walls from cigarette smoke