Just found out my renter smokes, violating her lease. How do I get rid of the smell so I can sell the house?
I heard you have to install new carpet, get rid of the drapes, wash all walls with tsp or base-coat them with kilz, then use regular paint , get rid of the furniture and get air ducts cleaned.I'm sending her a violation of lease notice with 30 days to remedy and want to itemize what she needs. Thanks!
We got a great deal on a house because it was horrible with cigarette smoke. My huband is a painter and you definately need to kilz or use Sherwin Williams PROBLOCK oil base and an oil based paint as a top coat. we removed the carpet and replaced it but I am sure you can get it steam cleaned and get the curtains cleaned, but I would make sure that the dry cleaners knows they need to remove the smoke odor. If you hire professionals to clean the furniture remind them that they are removing smokers damage. We did not get the air ducts cleaned but you really should, the smell does come through them on occassion. If you are selling the house, maybe remove the furniture and sell it vacant. if you decide to replace the carpet, let the buyers pick the colors, it's a big help. Good luck.
You heard wrong. All you have to do is steam clean the carpets and furniture, and steam or dry clean the drapes. You can paint the walls. It's not gonna be all that expensive.
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brother worked at hotel – where smoking and non-smoking rooms were used based on demand – they did not even need to do all of the above to make it acceptable to non-smokers.
the carpets should be ok with a professional cleaning (not a personal use rental machine) unless there is burn or ash damage, in which case, it would need to be replaced. kilz is the right way to go for the walls, then follow up with 2 coats of latex based paint (one coat might still allow some of the cigarette tar to bleed through) drapes should be ok with dry cleaning, as that would remove any oil (including cigarette tar) change the heater filters, and if there is a swamp cooler, it will need a new pad as well. some carpet cleaning companies will steam clean furniture as well, so that might reduce the expense for new furniture, but call them first, because not all of them do it.
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my hubby does home repair/remodeling
The smoking may be a violation of the lease, however if the tenant is paying rent on time and not causing any other problems than smoking you have to give them the standard time to leave. You just do not have to renew their lease. The costs of upkeep on the lease property can be written off in most states on your income taxes as rental property write offs. The painting and stuff can just come out of the renters security deposit if you feel that the renter has totally deteriorated your property. The other issue is to make sure it is the tenant smoking and not guests. Accusing the tenant is not a great move, they do have a right to have guests visit. The smell factor is a simple matter of a good steam cleaning. You do not have to get rid of furniture and drapes. A steamer cleaner and rug shampooer with a concentrated cleanser will get rid of most if the smell. A good vacuum suck out and arm and hammer baking soda will clean the smell out of the vents.
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dont mess with them or they might just really ruin the place, depends on how trashy or vindictive they are. why not just sell the house to smokers, most people just redo the house anyway.
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We got a great deal on a house because it was horrible with cigarette smoke. My huband is a painter and you definately need to kilz or use Sherwin Williams PROBLOCK oil base and an oil based paint as a top coat. we removed the carpet and replaced it but I am sure you can get it steam cleaned and get the curtains cleaned, but I would make sure that the dry cleaners knows they need to remove the smoke odor. If you hire professionals to clean the furniture remind them that they are removing smokers damage. We did not get the air ducts cleaned but you really should, the smell does come through them on occassion. If you are selling the house, maybe remove the furniture and sell it vacant. if you decide to replace the carpet, let the buyers pick the colors, it's a big help. Good luck.
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