Can Painting a Home Interior Get Rid of Smoke Smell?

While many states in the U.S. have banned or restricted smoking in public places, people are free to smoke as much as they want in their own homes. The problem is, no matter how well-ventilated your home may be, or how hard you try to direct the fumes outside, the odor of cigarette smoke has a way of sticking to your interior surfaces. If you decide to quit smoking, you may want to get rid of the stench and stains that have built up over the years. And if you’re looking to sell your home, this odor may devalue your property and turn off potential buyers.

So, what’s the best way to get rid of cigarette smoke smell? You might wonder if applying a new coat of interior paint would do the trick. Let’s discuss whether or not interior painting is a viable option for getting rid of smoke smell, and what else you might do to eliminate the odor.

In short, no; at least, not on its own. Interior painters can tell you that a new coat of paint may temporarily mask smoke smell, but that stench will come right back once the paint’s own odor fades away. Granted, the smell might be less offensive and noticeable than before, but this isn’t the solution you’re looking for. Instead, you must first address the root of the problem.

Sure, it would be nice if a simple home interior painting job could solve the problem, as it would save a lot of time and energy. Unfortunately, cigarette smoke odor is a tough opponent. To truly eliminate this smell, thorough cleaning is in order. Mere soap and water won’t do, either. You must scrub walls and other surfaces with a heavy duty cleaner like TSP (Trisodium Phosphate) or a homemade mixture of ammonia/vinegar and water. Be careful when using these strong chemicals, as they can damage the body via contact, ingestion, or inhalation.

There are other methods for clearing away smoke smell, too, though they’re most effective when used in tandem with the deep cleaning mentioned above. These solutions include laying out bowls of either vinger, charcoal, coffee grounds, or apple halves to absorb the unwanted odor in your home. You might also consider sprinkling baking soda over affected areas like rugs, curtains, and furniture.

Freshening up the air and scrubbing surfaces are necessary steps in eliminating smoke odor. That said, painting is still part of the solution. This is the final step to seal the deal, so to speak. But before you paint, make sure to coat your newly cleaned and dried walls with odor sealing primer first. Doing so will ensure that any remaining smoke odor remains trapped beneath the primer and paint. Ask your residential painting contractor about the best brands and types of odor sealing primers available.

Then, it’s finally time for interior painting. If you have successfully aired out and cleaned your interior surfaces, your residential painting services should have no problem ensuring that the smoke smell stays away and doesn’t return. That is, of course, unless someone starts smoking inside again. But after all that hard work, why do that?

Painting a home interior can help get rid of cigarette smoke smell if and only if the interior was thoroughly cleaned beforehand. If you want to get rid of this stench, ELCO Painting can give you more advice and help you take the proper steps before we get started painting. To learn more about us, and to get a free estimate, give us a call at 401-295-2201!