My apartment reeks of cigarettes thanks to my ex roomates, how can i get rid of the smell?

Answer 1

1. Get all your upholstered furniture steam cleaned usually runs about $150.00 for a couch.
2. If that is too expensive:
Completely cover the piece of furniture you’re cleaning with baking soda and then rub it and pat it into the fabric so it gets as far into it as possible. Let it sit overnight and then vacuum it all back up.
3. rent a carpet shampooer or call a pro to clean them.
4. if that is too expensive:
Fill a large tub with bicarbonate of soda (baking soda), add a few drops of essential oil and mix well. Lavender smells nice, but the flavor is up to you. Sprinkle the mixture liberally over the carpet, let it sit for at least four hours and then just vacuum it up. Repeat as necessary.
5. to clean your walls:
In a large bowl or bucket mix one cup of white vinegar for every two cups of warm water, then add a scoop of baking soda – it should fizz. Use a sponge mop or brush to wash down your walls and ceilings with it. This solution will make residue much easier to remove and should be easy on your paint too. Follow this up with a vinegar based window washer for windows (can be found in organic grocery stores), and your basic bubbly vinegar/baking soda mix on the window moldings.


that should do it.

Answer 2

Get some boxes of baking soda - they are very cheap - and leave them open everywhere. I would buy about 20 of them! Then, open the windows as often as you can. Once the smell isn't actively happening, the smell will disappear. It will take some time, but it will happen. A lot of people recommend things like Febreze, but let me tell you...Febreze only masks the smell for a little while. It doesn't eliminate it completely. Wash everything you can wash by hand or in the washing machine - sometimes more than once. Wipe down all of the walls with a good, safe mixture of bleach and water. (More water than bleach.) Dust everywhere you can dust. Vacuum several times a day. Change the bag or empty the bagless canister after each use. Don't forget to vacuum all of the furniture as much as you possibly can. Oh! Don't forget to use the attachment on your vacuum cleaner up on the ceiling!

The smell WILL go away. Be patient. Remember..sprays and candles don't really work. Wash, scrub, dust and vacuum. And I saw where someone mentioned sprinkling baking soda. That can work, but the boxes of baking soda will help absorb the odor better than sprinkling it will.

Answer 3

Best odor eliminator is charcoal. You can buy a great little carbon odor absorber called FRIDGE IT. It is a little purple cube with an activated carbon filter inside that is really great. It works so much better than sprays and baking soda and all those fragrances that just cover up smells and don't get rid of them. I also don't really like sprays that have warning statements about eye irritants. Just place some around the house and you can also use for lots of other areas including fridge and under sinks. No messy pieces or carbon powder to worry about. The carbon filter in this product literally eliminates the odors and works for a long time. I have friends that use it on cat litter box and also diaper pails - it's that good. I really recommend it and it's not expensive. You can buy it in kitchen gadget sections in stores like walmart and linens and things. I also think camping world sells it. Definitely worth trying. It's the best product for any odors around the house.

Answer 4

You may even need to paint if it is that bad. But prime it with Kilz first or the nicotine & stuff will come right through your new paint! You might pay someone $100 bucks to come in and clean real good with bleach and degreaser as well as wash the walls and ceiling, have your carpet & furniture steam cleaned. Open the apartment up and let some fresh air in as much as possible. Wash blinds and curtains. It would be worth it! It could take a while to get that smell out.

Answer 5

Tide Laundry detergent mixed with warm water does a good job on the walls, about 1/4 scoop per gallon. Remove all drapery and wash, you can soak plastic blinds in your bathtub in a bleachy water for about half an hour, then hang up to dry. Woolite carpet and upholstry cleaner (the foam spray stuff) works pretty good on the carpeting. Use ectra strength freebreeze, soak the furniture in it. Burn a lot of glade candles and some incense, leave windows open when possible. It should take about a month for the smell to go away. I used strawberry glade candles and strawberry incense.

Answer 6

If you can, open a window. When someone smokes, the cigarette smell goes into everything, from carpet, walls, tile, furniture, clothes, curtains.. You will want to start off by cleaning walls, window sills, ceiling (if you can). then you'll want to clean the carpet. Use carpet deodorizer on the carpet, and vaccum. The furniture will need to be cleaned. If the curtains are washer friendly, wash them very well. If not, just move them outside for a little while and let them air out. Good luck.

Answer 7

Unfortunately there is more to it than just fabreeze or Odo whatever.

The smoke permeates the fabric in your curtains and upholstery.

You will probably find a yellow film on the celings and walls and windows.

All the clothes in your closet, towels etc.

You will have to wash the smell away first and then the other products will / should help.

Smoke particles cling to dust as well so when you turn on your computer it will blow smoke smell unless you clean the dust off the fan.

It's a big pain in the butt.

Good luck.

Answer 8

Place bowls of vinegar around (vinegar will really soak up the smell). Especially where the smell is the strongest. Also open all windows. Do this for a few days.
Febreeze will help get it out of fabrics (like couches and chairs). Also, wash all the clothing in your apartment, including- rugs, towels, and anything that can go in the washer or be washed.

Answer 9

sprinkly baking soda, a lot, on the carpet and furniture. Vac it off after 20 minutes. Wipe down the walls, floor, cabinets and counter tops with Pin Sol. Light a lot of scented candles. Before long the smell will be replaced with the candles.

Answer 10

I recently quit smoking, and the smell in my apartment was horrendous. To completely get rid of the smell I had to: wash every article of clothing, blankets, and curtains; had the carpet and all furniture professionally cleaned; and repainted all of the walls. Yes, it was a lot of work, but well worth it.