How to Get Cigarette Smell Out of a House You Plan to Sell

If you’re a smoker trying to sell your home, or you’re selling a home for a family member who smokes, you likely have some work to do before putting the house on the market. The strong smell of cigarette smoke gets into walls and carpet. It turns buyers off and can even lower the value of the home. In order to sell for a decent price, it pays to learn how to get rid of the smell of tobacco. 

Why it Pays to Get the Cigarette Smell Out of a House

Not only are many of today’s buyers turned off by the odor of cigarette smoke and nicotine stains; they are highly aware of the health effects of second-hand and even third-hand smoke (the residue that nicotine leaves on surfaces). Since 2011, the city of St. Louis has banned smoking inside government and public buildings to protect its residents from breathing in carcinogens. In 2023, St. Louis County passed a law that prohibits smoking in county buildings and parks, all public places, and all indoor places of employment. With so much emphasis on eliminating nicotine from the air we breathe, many home buyers do not want to risk moving into a home where smoke has been lingering in flooring, fabrics, walls, and other hard surfaces for years. 

Even as far back as 2013, research was being done to show how smoking in the home affected the chances of selling. A study by Pfizer Canada which surveyed nearly 400 realtors found that most buyers are less likely to purchase a home where people have smoked, and that many buyers are actually unwilling to buy a home where people have smoked. A third of all the realtors surveyed said smoking lowers a home’s value by up to 29 percent. That’s reason enough to learn how to get the cigarette smell out of a house before selling!

7 Ways to Get the Smoke Smell Out of a House 

Eliminating odors requires much more than spraying Febreeze or lighting candles. In fact, many buyers can tell if you’re trying to mask something that stinks. To get rid of the smell of tobacco entirely, you will need to take the following measures. 

Get Rid of Furniture

Smoke saturates fabric and even leather furniture, so removing furniture (including mattresses) entirely from the home is a good first step in getting rid of the pungent odor. You will probably need to stay somewhere else temporarily while taking the next steps to get your home ready to sell. Unless you plan to sell as-is, your realtor can move staging furniture back in when it comes time for showing. 

Clean or Replace Carpets 

If you’re in a big hurry to sell, steam cleaning carpets and using a deodorizing enzyme powder may have to do. However, nicotine makes its way all the way through to the carpet pad, so a deep clean probably won’t be enough to remove the odor completely. Ripping up the old stuff, scrubbing the flooring underneath, and laying new carpet is the best way to start fresh. 

Wash or Replace Curtains, Drapes, and Blinds

Since fabric tends to hold onto the smoke smell, you’ll need to thoroughly launder all window treatments. Depending on the fabric, some can be washed in the washing machine, but others will need to be professionally steam cleaned. Nicotine also stays on hard surfaces including blinds, so it’s best to clean them in the bathtub with soap and water, or outside with ammonia and a hose. Again, if the odor does not disappear from window treatments, consider replacing them or leaving them off all together. 

Wash and Paint Walls and Ceilings

Nicotine and tar from smoking create a yellowish discoloration on walls, especially toward the ceiling since smoke rises. It takes a lot more than dish soap and water to clean smoke-stained walls. You’ll need to use a 3:1 mixture of vinegar and water, or Trisodium phosphate (TSP) which is a strong, general purpose cleaning product. If washing doesn’t eliminate the smell from walls and ceilings, your next best bet is to repaint them all. Just make sure to use an odor-neutralizing primer like Kilz first, or the smell will eventually seep back through the paint.

Clean or Replace HVAC Components

Your decision regarding what to do with the HVAC systems depends on how much you’re willing to invest to make a profit. Cigarette smoke coats the condenser coils of the air conditioner and leaves a pungent coating throughout your ductwork. The cheapest route is to have air ducts professionally cleaned, change the air filter, and clean the evaporator coil. But if smoke has been building up in the system for years, the entire HVAC system may need to be replaced to get the smoke smell out of the house. Of course, this can cost $10,000 on average, so you’ll need to do the math to determine how much a new system will increase the value of the home. 

Change the Light Bulbs

This is something many homeowners don’t think about, but anecdotal reports suggest that smoke residue gets stuck to light bulbs, then the bulbs release smoke odors when they are turned on. Replacing incandescent bulbs with higher-efficiency bulbs may help since they don’t get as hot. 

Neutralize the Air

Cigarette smoke lingers in the air, so it’s likely that there will still be evidence of tobacco even after cleaning surfaces and removing fabrics. Placing odor absorbing materials like vinegar, charcoal, citrus peels, or coffee grounds around the home before showing it can make the smell less noticeable.   

What If I Still Can’t Get Rid of the Smell of Tobacco?

When moderate measures don’t work, or you just don’t have time to do all of the above, it’s probably time to call in the experts. There are multiple odor removal companies in the St. Louis area who know how to get the smoke smell out of a house. Your realtor can recommend a company he or she has worked with before, or you can call a local business such as Bio-One of St. Louis or SERVPRO. 

What sounds like an overwhelming job can be made much easier with an expert realtor at Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Select Properties. We will offer advice that’s customized to your particular budget and timeframe, and help you get the best price for your home.  Contact us today to get started.

Cover Image by Prostock-studio purchased on Envato Elements