One of the more taxing clean-up jobs is getting rid of the smell of cigarette smoke in a Dearborn rental home. Whether you allow your tenants to smoke, didn’t take into account integrating your smoking policy in the lease, or if you did and had a strict no-smoking policy, you may, moreover, still be left to deal with the smelly work of cleaning up the terrible odors left behind. And it’s not just about the smell; cigarette smoke leaves residual contamination on walls, fabrics, and other surfaces. Known as “thirdhand smoke,” this residue could present a health risk to future tenants and must be taken very seriously.
To help make your clean-up job as beneficial as possible, here are some cleaning tips suggested by the pros.
Air it Out
The best place to start when all set to clean up after cigarette smoke is to air out every room in your rental house. Open all windows and doors to let in the fresh air, and make use of fans or an air purifier to circulate the air. There are air purifiers, in particular, designed to clear the smell of cigarette smoke from the air. If your budget allows, this is possibly a reliable option. Anyhow, you may need to leave the fans running for as long as possible – probably even numerous days – to help alleviate the smell.
Wipe Everything Down
As you’re airing out your rental, your next step is to wipe down every surface in every room – starting with the ceilings. Making use of the cleaning product of your choice, wipe down smooth ceilings with a wet cloth. For popcorn ceilings, put your cleaning solution in a spray bottle and easily spray on the whole surface.
Also while working on the ceilings, take into consideration cleaning the light fixtures and ceiling fans up there, too! Wipe the tops and bottoms of ceiling fan blades to warrant that the odor isn’t being recirculated back into the house.
Working your way downward, clean walls with the same cleaning product and a cloth. Make certain to clean the tops of the door trim, baseboard, and other nooks and crannies.
Having said that, it’s primal to also know that just cleaning the walls customarily won’t get rid of the smell. And paint will help, but it won’t clean up the smell, either. To effortlessly remove the cigarette smoke smell, you will need to make use of an odor-sealing primer, then a good quality paint over the top.
Wash the Windows
Along with the walls, it’s very important to provide all of the windows and window coverings in your rental property a deep clean. If you have blinds, that implies wiping down each piece of the blinds on both sides. Clean the windows with your favorite glass cleaner, then wipe down the frames and sills.
If your rental has fabric shades or curtains, determine to see if you can wash them in a washing machine. If not, you may want to consider replacing them completely. Cigarette smoke is very taxing to get out of fabric.
Sanitize Cabinets and Counters
Take into account cleaning the inside and outside of kitchen and bathroom cabinets, closets, and drawers. Go through each one, clean up any debris, and then wipe down both inside and out with a cleaning solution. For countertops and islands, use a sanitizing cleaner to rid them of smoke residue. If the smoke smell persists, try putting a bowl of dry coffee grounds or white vinegar inside the smelly cabinet or drawer and leaving it there for several days. This may help dispose of the cigarette smell.
Deodorize Floors
Once you’ve cleaned everything above floor level, it’s time to deal with your carpets and hard surface floors. One way to help remove the smoke smell from carpets is to sprinkle baking soda over the entire carpet, let it sit for at least an hour, and then vacuum. Many Dearborn property managers decide to hire professional carpet cleaners when preparing a rental for a new tenant. They may be able to get the odor from the carpet. In many cases, however, the best option is to replace the carpets and pad all the way.
For hard surface floors, clean thoroughly by mopping with a reliable disinfectant. If you’ve got different floors to clean, change your mop water often to make certain that the smoke smell isn’t just getting spread back around.
Although labor-intensive and time-consuming, by taking these steps, you can take out the smell of cigarette smoke and get it back to a clean, fresh-smelling rental.
Still, if deep cleaning your rental property is something other than what you’d aspire to spend your time on, study about giving the professionals at Real Property Management Metro Detroit a call. We can help with everything from cleaning services to finding a nice new tenant for you – and much more! Contact us online today to see what we can do for you.
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