Q: I inherited a house from a cigarette smoker. How can I remove the residual odor?
A: Cigarette smoke can leave a smelly film over virtually all surfaces exposed to it. The best way to get rid of the odor is to eliminate those tainted surfaces. For example, pull up smelly carpet and replace it. Clean and polish wood furniture, and get rid of upholstered items, as well as dirty window dressings and blinds. Remove vent registers and clean the ducts as best you can. Wash the walls and ceiling and then coat with a stain-sealing primer. You can also use an ozone machine, which circulates O3 through-out the living space (following the same path that the cigarette smoke took) to oxidize the odors away.
