The smell of smoke can be a major red flag in any home. For all of you buyers out there, don’t count those smoky houses out just yet. If the price is right, it might be worth it for you to make the investment. That smell doesn’t have to be there to stay! As for those of you who are trying to sell, if your home has a smoky odor, do yourself a favor and get rid of it before your next buyer walks in the door. Keep reading for some helpful tips to get rid of that smoky smell for good!
Carpet
To start, sprinkle baking soda onto your carpets and upholstered furniture. A light dusting will work fine. Let the baking soda sit for up to 72 hours, then vacuum it up. If the carpets still don’t smell as fresh as you’d like them to, try steam cleaning them. You can do this yourself or hire a carpet cleaning service to do this for you. In extreme cases, it may be worth it to go ahead and replace the carpet. Be sure to scrub the floor underneath to get rid of all traces of smoke before laying your new carpet.
Walls and Hard Surfaces
Wipe down EVERYTHING. From the walls to the windows to every hard surface. This includes cabinets, drawers, dressers, and window sills – inside and out. Use an ammonia-based cleaner (white vinegar can work well on certain types of paint) and scrub, scrub, scrub. Always do a spot test first! Don’t forget the mirrors and windows. Smoke tends to leave a thin layer of residue on these surfaces that can bring back the smoky smell when warmed up.
After scrubbing the walls, consider repainting them. Start with a sealing primer, then add the new paint. This will hold any remaining odors in and give your home a fresh, clean look (and smell)!
Change it Out
Some things will just hold onto that smoky smell no matter what you do, so it’s best to replace them. Step one, replace the air filters. These are designed to trap odors. No matter how many times you try to clean them, that smoky smell will probably remain trapped inside. You don’t want this to continue to circulate throughout your house, so change them out.
If sprinkling baking soda on your upholstered furniture doesn’t work, think about switching out your furniture pieces for new ones. Really anything that’s upholstered or fabric might need to go. If you’re moving out and don’t want to replace your furniture, just take those pieces out for now. This will help your home appear more move-in ready when those potential buyers come along.
Whether you’re hoping to buy or sell, let Missouri Home, Farm & Land Realty, LLC help with your real estate needs! Contact us on our website or give us a call at 417-777-3300. For more buying and selling tips, check out our other blog posts.