Hey everyone, I'm a new member here and I recently bought my first house with my wife - super exciting! Luckily, the previous owner didn't smoke inside the house, but they did smoke heavily in the garage and the smell is really noticeable. We've been mopping the walls and ceiling for hours, but it hasn't helped much at all. I'm wondering if anybody has successfully gotten rid of this smell just by cleaning, or if it's going to require more extensive work? I don't want to waste money on solutions that won't work, especially since we have a baby on the way and funds are tight. I've heard about ozone generators and painting the walls, but I'm open to any advice or opinions you might have!
2 Answers
I’d suggest starting with TSP to scrub those walls, and definitely renting an ozone generator while you’re not in the garage. After that, painting with Kilz restoration will help seal in any remaining odors. Lots of folks have had luck with those methods!
If you really want to tackle it, think about replacing the drywall. I had rental tenants who turned the garage into a smoking room and it took a couple coats of Kilz on the walls and ceiling to mask the smell. If the garage door is wood, don’t forget it could absorb smells too! In some cases, just replacing the drywall really isn’t too expensive compared to the hassle of cleaning it forever.
Yeah, I’ve heard about drywall replacement. I assume there’s insulation behind that could have soaked up smoke too, but it might be worth it to consider, especially for a long-term solution.