Odor – Cigarette Odor: Procedure for Cleaning

This odor procedure for tobacco (cigar, pipe, cigarette) also applies to curry and marijuana damage. All produce an odorous film on surfaces. Damage levels vary. This procedure completely removes all odor producing materials on most assignments. A few will be so damaged that this procedure serves as a preparation for painting.

Supplies:

  • Contractor bags

  • Microfiber cloths and mop heads – 5” and 19”

  • Swivel-head microfiber mop – 5” and 19”

    5-Gallon Buckets

Equipment:

  • PPE – White Coveralls, MaxAir Respirators, Nitrile Gloves (6 mil)

  • Foamer, electric

  • Orbital scrubber – battery operated hand-held and telescopic

  • Backpack sprayer, electric

  • ULV fogger, electric

  • Thermal fogger, electric

  • 6 mil Containment (to protect electronics or sensitive items)

Chemistry:

  • Degreaser – mix with warm water 50% and 50% Degreaser

    • Add booster odor removing agent

  • Hydrogen peroxide and quat disinfectant (e.g., Artemis Chem Decon A & B)

  • Chlorine dioxide mist (ProKure, 500 ppm)

  • Citrus-based deodorizer (fogged)

  • Thermal fogging agent (e.g., Thermo-55 Tobacco Neutralizer)

  • Vital Oxide (for cleaning doors, shelves, cabinets)

  • Window Cleaner (for cleaning interior widows and bathroom mirrors)

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Pre-Clean Inspection

  • Inspect the space for severity of contamination. Note discoloration, sticky residues, and painted-over damage. Photograph all areas.

  • Painting over damage in many cases prevents the job from being done, or being done well. Customer has to be advised of this.

Step 2: Pre Clean Demolition

  • Porous materials should be identified and removed, especially textiles, such as carpets, drapes, blankets, clothing, furniture, etc.

    • Textiles have no EPA method for disinfecting. They should be removed.

  • It is preferred that all contents are removed from the structure before the smoke odor cleaning is initiated.

Step 3: First Surface Treatment

  • Dry mop all painted surfaces.

  • Apply degreaser (with booster) to painted surfaces.

    • Do not cover 100%. Cover closer to 50%.

  • Scrub surfaces using orbital brushes, covering 100% of the painted surfaces. Let dwell for 5-10 minutes.

  • Remove chemistry with microfiber mops.

  • Repeat this step one more time.

Step 4: Second Surface Treatment

  • Apply Chem Decon A/B to all surfaces.

    • Do not cover 100%. Cover closer to 50%.

  • Scrub surfaces using orbital brushes, covering 100% of the painted surfaces. Let dwell for 5-10 minutes.

  • Remove chemistry with microfiber mops.

  • Repeat this step one more time.

Step 5: Cleaning Discrete Items

  • Bathroom items (counter tops, vanity – inside and outside, light fixtures, toilet, tub, shower, etc.) are to be wiped down with Vital Oxide, or Chem Decon A/B, thoroughly.

  • Kitchen items (counter tops, cabinets – inside and outside, light fixtures, appliances, etc.) are to be wiped down with Vital Oxide, or Chem Decon A/B, thoroughly.

  • Appliances (washer, dryer, hot water heater) are to be wiped down, outside, with Vital Oxide, or Chem Decon A/B, thoroughly.

  • Light Fixtures – hanging, recessed, any – are to be wiped down, outside, with Vital Oxide, or Chem Decon A/B, thoroughly.

Step 6: First Volume Airspace Treatment

  • Use ProKure backpack sprayer to lightly mist all surfaces with ProKure V 500 ppm solution. Mist sufficient to get wet but not drip or run. It should dry on its own.

Step 7: Second Volume Airspace Treatment

  • Using ULV fogger, thoroughly wet fog with Citric Acid solution the complete volume airspace, getting inside cabinets and onto all surfaces.

Step 8: Third Volume Airspace Treatment

  • For cigarette smoke odor final thermal fogging is done with Thermo55 Tobac-Attack. This produces the smallest particle micron size to penetrate nooks and crannies and further eliminate odor-producing contaminants.

Step 9: Final Cleaning

  • Clean windows and window sills. Clean finished floors with Unitex.

Step 10: Documentation

  • Capture before/after photos, ATP scores, and chemical usage. Note any recommendations for repainting or HVAC cleaning.

By following this procedure, cigarette and other film odor can be thoroughly neutralized through layered cleaning and fogging, restoring the living space to a clean and odor-free or near odor-free condition. Exceedingly impacted structures may required painting after all surfaces have been cleaned. Painting over damaged surfaces is highly discouraged.

If an odor is reduced from a 10 to a 2, over time the 2 will dissipate as odor releases into the airspace over a short period of time. Further, when the family moves in with new carpet, new drapes, and their own clothes, and start cooking bacon and washing clothes, the family’s own scents will further diminish any residual odor.

We limit ourselves to two degreasings, and two A/B’s. This completely cleans the surfaces. Anything else is embedded in pores and in some cases takes a dozen cleanings to finally leach out all the embedded odor. The leachate is very minor compared to the gross surface contamination, but it is still visible.