Cigarette smoke contains more than 4,000 different chemicals, so it’s unsurprising that lighting up a cigarette indoors will cause staining on the walls. If you’re doing up a house that has smoke-stained walls, you probably feel a little disheartened. Getting these stains out, and the horrible smell that comes with them, can be quite tricky, but there are a few tricks you can try. Here’s how to remove cigarette smoke from walls.

When the cigarette is lit, nicotine and tar start to burn and are released into the air. The nasty particles settle on the surfaces and walls of your house and harden over time. The more you smoke indoors, the more discoloured your walls will become.

According to the Dulux Decorator Centre blog, you can’t just paint over nicotine walls. Nicotine and tar seep into the walls and leave a stain that will bleed into the coats of paint. You need to clean and prime the walls before you paint them, otherwise, the stains will persist.

‍

Cleaning walls

Cleaning nicotine off walls using T.S.P. (trisodium phosphate) requires several steps. Here's how you can do it:

1. First, prepare the cleaning solution by mixing trisodium phosphate (T.S.P.) with warm water in a bucket. Follow the manufacturer's instructions for the correct ratio of T.S.P. to water, typically 1/2 cup of T.S.P. per gallon of water. Now add 1 ounce of Pinesoland mix

2. Put on gloves, protective eyewear, and a mask to protect yourself from the chemicals and fumes.

3. Dip a sponge or cloth into the T.S.P. solution and wring it out to remove excess water. Use cotton cloths for first wipe and microcloths for final wash and rinse. You may also consider using a doodle bug t(with several replacement pads) to wash walls.

4. Start cleaning the nicotine off the walls, working from the bottom to top in small sections. Apply the T.S.P. solution to thewalls and let it sit for a 10 –15 seconds to allow it to break down the nicotine film. On the second was, let the TSP solution wall and let it sit for about a minute and then wash

5. Scrub the area walls and pay extra attention to any particularly stubborn stains/corners.

6. Once you have scrubbed the area thoroughly, use a clean sponge or microclothto wipe away the cleaning solution and nicotine residue.

7. Rinse the sponge or cloth regularly with clean water to avoid spreading the nicotine stains to other areas of the wall.

8. Continue cleaning in small sections until the entire wall is clean. Repeat the process until nicotine stops dirtying loth

9. After cleaning, rinse the walls with clean water to remove any residual T.S.P. solution.

10. Allow the walls to air dry completely before repainting or applying any other finishes.

‍

It's important to note that T.S.P. can cause skin irritation and respiratory issues if inhaled. Follow all safety precautions, including wearing protective gear and working in a well-ventilated area.