removing cigarette oder

[malojeer]

We are currently looking at a 01 30ft majestic that a friends mother in law owns, the only thing wrong with the rv is the elderly lady smoked in it and has a strong oder of cigarettes in it. Since me and my wife are non smokers do you have any advice in getting rid of smell? Should we pass on it. Any advice would be appreciated.

[Bumpyroad]

I'm reminded of a Newmar class A that I saw in Elkhart at "Star" IIRC that was beautiful. It stank, they tried everything they could and nothing worked. yes you might get most out but the first high humidity, high temperature day and the stink would return.
Unless you are satisfied to live with the stink, pass.
bumpy

[coolmom42]

Pass.

A friend of mine bought a truck that had been ozone treated. When you got in it on a warm (not even hot) day you could still smell the smoke. He had it re-treated and it got a little better. But still on a hot day you could smell it.

I would never ever buy a vehicle of any type that had the slightest smoke odor.

[JT]

Why buy a stinky rig and go to the hassle and expense of cleaning it (with no guarantees that the smell and other smoke damage residue will be removed completely) when there are plenty of non-stinky ones available? Pass; maybe the sellers can find a smoker to unload it on. :R

[jjrbus]

If you don't like the smell, don't buy it! Even a professional restoration company will never get rid of the smell completely!

Talk about cleaning, look at the AC evaporator, that has to be completely cleaned among many many other things. Jim

[Dick_B]

It can't be removed. The smokey air gets behind the walls and deep into the stuffed furniture and no amount of cleaning will get rid of it.

[Dusty_R]

I helped do a remodel in an office building once. In one area there were 3 sided office cubicles. After all the shelving and side walls were removed and the main wall was still standing. You could see which cubicles had smoking occupants. And even where each shelf was in the smokers cubicles.

Dusty

[Dusty_R]

I helped do a remodel in an office building once. In one area there were 3 sided office cubicles. After all the shelving and side walls were removed and the main wall was still standing. You could see which cubicles had smoking occupants. And even where each shelf was in the smokers cubicles.

Dusty

[gbopp]

I would probably pass and find another unit, there are plenty available.

However, if the owner allows it, get a ozone generator. Rent, borrow or buy, they're not very expensive.
Run it in the unit for a day and see if it brings the odor to an acceptable level.

If it does, you'll still have to clean the RV after the purchase. But, you will know it is manageable.

Cigarette smoke/odor is tough to eliminate.

[midnightsadie]

rock,got it, the only way to get rid of the left over tar, cost couple bucks but well worth it, and you don,t need to tell your friends.

[rockhillmanor]

ditto
Being able to know the owner personally when buying an RV is priceless. IMHO worth the little added expense of having a restoration company clean it.

[summerhouse]

It would definitely be a job for a professional restoration type company. Contact one in your area and ask questions.
I would definitely inquire on not just odor removal, but a total cleaning; walls fabrics etc.
They have the proper proven equipment and will guarantee their results, so if an additional cleaning is necessary they won't re-charge.
I think going that route, you will have success. If you are getting a good coach, for a good price the price of a professional cleaning will be worth the money spent. Perhaps call, get the price of the professional cleaning and negotiate all or perhaps half/split the cost off the price of the coach? Good luck with it!

Let us know what you decide to do!!

[ron_dittmer]

I agree that it will be extremely difficult to permanently remove cigarette odors. I did on a car I bought, but I had the entire interior out of the car including the carpet, scrubbed and power washed everything including the cloth seats. As for the headliner, I did a hot spray & wet-vac on it. The car turned out great but not sure it was worth the effort. The right decision would have been to buy a different car.

On a motor home, you have to thoroughly wash everything. Fabric and carpet will need to be replaced for best results. A fabric ceiling might get damaged from all the hot water rinsing required.

Like others have said, there are health risks that will linger as well.....more than just the smell, some people get sick. Just ask my sister-in-law. Trying to describe it, it's like a different flavor of a mold problem. It takes a lot of determination and care to be successful.

It's kind-of like the story of "The Dead Body In The Trunk Of A Cadillac". But in that case it is totally hopeless.

[rockhillmanor]

If the price is right and the fact that you know the owners I would invest in a restoration company. They can remove the cigarette smell and clean the residues from it off the entire RV. When they are done you will smell nothing in that RV.

Or
Put a couple of bowls of ammonia in the RV. Close it up and let it sit for a few days. This works miracles for eliminating 'any' type of odor. You will still have to wipe down the entire inside to remove the smoke residue which is also where some of the odor comes from.

[Nutinelse2do]

Concern shouldn't be the smell, but the orange/ brown residue that covers everything.... Shades, valances, upholstery, and wall paper. You will never get rid of it. Been there done that. Pass would be my vote

[ernie1]

I'd definitely pass on it. If cigarette smoke bothers you at all, no matter what you do to it you will always smell it. I've tried the ozone treatment but it doesn't work. You may think you have all the odors removed until you have the rv closed for a few days and as soon as you open the doors it'll be there again. Besides, not only is the odor unpleasant but the enviroment is unhealthy. I'm sure some people will say it doesn't bother them and they don't smell it and that's due each individuals sensitivity to cigarette smoke and smells.