Nicotine smell from wallpaper DIY hints, tips and solutions to the removal and repair of marked and stained areas

[fran9999]

Help!

I used to smoke but gave up recently. I recently painted my front room white and it looks lovely. I used water based emulsion on ceilings and walls. However, now it has dried for over 3 weeks, I can smell a sweet stale odour which, when I smell the walls, is coming from them, I can only assume it is old nicotine.

bearing in mind, the walls are white, how can I get this smell out without damaging the paper or finish?


Or will I have to repaint / prime? If I have to prime it, can anyone tell me what with? If I have to gently wash it how do I avoid the yellow streaks that run from it?

HELP, am at wits end as the smell won;t go... :(

[spursone]

Just a quick question before I give you any advice (I have been a decorator for 20 years) Did you paint over the original wallpaper from when you was a smoker ? as in your question you said "without damaging the paper"

Regards, Steve

[rigga]

fran9999
I am assuming you have painted over wallpaper, the problem is that nicotine has saturated the wall paper and is soluble in water based paints. You will only stop this smell if you remove the wallpaper and wash the walls down to remove any traces of nicotine and then re-paint. This will benefit you as the white emulsion will be whiter, as nicotine stains the resin in emulsion paints slightly yellow. I have in the past used a product called Clasidure which is a special water based paint used where coal tar stains are present, its an excellent product but expensive if you do not want to remove the paper.