Nicotine/Yellowing of walls

[Skillie#1]

Hi.

I am looking for advice to try and clean my walls. Previous owner was chain smoker and walls and ceiling are yellowish (not the paint colour, since borders where made where portrait etc where hanging). I would like to paint but I am not sure if the stains will cause the new paint peel with time and even perhaps cause the new paint to turn yellow with time. I have tried sugar soap and white vinegar so far with no effect. Anybody that has had the same problem and had a good solution? I am looking forward to your comments.

 

[Venomous]

If you've washed it with those then it should be good to paint over. While the colour stain might still be there, you've probably washed off the actual nicotine layer

 

[Kosmik]

When we bought our house, we had the same issue. If you do a proper paint prep, you will be fine. Wash, sand and proper paint in two coats, we used double velvet.

Check the b6elow.




I don't want to ever see their lungs. Oh, it took a good couple of days to air the place out when we moved in, the smell was everywhere.

 

[Totempole]

When we bought our house, we had the same issue. If you do a proper paint prep, you will be fine. Wash, sand and proper paint in two coats, we used double velvet.

Check the b6elow.

View attachment 685239
View attachment 685241

I don't want to ever see their lungs. Oh, it took a good couple of days to air the place out when we moved in, the smell was everywhere.

Based on what I'm seeing on those walls, I would have guessed the sale of the house was part of a deceased estate.

 

[Kosmik]

Based on what I'm seeing on those walls, I would have guessed the sale of the house was part of a deceased estate.

Nope, the elderly couple downsized but that was from like 20 years living there.

 

[Zoomzoom]

Can I paint over nicotine stained walls?

You will have to clean and prepare the walls properly before you paint, to prevent the smoke and nicotine from bleeding through again. Wash the walls with an aggressive cleaner and then seal them with stain-blocking primer to ensure that stains don't creep through later.

How to Paint Over a Heavy Smokers' Walls | Home Guides | SF Gate

 

[Meelperd]

advice to try and clean my walls

Good old Handy Andy, not diluted too much, and if you want to add some real punch to the cleaning: get pure ammonia cleaner (Handy Andy in it's heydays) from most plumbing supply stores. Forget the sugar soap and vinegar - it's a waste of time.

not the paint colour, since borders where made where portrait etc where hanging

Keep in mind that paint also fades over time, even if exposed to indirect sunlight. Thus, if the cleaning doesn't do the trick, you know that it's the paint that faded or most likely a combination of both.

new paint peel with time

• Make sure you don't paint with water-based paint over an oil-based coat or vice versa.
• If you clean the wall thoroughly and sand if necessary, the paint will stick and last.

Do everything as thoroughly as you can. This takes time and patience, but it's the only way.

 

[swakop_toe]

Scrub all the surfaces with this.
All you need.

Then a good undercoat/primer.

 

[Meelperd]

Scrub all the surfaces with this.
All you need.

Then a good undercoat/primer.

Confused sugar soap with baking soda. (giraffe sticks head in sand)

 

[Venomous]

Confused sugar soap with baking soda. (giraffe sticks head in sand)

We'll forgive you this time!

But only once


For brushes during scrubbing. Those half sized kiddie brooms from westpack, with hard bristles, work great as its handle extends your reach

 

[AstroTurf]

Bleach and sugar soap have very similar ph levels.

I would add a teaspoon of thick bleach to every 1l of sugar soap mix if you want to kill the smells and sterilise the walls a bit before painting.

 

[RonSwanson]

You don't have to scrub anything. See the tar as extra waterproofing, just paint straight over it with a reasonable quality acrylic PVA.

 

[Skillie#1]

Thanks for all the advise so far, I will try to update with what I have done. Currently I am leaning towards light sanding of the walls, before painting since it may be easier using electric sander vs washing scrubbing by hand (with a product that works). Will just wash off the dust, afterwards before starting to paint.

 

[Skillie#1]

Just a side note: Sugar Soap did not work for me.

 

[swakop_toe]

Just a side note: Sugar Soap did not work for me.

What outcome did you expect?

 

[swakop_toe]

What outcome did you expect?

To be clearer. The sugarsoap is used to prep the area for the ondercoat/primer paint layer.
It is for better adhesion, primarily.

 

[Steamy Tom]

I agree with Ron, just paint it.

 

[Prawnapple]

If you're going to go scrubbing / scraping, etc, be sure to wear a nose-mouth mask and gloves. You don't want nicotine poisoning from inhaling bits of nicotine in the air. It's a real thing.

 

[Steamy Tom]

If you're going to go scrubbing / scraping, etc, be sure to wear a nose-mouth mask and gloves. You don't want nicotine poisoning from inhaling bits of nicotine in the air. It's a real thing.

nicotine is great for you

 

[Skillie#1]

Thanks for all the feedback and sorry for the delayed reply. I ended up going the route of washing the walls and gave it a light sanding with 120 grid. It has been close to an year now and all is still fine. So in the event someone else is in the same situation, this worked for me.