Cigarette smoke is one of the hardest smells to remove from a home because it settles into walls, ceilings, flooring, cabinetry, and even the insulation behind the plasterboard. If you’ve bought, rented, or inherited a property in Frankston with a lingering smoke smell, it can feel difficult to freshen the place up. A lot of people wonder if repainting will get rid of the cigarette smell. The answer is yes, but only when the right preparation and products are used. This guide explains why the smell sticks around, what needs to happen before painting, and how a proper repaint can remove the odour for good. This is especially helpful if you are preparing for interior painting and want to make sure the smoke smell does not come back.
Why Cigarette Smoke Lingers in Homes
Cigarette smoke contains tar and nicotine, which are sticky, oily substances that cling to almost any surface. Over time, they build up and create the yellow or brown staining you see on ceilings and walls. These residues produce strong odours that continue to release smell long after the smoking has stopped, and they contribute to poor indoor air quality.
The bigger issue is how deeply smoke can settle into porous materials. Plaster, timber trims, carpets, soft furnishings, and even insulation can absorb smoke particles. Once the smell is inside these materials, it doesn’t move easily. Opening windows or using diffusers might make the room smell better for a few hours, but it won’t solve the problem. The odour is trapped inside the surfaces of the home, not just floating in the air.
Does Painting Alone Get Rid of the Cigarette Smell?
Painting over smoke-affected walls might seem like the quickest solution, but it won’t remove the smell on its own. In many homes, the odour eventually seeps back through the new paint and becomes noticeable again. This happens because interior paint is breathable. It can cover the colour, but it can’t block the smoke particles sitting underneath the surface. Any remaining tar or nicotine will continue to release odour, and over these contaminants can bleed through the paint.
Many DIY attempts fail for this reason. The home looks cleaner at first, but the cigarette smell slowly returns. Without proper cleaning and an odour-blocking primer, painting alone isn’t enough to eliminate smoke odour.
Essential Cleaning Steps Before Painting
To remove cigarette smell for good, most of the work happens before the paint even goes on. Proper preparation makes the difference between a fresh, clean home and odour returning a few weeks later.
1. Remove Surface Contaminants
Walls, ceilings, trims, and doors need a thorough wash with a strong degreaser or a TSP substitute like the Krud Kutter Pre-Paint Cleaner. This helps break down the oily tar and nicotine residue that regular cleaners can’t lift.
2. Treat Porous Furnishing and Fixtures
If the property still has smoke-affected curtains, carpets, blinds, or soft furnishings, the smell can continue to circulate. Cleaning or replacing these items stops the odour from coming back after painting.
3. Improve Ventilation
Before painting, it helps to clear out any loose smoke particles by letting fresh air move through the property. Open windows, use fans and run air purifiers where possible.
4. Repair and Prepare
Smoke-damaged surfaces can feel sticky or uneven. Sanding, patching and smoothing these areas ensures the primer bonds properly and seals the surface as intended.
How Painting Helps: What Actually Blocks Smoke Odour
Painting can remove cigarette odour for good, but the real work happens in the priming stage. Smoke residue needs to be sealed in so it can no longer release smell, and this requires specialised products and a specific process.
The Role of Specialised Primers
Odour-blocking primers are made to deal with heavy contamination from tar and nicotine. These products soak into the surface and lock in anything that causes odour and staining. Shellac-based and oil-based primers are the strongest options because they:
- Seal smoke residue so it can’t escape
- Prevent brown or yellow nicotine stains from bleeding through
- Create a stable base for the topcoat
A widely used example is Zinsser B-I-N, which is known for its strong odour-sealing performance. In homes with a long history of indoor smoking, these kinds of primers are essential. Regular sanding and washing will not remove all residue on their own.
What Needs Priming
To stop the smell completely, every smoke-affected area must be primed, not just stained spots. This normally includes:
- Walls throughout the home
- Ceilings which often absorb the most smoke
- Trims, doors, skirting boards, and window frames
- Built-in cabinetry such as kitchen cupboards or wardrobes
- Any area with visible yellowing or sticky feel
If any contaminated surface is left unsealed, it can become a new source of odour again.
Step-by-Step: Repainting a Cigarette Smoke Smelling Property
Repainting a smoke-affected home is not the same as a standard interior repaint. The goal is to remove the smell permanently, so each stage needs to be done properly and in the right order. Here is what a professional process usually looks like.
1. Deep Clean All Surfaces
Every smoke-affected area must be washed to remove tar, nicotine, and oily residue. This includes walls, ceilings, trims, doors, cupboards, and built-in cabinetry. A degreaser or TSP substitute is usually required because normal cleaning products cannot break down heavy smoke contamination.
2. Allow Everything to Dry Completely
Surfaces need to be completely dry before any sanding or priming begins. Moisture trapped under primer can cause peeling and prevent odour-blocking products from bonding properly.
3. Sand and Degloss
Sanding removes any sticky patches and gives the primer a better surface to grip. Smoke residue often leaves walls slightly tacky, so this step is important for long-term results.
4. Apply an Odour-Blocking Primer
This is the most critical part of the entire process. An odour-sealing primer is applied to all affected areas to lock in smoke residue. Depending on the property’s condition, a shellac-based or oil-based primer may be recommended.
5. Check for Bleed-Through
Once the primer dries, the surfaces are inspected for any remaining stains or areas where odour might still be escaping. If anything shows through, a second coat of primer may be needed.
6. Apply Two Coats of Premium Interior Paint
After the surface is fully sealed, two coats of high-quality interior paint provide the final finish. This gives the home a fresh, clean look and covers any remaining colour changes.
7. Repaint Trims, Doors, and Ceilings
Smoke often settles heavily on ceilings and trims, so these areas must be repainted for a consistent and odour-free result.
8. Address Other Odour Sources
Even if the painting is done perfectly, the smell can return if the property still has smoke-soaked items. This includes old carpets, curtains, air-conditioning filters, and blinds. Cleaning or replacing these items ensures the entire home stays fresh.
Benefits of Properly Treating and Repainting a Smoke-Damaged Home
Once smoke odour is cleaned, sealed, and painted correctly, the improvements are easy to notice. Here are the key benefits:
- Cleaner and healthier indoor air. Treating smoke residue helps improve the air quality inside the home, which is especially important for families, tenants, and anyone sensitive to strong smells.
- Removal of yellowing and stains. Tar and nicotine often leave brown patches on walls and ceilings. A proper repaint removes these marks and restores a fresh, bright finish.
- No more odour bleed. When the correct odour-blocking primer is used, the smell doesn’t return. This gives long-term confidence that the issue has been solved properly.
- Higher property appeal. Smoke-free homes attract more interest from buyers and renters. A fresh interior can increase perceived value and make the property easier to market. For homeowners planning to sell, properly treating smoke damage before, especially in competitive areas of Frankston.
- A more pleasant home to live in. Whether the property is for you or for tenants, the space feels lighter, cleaner, and far more comfortable.
Final Verdict: Does Painting Remove Cigarette Smell?
Painting can remove cigarette smell permanently, but only when the right steps are followed. Cleaning alone won’t fix it, and painting alone won’t fix it. The key is a proper process that includes, cleaning or replacing other sources of odour like carpets, curtains, air conditioning filters, blinds, etc, washing the wall and ceiling surfaces, sealing them with an odour-blocking primer, and finishing with quality interior paint. When this is done correctly, the smoke odour doesn’t return.
If you have a smoke-affected property in Frankston, a professional assessment can help you understand exactly what is needed to restore your home and keep it smelling fresh for the long term. Whether it’s for your own home or you want to repaint to maximise resale value of your property, we can help you solve the problem for good. Contact us today on (03) 9007 2250 to book an inspection and help bring your home back to a clean and comfortable state.
