Vaping Disaster; Desperately Need Cleaning Tips

[Julieanna0]

Although my Airbnb listing has been paused during the COVID crises, I had a Realtor friend who had a client who needed a place to stay while purchasing a home.  Although it was only supposed to be for 2 weeks, it unfortunately turned into 2 months.  The worst part about the whole experience is the fact that my guest vaped in spite of the Realtor telling him my home was a smoke and vape free environment prior to renting it,--and of course, I went over the same rules.  The apartment in my home that he rented now smells like an old and dirty Super 8.

Bottom line,--he chose to vape for 2 months solid, almost never leaving my home.  I've looked up how to clean up after someone who has vaped and it doesn't look very encouraging.  It appears that vaping leaves an oil on everything that is difficult to clean from any permeable surface, (i.e. bedding, curtains, etc.)  I've also read that it gets in the heating/cooling ducts, and I'm going to leave that to the professionals.

However, before I throw away all of the bedding and upholstered furniture, does anyone have any experience, tips or suggestions as to how to clean up after something like this?  I really am a clean freak,--and I want things clean,--I don't just want to mask the smell.  I will be eternally grateful to anyone who has any help to offer!

~Julieanna

[Kelly149]

@Julieanna0 don't know specifically about vaping but read some about Febreeze.... it isn't air freshener, there is something in the stuff that "eats" bad smells (there are technical concepts at work here....) don't know if that would work on the vaping oils, but maybe worth a shot

[Sarah977]

@Julieanna0  Vaping itself doesn't produce oils- all it produces is water vapor (hence the term vaping), which is odorless. It's what they were vaping that could produce oils or odors. 

There is a product called Nilodor which doesn't just mask smells- it eliminates them somehow. So you could try spraying that or as Kelly suggested, Febreeze (I have no experience with that product) on the curtains and upholstered furniture. If the bedding is washable, oils and odors should just disappear if you wash in hot water and soap and use some vinegar in the rinse cycle. And if you have the ability to hang it outside on a line in the fresh air and sunshine for a day or two, rather than dry in a dryer, that would help, too. I can't imagine it needs to be tossed.

There are also air cleaner units you can put in the unit that will eliminate odors. 

[Julieanna0]

Thank-you @Sarah977  for your reply, you're always so very helpful!  I'm learning a lot.  In reviewing my Ring video footage, I also noticed my guest smoked a pipe, (no attempt to conceal the fact that he was smoking as he walked inside), as well.  So I have an interesting mix of stale tobacco and fruity (?) smells filling the air.  I've always been a fanatic about drying my bedding in the sunshine,--and managed yesterday to steam clean some area rugs, (thankfully the main flooring is tile), and set outside to dry in the sun as well as some washed bedding.  (I'm missing the sun today as we have had storms and quite a bit of rain here in San Antonio.)

Anything that I have not been able to wash, (i.e. lampshades), still smells, in spite of spraying with "OdoBan".  I'm not entirely sure if the bedding is odor-free or not,--I seem to have the smell stuck in my nose at the moment.  (I am using your tip, and after washing everything twice, I am doing a vinegar rinse.)

I'm also running 2 air cleaners.  The area smells better, however, if I were renting a smoke-free place, I would turn around and leave,--so obviously I have a lot of cleaning left to do.  I plan on tackling the walls next.  I've read that wiping them down with a 20/80 ratio of vinegar/water may help.  Thank-you again, @Sarah977  for your help; have a wonderful day!

[Helen427]

hello @Julieanna0  what a horrible dishonest person to do that in your home.

 Are you able to claim expenses back through insurance?

You should chase him up and get him to pay for all the cleaning costs & replacement of linen costs.

 It's a known fact those oils permeate into everything and are near impossible to get rid of especially into furniture, curtains, and building materials. 

It doesn't bear thinking what it's also done to your health.

Make sure you and your family get health checks as the side effects from passive inhalation is a health matter.

Nilodour is a very good product to eliminate smells however it doesn't rid the actual problem he's caused of oils everywhere.

I hope you have included a piece in your listing rules and house manual absolutely no vaping, shisha, e-cigarettes or the like.

Ensure your realtor "friend" knows and also goes back to where he's stayed in the past & informs those owners of what he's based  on the balance of probabilities also done in those peoples homes perhaps also without their knowledge.

All the best.

[Debra300]

@Julieanna0,

To add onto what @Kelly149 has said, you can try Febreze Professional Sanitizing Fabric Refresher: https://www.pgpro.com/brands/febreze/febreze-professional-sanitizing-fabric-refresher/. 

The very last guest that we had in March before closing up cooked something that stank so bad that it permeated in the apartment for over a week.  I first tried to spray the space with regular Febreze air freshener, but it lasted just a few hours before the roasted toad butt smell came back.  So, I had to get something stronger.  I plan to use it as part of my enhanced coronavirus cleaning process when I reopen.

[Helen427]

roasted toad butt @Debra300 ?

Never heard of that expression before, where does that originate from?

[Debra300]

@Helen427,

It was a such a repugnant stench that persisted for so long that I could only imagine that it smelled like a roasted toad butt.  I have smelled some stinky food, like thousand year-old egg, but whatever the guest cooked left a worse odor.

[Julieanna0]

Thank-you, @Debra300 for the link,--I like the idea of using something like that too when I un-pause my listing!

[Julieanna0]

Hi @Helen427 , --this tenant was/is perhaps what I would call very narcissistic.  He just flat-out does whatever he wants to do in spite of any rules or what anyone says to him.   Your question as to insurance is a good one,--I have no idea,--however, I can inquire to see what might be done.  I will try to hold him accountable for the cleaning and replacement costs,--however, I'm not holding my breath on that!  

Yes, the oils do permeate everything.  I found this article:  https://thedesignerseye.com/does-vaping-leave-a-residue-in-the-home/ to be helpful,--yet also a bit disheartening regarding just how difficult it is to clean up the residue.  It doesn't wash out with water.  Prior to steam cleaning my area rugs, I covered them in a layer of baking soda and let them sit before vacuuming it up and then steam cleaning.  I'm not sure if it helped or not.  And, as far as health,--the most disturbing by-products are formaldehyde and benzene. (https://www.hackensackmeridianhealth.org/HealthU/2019/11/27/is-secondhand-vaping-something-to-be-con...)  

Yes, my Airbnb rules definitely have always stated no smoking or vaping, however, as my Airbnb listing was and is paused at the moment, this was just a favor I did to help my Realtor friend find a place for his client.  However, we both made very clear that there was no smoking or vaping allowed inside my home. (I actually bent my rules of no smoking or vaping on the premises!)  As they say, no good deed goes unpunished..... (said with a bit of humor!)

And, yes, my Realtor friend does know,--apparently my past guest had been living with his sister prior to renting from me.  Not sure whether or not she smokes or not.  

[Mark116]

@Julieanna0   We had people who stayed in all weekend and vaped and it was truly a disgusting smell that definitely lingered, I would say even after cleaning it must have taken over a week to air it out.

I'm not familiar with Nilodor, but I have used Febreze, a smell I hate, on upholstery to get out curry/cooking smells and it worked significantly better than any linen spray

[Cecily12]

I am a massage therapist & frequently have to get oils Out of linens. For vape oil, I would presoak in either degreaser soap(dawn will do), or vinegar you could try oxyclean as well(it works okay). Then add vinegar to the rinse cycle. This has removed oil & the smells of Rancid oil no longer visible on the sheets. Vinegar is amazing at getting out odors & breaking down oils. Hope that helps!  

[Jessica-and-Henry0]

@Julieanna0 

To eliminate smells from a room/space, I've found using a diluted vinegar solution to wipe ALL surfaces and items is effective. I agree with others that you shouldn't have to toss the bedding or curtains - pre-soak, washing, using vinegar in the rinse cycle and line-drying in the sun should be enough. Completely getting rid of smells will take some time but it's not impossible. Good luck~

[Julieanna0]

Thank-you, @Jessica-and-Henry0 for your response.  I'm planning on starting on the process of wiping down all, (and I do mean ALL), surfaces today with an 80/20 water/vinegar solution.  Hopefully, as you say, with time, (and I'm also running 2 air cleaners 24/7), the smell will dissipate.