Guest smoked in bathroom, seeking cleaning advise

[Kimberly406]

Help! We have another guest coming and the one who just check out, smoked in the bathroom with the door shut. Everything in the bathroom smells of cigarettes and the next guest is expecting a smoke free unit. Looks like we will be washing walls and floors tonight. Any advise on how others handled this would be great! I called Airbnb but sounds like they can alway side with the guest so not thinking we will get the security deposit we request in our listing for issues like this. 

[Bhumika]

Hi @Kimberly406 ,

Since it has been a while, Were you able to find any resolution to this situation?

Did you manage to get rid of the smell?

Can’t find what you’re searching for? start a conversation

[Bill1396]

I can send you some chlorine dioxide tablets that you place in water in a plastic bowl with a bubble machine that will guarantee the odor is removed. Same product that Enterprise car rental uses. I can send you more info. 

[Sudsrung0]

@Kimberly406 

My husband just told me cut a fresh Onion and put it in the room and it will also get rid of the smell of paint, I didnt believe him so I looked it up for you, 

Landlords Refurb Tips – Know Your Onions

https://www.property118.com/landlords-refurb-tips-know-your-onions/

[Trude0]

Be careful with onions! We had an annoying smell in our daughter’s bathroom after the roof was painted. I know paint for bathrooms/wet areas can smell more, and differently, but this was BAD, for weeks. 

I read about the onion trick, and tried it. With the result that the bathroom now smelled of paint - and onion. Daughter not too pleased…😂

[Kimberly406]

So far, no complaints from the new guest about smoke or paint. I will definitely have to remember the onion. Also, everyone has been so helpful. Certainly not the case when calling Airbnb's dedicated Superhost Line. 

[Huma0 · Accepted solution]

@Kimberly406 

You've already painted the walls, so probably too late for this, but did you try cleaning them first with sugar soap? I tend to use this before painting any walls or woodwork as it's much more effective than household cleaning products.

Bicarbonate of soda (or baking soda) is also supposed to be good at absorbing smells. I don't know how effective it would be in an extreme situation like this, but might be worth a try. Fill some bowls with it and leave it in the bathroom as long as you can before the new guests check in.

[Kimberly406]

Thank you for the tip. I do not know of sugar water. Is it a homemade mixture of sugar and water or is it a product?

[Huma0]

@Kimberly406 

Here it is called Sugar Soap (not sure if it's the same name in the USA). It's something you buy from DIY/decorating supplies shops etc. as it's normally used specifically to clean before paining walls and woodwork.

You can buy it in powder or liquid form which you mix with water. It's not a natural product, and usually has a very strong yellow colour. I would advise wearing gloves when you use it. There are lots of different brands that make this, but here's one example.

[Kimberly406]

Thank you for the picture. I think they have something like it at the paint stores here called TSP. 

[Ana2038]

@Kimberly406 , I had a guest smoke (marijuana) in our unit and we had the same issue with smells and a guest due to check in the following day. We ended up putting bowls of vinegar around the room, open all windows and left the fan on. It cleared the scent in time. We did purchase an ozone machine and have it on hand to use for any other unpleasant odors.

Best—

[Kimberly406]

Thank you. That is a very good tip. This guest was there for a month and he must have smoked a pack a day while sitting on the toilet. Unbelievable, how bad it smelled in that one area! 

[Sudsrung0]

@Kimberly406 

I recommend all host to buy a small ozone machine, No point in calling airbnb they are not interested, 

[Kimberly406]

Thank you for quick response . We will order one. Couldn't find one in stock locally. We did scrub the walls and it still smells. We painted the large walls the same color and hoping the new paint smell will cover it up until we can get the ozone machine. For now, it smells like new paint when you walk in bathroom and hoping that smell will last for the guests stay. Not ideal but better than cigarettes. 

[Lorna170]

@Kimberly406  I hope that you used something other than flat paint -- once the shower gets used and steam is present, the nicotine from the cigarette smoke will leach through and mark the walls.  

[Kimberly406]

I didn't know that would happen with flat. The paint is semigloss or eggshell. So hopefully that won't happens. 

[Huma0]

@Lorna170 

Oh dear. I did not know that!

[Sudsrung0]

@Kimberly406 

Be careful when you buy an Ozone machine I see many people buying one that is way to big by that I mean the output, 

No more than 1gm per hour, I have one in our office it's only 500 milligrams it does the job,

You will see people say they are dangerous yes they can be but that is because it's to big, I saw one woman buy 11 gm I could run my swimming pool on that,

If you need advise on which one to buy post the link,

My husband is an expert in Ozone technology.

Bye the way you will not find local shop selling them usually online Amazon have a big range of them,