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We had the same problem when we moved into our present house
The previous people probably took years to build up the accumulation of muck, nicotine and smell, so you're not going to remove it overnight. Things we did were;
Scrub windows , kitchen cupboards and other hard surfaces with strong detergent spray like Flash. Put down newspapers and rags to soak up excess water. It's worth getting a good make of cleaner, not the cheapo discount store or own brand products
Turn off the mains electricity for a day, and dismantle all electrical items as far as you can/dare, like the covers for sockets and switches, light fittings, etc scrub or soak them as above with hot water and detergent, but make sure they are dry before reassembling. Replave all lampshades and bulbs
Take down curtain rails and fittings, treat as above Dump the old curtains or wash on a hot wash
If you can't afford to replace carpets and furniture, then get in a professional cleaner. They do an excellent job, far better than messing about yourself; besides, by the time you've paid for detergent & hire fees, you don't save much anyway They've seen it all before, and will know of other things to do and clean
Have a good look around for blocked ventilators, windows that don't open,that sort of thing We found a window that had been completely panelled in behind a fitted wardrobe! Look for these from the outside as well as inside
A torough spring clean and all - over scrub is better than smellies and air fresheners
Pace yourself, st a target of say one room cleaned and redecorated at a time, but do it well
Reward yourself with regular trips to the pub!
The previous people probably took years to build up the accumulation of muck, nicotine and smell, so you're not going to remove it overnight. Things we did were;
Scrub windows , kitchen cupboards and other hard surfaces with strong detergent spray like Flash. Put down newspapers and rags to soak up excess water. It's worth getting a good make of cleaner, not the cheapo discount store or own brand products
Turn off the mains electricity for a day, and dismantle all electrical items as far as you can/dare, like the covers for sockets and switches, light fittings, etc scrub or soak them as above with hot water and detergent, but make sure they are dry before reassembling. Replave all lampshades and bulbs
Take down curtain rails and fittings, treat as above Dump the old curtains or wash on a hot wash
If you can't afford to replace carpets and furniture, then get in a professional cleaner. They do an excellent job, far better than messing about yourself; besides, by the time you've paid for detergent & hire fees, you don't save much anyway They've seen it all before, and will know of other things to do and clean
Have a good look around for blocked ventilators, windows that don't open,that sort of thing We found a window that had been completely panelled in behind a fitted wardrobe! Look for these from the outside as well as inside
A torough spring clean and all - over scrub is better than smellies and air fresheners
Pace yourself, st a target of say one room cleaned and redecorated at a time, but do it well
Reward yourself with regular trips to the pub!
Our bathroom is fully tiled and the pennies will not stretch to replacing the 1970's aquamarine(ish)
tiles and yes the grouting was brown from the nicotine (do people smoke in the bathroom?). Hubby and I were talking about getting a dog but I'm not too sure if we want an old smelly one right now
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