# Best way to clean smoke off of a painted wall? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 27, 2007, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-clean-smoke-off-of-a-painted-wall/393893 "2007-02-27T17:20:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2007, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-clean-smoke-off-of-a-painted-wall/393893/1 "2007-02-27T17:20:46Z")
So the other week, one of my roommates accidentally started a grease fire in the kitchen. No permanent damage, but there is now a layer of smoke crud on a couple walls and the ceiling in the kitchen. I have tried water, water with soap, Formula 409, some kind of Clorox spray, and something called TSP that my other roommate said was great at removing smoke (it even said so on the jar (it’s a powder you mix with water.) All of them worked the same, which is to say, they removed most of the smoke residue, but there is still a layer of grey-ish smears across everything that will not come up. I figure no matter what, we’ll have to paint over it, since the Formula 409 actually took off some of the paint, but I’m worried that the paint won’t stick well if there is still some smoke residue, so I’m wondering if there’s anything else i can try, or if I should just get one of those ultra-duty all-purpose primers and use that first. (Then the hard part comes in guessing the color…I’m fairly sure it’s all just plain white, and probably eggshell, but I know it won’t match perfectly no matter what.) ---
**Author:** ![Merkwurdigliebe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/74df32/32.png) [@Merkwurdigliebe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merkwurdigliebe)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2007, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-clean-smoke-off-of-a-painted-wall/393893/2 "2007-02-27T17:58:37Z")
I’ve heard that a vinegar and water solution would help. Don’t just go out and try it though. But I’ve never tried it ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2007, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-clean-smoke-off-of-a-painted-wall/393893/3 "2007-02-27T18:05:18Z")
I was going to mention the Mr Clean erasers (a lot of them); there is other advice [here](http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20070206191221AAou5ou) which mentions them and Clorox wipes. [This](http://life.familyeducation.com/natural-disaster-damage/home-repairs/47816.html) also mentions TSP for cleaning: \<\\> ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2007, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-clean-smoke-off-of-a-painted-wall/393893/4 "2007-02-27T18:09:03Z")
For cigarette smoke, we find at our house that Windex works great. This has been tested multiple times on the white walls of a 4x5 room in which someone smoked 10+ hours a day. ---
**Author:** ![butler1850](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@butler1850](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/butler1850)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2007, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-clean-smoke-off-of-a-painted-wall/393893/5 "2007-02-27T18:28:13Z")
Simple Green. Dilute to 10-1 strength. Simple Green removes everything! And sanitizes your surfaces while you’re at it! -Butler (who doesn’t work for anyone related to the Simple Green product, but buys it in gallon containers) ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2007, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-clean-smoke-off-of-a-painted-wall/393893/6 "2007-02-27T18:52:22Z")
Kilz or BIN stain-blocking primer will stick to the smoke - wash off the big lumps (you’ve already done this), patch as needed, prime and paint. ---
**Author:** ![Catfood\_Purrito](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Catfood\_Purrito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Catfood_Purrito)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2007, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-clean-smoke-off-of-a-painted-wall/393893/7 "2007-02-27T19:25:26Z")
I came in here to mention Simple Green too. I had a weird greasy, sooty residue all over the walls in a couple rooms of an old apartment that my landlords claimed I caused, but I definitely didn’t. Simple Green took it right off, left no trace and didn’t even disturb the finish of the paint, and I got every penny of my deposit back. Plus you can drink it! ---
**Author:** ![Will\_Repair](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a698b9/32.png) [@Will\_Repair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Will_Repair)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2007, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-clean-smoke-off-of-a-painted-wall/393893/8 "2007-02-28T00:13:31Z")
[QUOTE=ZipperJJ] For cigarette smoke, we find at our house that Windex works great. [/QUOTE] Even better if you add some more ammonia to it. That’s what I use for equipment coated in a bar or (once upon a time) office. ---
**Author:** ![Mirror\_Image\_egamI\_rorriM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e56c9b/32.png) [@Mirror\_Image\_egamI\_rorriM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mirror_Image_egamI_rorriM)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2007, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-clean-smoke-off-of-a-painted-wall/393893/9 "2007-02-28T02:52:23Z")
[QUOTE=Mishell] Plus you can drink it! [/QUOTE] You can drink Simple Green? What’s in it, then? I would suggest Magic Erasers. They cleaned bat blood off my bedroom walls in a second. It was amazing. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2007, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-clean-smoke-off-of-a-painted-wall/393893/10 "2007-02-28T03:00:09Z")
[QUOTE=Mirror Image egamI rorriM] You can drink Simple Green? What’s in it, then? [/QUOTE] Not sure I’d want to drink it. According to the [MSDS](http://www.simplegreen.com/pdfs/06_msds_sgd_pro5.pdf) (PDF), the ingredients are: > [@](#): > > Bardac 208M (80% active) > CAS# 6836-67 > To provide: > Octyl decyl dimethyl ammonium chloride > Dioctyl dimethyl ammonium chloride > Didecyl dimethyl ammonium chloride > Alkyl (C14 50%, C12 40%, C16 10%) dimethyl > benzyl ammonium chloride It also warns: > [@](#): > > INGESTION: If swallowed, immediately give 3-4 glasses of milk (if unavailable, give water.) Do not induce vomiting. If vomiting does occur, give fluids again. Get immediate medical attention. Have physician determine if patient’s condition allows for induction of vomiting or evacuation of the stomach. Do not give anything my mouth to an unconscious or convulsing person. Note to Physician: Possible mucosal damage may contraindicate the use of gastric lavage. Measures against circulatory shock, as well as oxygen and measures to support breathing manually or mechanically may be needed. ---
**Author:** ![Kipp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e9a140/32.png) [@Kipp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kipp)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2013, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-clean-smoke-off-of-a-painted-wall/393893/11 "2013-12-12T17:34:26Z")
I was just searching on the same thing and I never would have though about the TSP. it is an extremely good solvent and not really that harmful, my family was in chemical manufacturing and I remember using it as an ingredient in our brands of degreaser, similar to purple power or whatever your local purple degreaser is (cant remember the names) they usually have butyl in them also which helps. I’m not sure if it is “listed as harmful” but I don’t remember the TSP hurting me at all. I am going to try to do a few things and see what works for me. My girlfriend and I are both smokers and smoke in one room in our house and I have noticed yellowing and would like to find a solution. Windex may work as suggested above, I will probably try that first since it evaporates easy. Degreasers tend to be hard to rinse off. I will see what works and get back… lol ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2013, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-clean-smoke-off-of-a-painted-wall/393893/12 "2013-12-12T18:00:46Z")
> [@Mirror\_Image\_egamI\_rorriM](#): > > They cleaned bat blood off my bedroom walls in a second. It was amazing. What in the name of Og goes on in your bedroom? :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2013, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-clean-smoke-off-of-a-painted-wall/393893/13 "2013-12-12T18:13:01Z")
> [@Si\_Amigo](#): > > What in the name of Og goes on in your bedroom? :eek: I don’t know but if his name is Osborn then maybe something drinkable is worth looking into. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2013, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-clean-smoke-off-of-a-painted-wall/393893/14 "2013-12-12T18:20:39Z")
I usually use TSP but if it’s a large area then give windex and simply green a shot. I just cleaned a rental bathroom tub and the only thing that worked was straight TSP. I dumped it dry on the surface and scrubbed with a wet brush. It was many many magnitudes better than the tub cleaner I was using. NEVER use those little pre-soaped steel wool pads. It immediately transferred the blue coloring to the tub.