Heavy pot smokers left quite a stubborn odor. Happily, I got rid of the carpets years ago, so all hard surfaces. Yet the odor persists, even after several weeks. Started sponge mopping the visibly stained walls and vaulted ceilings with TSP. Even after several rinses there remains some residue.

My main question: Is Kilz Original (oil-base) the primer I need to use for further odor blocking?

Looks like the local rental yards rent 1.5 gram/hr units for $50/hr $200/week, but HD sells a 4000 mg/hr unit for $150.

The odor is much less, finally diminishing each day as we progress along the ceilings and walls with the TSP mopping, and especially the kitchen cabinets. May not need the ozone generator, except for one closet that has a moldy ceiling and moldy odor.

We'll see if the TSP mopping can eradicate most of it, and the Kilz seal in the rest. Will my respirator (w/ organic filters) help with the kilz oil fumes?

As a contractor and landlord, many tenants and owners expect me to work in a contaminated environment -- apartment/home filled with cigarette smoke and it's poisons. Some also release Pest Fogging canisters and fail to open windows or air out units prior to my arrival.

One apartment owner fogged a unit the morning before I was scheduled to work there. The new tenants were having their movers come at the end of the day. Some how I was expected to work in a poisoned environment so the owner would loose a days rent, around $17 for the day. Of course I walked off the job, never even entered the unit when I noticed the fog, canisters and dead roaches.

I agree with Ken, NY on this one. I've found that over 80 percent of class C unit renters smoke and that maybe 85+ percent of people making under $15 per hour also smoke. Here in Michigan, since they passed the medical marijuana laws, most of the m smoke dope as well.

Another thing I've found is this: NOT A SINGLE ONE OF THEM CARES AT ALL ABOUT YOUR RULES! THEY WILL DO WHAT THEY WANT AND IF YOU DON'T LIKE IT, ---- You!

Here, if you do not accept these types, you have an extremely limited tenant pool.

So the answer, at least for me, is rent to them and don't worry about the odor, nicotine on the walls, etc. They don't even notice it.

My young couple tenants arrived in August with a cosigner who is a long term tenant. They started smoking pot that smells like skunk and of course denied that. Downstairs complained about the skunk smell drifting through. Grandma cosigner swore up and down that grand daughter, who has asthma, would NEVER smoke pot and especially around the new baby. Well, them smoked it in their car and were seen and after that the asthmatic grand daughter ended up in intensive care for a week since she could not breathe on her own.

We have apartments that are about 50 years old. Back in those days everyone seemed to smoke. Except me --- I am a life-long non-smoker -- had enough second hand smoke when I lived at home with my parents to last the rest of my life!

Now, we are finding people who are renters, who are not liking this environment and comment on the stale smell.

We are slowly remodeling/renovating all of the apartments. Once they are renovated, they are going smoke and pet free.

Answer to Vee (above): "...should have billed into the rent cycle some time ago."