If you bought a house, moved into an apartment, live with a cigarette smoker or are a cigarette smoker, you may see a brownish yellowish film on your walls. This unsightly discoloration is from the nicotine content in cigarettes. The smoke leaves behind a horrid residue on surfaces. Can you imagine what it does to the lungs? Yuck! If someone smoked cigarettes inside the home, these nicotine-stains are on its. nicotine-stains are more apparent on light colored painted walls and wall paper. Darker painted walls, paneled walls and darker wall papers will also have the nicotine film covering them, but you won't see it as easily.

The nicotine film buildup and nicotine-stains should be removed before you decide to repaint your walls or just to brighten and freshen up the home. You may be surprised at how much nicotine builds up on its. Removing nicotine-stains from its will also help to cut down on the old smoke odor. The nicotine residue has a pungent stale cigarette smell and removing the nicotine from its will take away some of the stale smell. nicotine-stains need to be thoroughly removed from your walls before painting because the paint will adhere better to a cleaned and primed surface. Nicotine has an oily residue which inhibits the adhesion of paint. Thankfully, it is actually quite easy to remove nicotine buildup from walls.

To Remove nicotine-stains From Walls:

Fill a bucket with white vinegar.

Dip a sponge mop into the white vinegar.

Start at the bottom of it and go up towards the ceiling w

ith the white vinegar soaked mop. By starting at the bottom and working your way up to the top, you will avoid drip marks down your walls.

Rinse the mop in hot water after every pass to wash away the nicoti

ne on the sponge mop head.

After rinsing in hot water, dip the mop back into the white vinegar to make a second pass over it.

Line your mop up on it, next to the first pass and overlapping it by about an inch. By overlapping each cleaning pass, you won't have lines of nicotine-stains down its.

For Stubborn nicotine-stains:

Lay tarps or drop cloth on the floor.

Fill a spray bottle with white vinegar.

Fill a plastic tub or basin with baking soda.

Spray the nicotine-stain with white vinegar.

Dip a damp sponge or sponge mop into baking soda.

Rub the stains until they are gone. The mixture of baking soda and vinegar will foam up -- this is normal.

Nicotine Removal from Wallpaper

If its are covered with wall paper:

Use the same technique for nicotine removal as stated above.

Dry its with a clean dry cloth as soon as you complete one pass from floor to ceiling.

White vinegar will dissolve wall paper glue and your wall paper will lift and pucker if not dried immediately.

Stain Removal Tips

Depending on the amount of nicotine buildup and the nicotine-stains you may have to go over its several times.

Although overpowering at first, the smell of the white vinegar will dissipate fairly quickly, leaving behind a fresh clean scent.

To avoid nicotine-stains in the future, simply don't allow anyone to smoke cigarettes in the house.