Which paint for covering up smells

[etpm]

We have an outbuilding that is just a room, about 200 square feet. I used it for my business office but retired a couple years ago. Then starting about a year ago we let a guy stay in it for free and he lived there for a year while getting back on his feet. He used the bathroom in my shop which has a door to the outside that is only a 20 foot walk away and so is quite convenient. Besides the bathroom door to the outside it also has a shower. Despite the convenience the guy didn't use the shower often enough.
Anyway, the room is all cleaned out but smells bad. Unwashed body smell, dirty laundry smell, rotting food left out smell and dirty dishes smell. After washing the walls with TSP I'm thinking about painting with Kilz and then new paint of the color we want over the Kilz. But I'm open to suggestions. We want to use the room again for guests and are going to be adding a bathroom. The room will need to smell good though. I don't want those bad smells returning later.
Thanks,
Eric

 

[MaxLee]

Kilz the way to go

 

[bmaverick]

We have an outbuilding that is just a room, about 200 square feet. I used it for my business office but retired a couple years ago. Then starting about a year ago we let a guy stay in it for free and he lived there for a year while getting back on his feet. He used the bathroom in my shop which has a door to the outside that is only a 20 foot walk away and so is quite convenient. Besides the bathroom door to the outside it also has a shower. Despite the convenience the guy didn't use the shower often enough.
Anyway, the room is all cleaned out but smells bad. Unwashed body smell, dirty laundry smell, rotting food left out smell and dirty dishes smell. After washing the walls with TSP I'm thinking about painting with Kilz and then new paint of the color we want over the Kilz. But I'm open to suggestions. We want to use the room again for guests and are going to be adding a bathroom. The room will need to smell good though. I don't want those bad smells returning later.
Thanks,
Eric

You need to rent an ozone generator. One capable of reaching 12 to 20ppm. You would run it overnight in the room or 6 to 8 hours. Best to run at night with no sunlight. In the morning, open all doors and windows. If too small of a room, use a blower.

Ozone rids bad smells, odors, mold, mildew, bacteria, many viruses, etc.

My 1st home was a fixer-upper. The tri-level lower level had been in sitting water for a few months. It had wood paneling. There were all kinds or reaking smells, worse than an old man body smell being dirty. After we pumped it all dry, ripped out all the paneling, studs, ceiling tiles, the odor still was a killer. We had to do the ozone treatment 3X. And finally was able to se the house.

Bleach works well on concrete.

Then we did come back with Kilz for 2 coats and finally got to doing the lower level they way we wanted it.

Ozone Generator Rental: Is Buying or Renting Best For You? | OdorFree

Why rent an ozone generator when one can be owned for much less? With OdorFree, buying a residential or commercial ozone machine is typically more cost effective than renting.

www.odorfree.com

 

[2manyrocks]

What floor and ceiling materials do you have? Drywall on the walls? Anything else left in the room that would have absorbed odors?

 

[ponytug]

Sorry to hear it.

I would start with the ozone generator or washing the walls with TSP and bleach, and then think about painting. Odors can be very pervasive. What is the floor?

All the best,

Peter

 

[MAX-24-Dean]

We recently had a similiar situation, wiped down the painted sheetrock walls with bleach. Worked quite well, did a second wipe down with bleach using a damp sponge and that took care of the residual odor. Have a gallon of KILZ stain blocker and odor control, but have not repainted yet.

 

[Yogi05]

I have used an ozone generator. One we had at work that supposedly can be used to get dead person smells out.
It was used for airing out used cars.
I smoke like an '89 Ford Tempo and have used it at home to remove years of smoking.
Recently had some repairs done and just a fresh paint job did the trick for the cigarette smell.

 

[oosik]

I have my doubts about suggested methods of removing odors. A couple attempted to renovate a farm house where drugs had been manufactured and used for years. It was REALLY bad. There was a continuous brown stain on all the walls. A smoke stain from mfg of drugs.

Further examination revealed that the "smoke" had invaded the sheetrock walls - the wood floors - all the cloth furniture - all the draperies - the ceiling - the insulation. It was determined that no amount of cleaning would render this house safe for young children. The fire dept did a controlled burn - the insurance company paid for the house.

As Director of Environmental Health - it fell upon me to declare the house - unfit for human habitation.

 

[2manyrocks]

The chemicals from making meth will penetrate interior surfaces, and there's no safe way to get them out, to my knowledge. They can also contaminate septic systems, too.

But the OP is talking about smell from basic lack of hygiene, I hope.

 

[etpm]

The chemicals from making meth will penetrate interior surfaces, and there's no safe way to get them out, to my knowledge. They can also contaminate septic systems, too.

But the OP is talking about smell from basic lack of hygiene, I hope.

Yup, basic lack of hygiene. Nothing else thankfully.
Eric