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Can I Paint to Get Rid of Smells?

Can I Paint to Get Rid of Smells?

Everyone leaves a bit of themselves behind when they live in a house. For those who smoke, keep pets, or cook with strong flavors, the smell from those activities can last long after they have moved out. Here in the San Francisco Bay area, that leaves many people wondering what they can do to block or remove those old odors. Can painting help get rid of smoke smells or cooking odors?

While paint cannot solve the problem by itself, it is definitely an important part of the solution. Other surfaces that retain smells must also be remediated or replaced, such as curtains, carpets, furniture, and so on. In conjunction with these other efforts, painting can go a long way toward blocking unwanted smells.

How to Paint to Block Odors

In order to effectively encapsulate a smell, you must use a high-quality stain-blocking primer. Sometimes it takes more than one coat, especially for stronger smells. For very strong odors, you need to use an oil-based stain blocker, since these are stronger and more effective. Remember that every painted surface holds the smells, so you need to be thorough in your application.

Once you have applied a sufficient coating of stain-blocking primer and have allowed it to dry thoroughly, you can go ahead and apply your topcoat(s) of paint. For a completely odor-free experience, use a zero-VOC, eco-friendly interior paint.

Now, you can breathe easy, with a healthy, pleasant indoor environment for you and your family!

Painting Solutions in the San Francisco Bay Region

When you have a challenging painting situation, MB Jessee is the company to call. We have been painting homes in Oakland and the Bay Area since 1995, offering unbeatable quality at reasonable prices. Whether you need to paint for blocking odors or stains, or you have other painting needs, MB Jessee is ready to serve you.

Offering interior painting, exterior painting, historical paint restoration, cabinet refinishing, drywall and plaster repair, and much more, MB Jessee is your San Francisco Bay Area house painting company.

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Customer Reviews

“Our paint crew did a great job and the foreman, Gersson was exceptionally great to work with. He was always available to answer questions, good at problem-solving, very patient, kind, and highly professional with great customer service. We definitely recommend this company, and Gersson and his crew.”

— Andrea Y.
Berkeley, CA

“MB Jessee just finished our exterior and we couldn't be happier with our experience. The foreman (Pedro) and lead painter (Ricardo) were incredible to work with: they communicated scheduling clearly, Ricardo was a joy to be around every day, the showed up early every day, were incredibly tidy and did great paint work. The final walk through experience was incredible. Pedro pointed out items I missed demonstrating a clear desire to complete another quality project. I highly recommend them. As others have noted they definitely aren't the cheapest but you quickly realize that you're getting what you pay for. The 3 year guarantee is also a nice touch since there are likely touch up items that will show up after the job is done.”

— Joshua Jansen

“Matt, Julie & Ricardo, I just wanted to take this opportunity to thank the three of you for the wonderful job you did in hosting the SFBA NARI Chapter Meeting on Wednesday evening. Everything was perfect from beginning to end. Members and guests alike walked away with a truly positive experience. The "painter for a day" and the cookies in the paint cans were an absolute brilliant touch and received rave reviews. What a wonderful way to do such positive marketing. Thanks again for a truly memorable experience for our members and guests. You are valued as a NARI member.”

— Judy Tufo, SFBA NARI Executive Director

“I want to express my thanks for a job well done. The rooms look great and there is no problem with any marks on the all the trim, floor, carpet, etc. The paint job is lovely. I also want to express my thanks for the level of professionalism the foreman showed in running the job. He was very attentive to any changes I needed to make, was extremely careful in getting the faux paint color and effect correct. Thanks so much for a job well done.”

— Suzan D’Arcy

“Julie,Just to let you know I am very appreciative of your crew catching the plumbing/mold problem. It was very astute of them. I wanted to let you know that again your crew has done excellent work here, please pass this along to Mr. Jessee. There are some bumps in the road here, but the painting and your crew has not been one of them. Their work is the only thing going right currently, and this crew is very nice and respectful. It is much appreciated. Thank you again.”

— Beth
Oakland

“The painters at MB Jesse are top notch! Cesar's team was super friendly and helpful. They were very polite and accommodating. Their expertise in everything painting related was evident in their attention to detail and efficiency painting tricky spaces. The apartment looks brand new!”

— Adam Swisher

“Dear Matt,You must be so proud of your men! They were fantastic to have around. Polite, courteous and hardworking. I am so pleased with the outcome of our home--in fact, I couldn't be any more pleased than I am!”

— Mrs. S
San Leandro

“I just wanted to send you an email to say that John did such a great job over here today. He is truly a hard worker. He has the perfect balance of friendliness, honesty, and professionalism. I trust him. He takes the time to do the job to the best of his ability and that is what sets him (and your company) apart from the competition. He didn't make me feel rushed. He really made me feel like our job was the most important thing in the world. Thanks again!”

— Jo
Oakland

“High quality work from a pleasant and qualified staff. Thank you!”

— Paul Markovich

“Awesome work by highly experienced, professional painters. They were: Conscious about the amount of time it would take. Ours had a lot of pre-work and took 3 weeks. Accommodating when we added a few last-minute changes Understanding when a heatwave hit and we remove some of the plastic sheeting over windows, which they had to put back up the next day. Accessible, especially the on-site crew (Hi Jose & Victor!) -- always answering questions and checking in. The end result is a perfect paint job that makes our 94-year-old house look brand new. I would definitely hire MBJ again”

— Stacey R.
Oakland, CA

“It was a great experience working with MB Jessee. The crew was careful and thorough as they painted the house, sealed stucco cracks, repaired dry-rotted wood, stained the deck, etc. Robert, Gersson, Jose, and all of the people involved in the process from the estimate to the job completion were friendly and professional.”

— Mike C.
Livermore, CA

“The entire MB Jessee team is courteous, efficient and professional. From scheduling and estimating to the crew managers and crew, they all did an excellent job on a small (but complicated) two room project in my house. I'm already thinking about getting them scheduled for the next project in the spring.”

— Cari Cheney