I use window air in my studio, and it doesn't hurt anything. Don't know about gas as we put in ceiling electric heat.

Is it possible that you could use a 210 electric baseboard type heaters? How cold does it get where you are? Are you going to be insulating your Craft House?
Just something to think about.

OMG! poisioning your dog. I think the police would be invovled along with the landlord. Great thinking on buying it. Good luck on cleaning but just think of the rewards when done.

TSP (Tri sodium phosphate) is a great cleaner for something like this (ask me how I know :D ). Then a coat of Kilz or Bins sealer - NOT the latex variety- which will keep the stains from seeping through. Then your top coat. Its a lot of work, but it comes out beautiful. I owned a house that had been heated by wood stove and a kerosun plus smokers. Your pictures bring back not so fond memories :lol: The smell will come out..is there carpet anywhere? That's what really holds the smell. If you can take it out, great!! If that's not in the budget, steam clean now, and then again when you're finished cleaning. The Kilz sealer blocks some of the odor also. Don't you wonder how people can live that way?

Maybe a dehumidifier would be a help for the humidity? Might also keep the AC from working so hard. I think you would want a vented (outside) heater/furnace. My Dad had one in his woodshop in the garage which he salvaged from an old house trailer.FREE! It just needed a pipe through the wall and up for a chimney. No odor, and kept the place toasty :-D

I am so jealous. I have a large room for my stuff, but a whole cottage?? WOW, you are one lucky girl :lol: Please post progress pictures..I dream of remodeling an old house some day!!

HI
I live in Georgia and have had a clear plastic shower liner over my shelves for about 10 years now and love them.
I agree, I used the shower liner instead of fabric because I wanted to see my "stuff".
I also cut 2 slits in the liner (almost to the top) so that I could get to the shelves without having to move the entire curtain.
Karen

Use TSP on everything and repaint. Throw out all carpetting and carpetting pads. Ugh..I hear your pain and can smell it over here. Febreze, febreze and airing out.

I am so sorry you had bad luck with your renters. I never understood people like that. I will always be welcomed back at any place I have ever rented. Poisoned your dog??? I would have ... well something .
But you get a Whole House Studio !!! Congratulations and ENJOY. All the work will be worth it.

Anna, have you tried a good sponge mop with a scrubber edge on it.
I have found Magic Erasures from Mr. Clean is easier for me.
I use Magic erasures on my fiberglass tub unit. I can't get down on my knees or bend over so I use my feet on the erasure. I have had to find a lot of work-arounds since hip & knee replacement.

Lucky Lucky you!!! I think all of us are really jealous, even if it is a lot of work to clean up. I can only imagine what i would do with a whole house. Hug and kiss that hubby of yours, he's a real keeper!!

HI Joyce,I'll probably just have to make do with the gas heater. I'm not sure the old house even has insulation. We are putting insulation in the west windows to close them off because it is so hot in the afternoons. I was over there helping care for my elderly neighbor before she passed and before it was sold as rent property so I kind of know what I'm dealing with....just an old drafty house.

You need to make sure the heater is clean & blown out before you start it up. Sometimes they burn off soot & you don't know it till the ceiling is stained & guess what, probably your fabrics if they are exposed. I have a window unit in my bldg. No problems ,just keep filter clean.

We've had some doozies over there. One renter even poisoned our dog.
--------------------------------
We've had some doozies next door to us too, over the years.
I'll tell you what I found out as a constantly moving military
wife over several years. The very FIRST person who crosses
the door when you move in, will be the one to watch out for.
She will be the nosiest one ever...Had one in Albuquerque visit
to welcome us to the place. Didn't come in, just handed me a
lot of frozen chocolate ice cream, said that I was probably tired
and LEFT. That sweet lady became our best friend and we mourned her loss when they were transfered out. The other ones, we prayed they would be sent to Alaska or ......

[quote=Joyce]Anna, have you tried a good sponge mop with a scrubber edge on it.
================
Try the Flylady products. I've found they do a marvelous
job, and my less than agile 76 year old hands can clean
nicely now with them. And some of them come with expandable
handles.

My thoughts exactly. Even after all the scrubbing I had planned on using TSP and KILZ before painting. There is some cheap carpet in the 2 little bedrooms and down the hall that I plan to keep but have cleaned. You know I really could not smell it that much in those rooms and the carpet does not look all that bad. The last renter was a single guy and I think he much have stayed mostly in the living room and kitchen.

Thanks Karen, makes me feel a little better about the shower curtain thing.

Oh, my! I'll bet your hands and arms are tired! Yikes!

Lowes or Home Depot sell a paint that will mask that smoke smell.

Hi Joyce, yes I have Magic Erasers too but have not gotten around to using them yet. However this tub is so nasty I don't think even Mr.Clean could help it.

I bought a place that was full of nicotine on walls and ceiling.
After cleaning and before painting I put 2-coats of KILZ on. Smoke smell never came through. Tore out all carpet to rid of smell.

A whole house! I sure envy you. My fabric, batts, machines etc have spread throughtout my house, incl 2 stairwells. The only rooms spared, thus far, are kitchen and bathroom.

I've had window ACs in my sewing room 20+ years, no damage.
The one damage I've had is fading on fold edges from sunlight, before I put in expensive shades that stop the rays.
If you're humid in your part of Texas, I'd put in a humidifier (spelling? but no spellcheck here) as the humidity can attract unwanted insects.
If you cover your fabric shelves, don't use plastic. Whatever you use, make sure absolutely no light comes through

Yes he is a keeper!! and not much he can not do or fix.

You are so right. Are you going to rip it out or try to clean it? That area would hold some nice storage shelves.
I have just seen the picture of the house. That is going to be so cute as a Craft House. Are you going to have any gingerbread trim at the eves?
With that kind of help it can't help but turn out great!

Thanks, I told my husband he needs to clean it up REAL good for me.

[quote=Ramona Byrd]Thanks Ramona, I'll have to check out the Flylady. I need all the help I can get too. And yes, at least we don't have to worry about renters in that house any more. It is just too close to have people you don't know back there.

oh would love to see some "befor and after"!!!

DH and I used TSP to remove wallpaper the was pasted on without prepping the wall first. It was impossible to remove the wallpaper until the guy in Lowes told us to use TSP. That stuff is GREAT and will clean anything.

I also used it to clean the painted kitchen cabinets before re-painting (can't afford new) and again the stuff worked great.

My only advice and it's IMPORTANT, USE RUBBER GLOVES WHEN WORKING WITH TSP. That stuff can be really nasty on your skin. Since it's nasty on the skin I worried about it being nasty in my lungs so I made sure ALL THE WINDOWS WERE OPEN. Maybe I was too extreme, but better safe than sorry.

Another tip: When washing those disgusting walls (how could anyone live like that? and OMG the tub???? OMG) resist the urge to get up on the ladder and work your way down. The yucky water drips down the wall and makes more of a mess with streaks of dirt that are hard to remove. Start at the bottom and work your way up! Try it, you'll see it's easier.

Good luck. Can't wait to see the finished pics.

First I'm going to see if my husband can clean it....when he gets time. LOL He still works full time too. He is planning on painting the outside of the house but that is probably all. I just wish it was done. You know how it is when you want it done now.

That nicatine stains look like my great aunt's house. Found a cute little alarm clock & thought it was cream or offwhite. Was just stained from smoke. That siding can be painted. It is also probably asbestis so don't even think about removing it cause it will cost a fortune. I think you can probably assume the property in to your lot. That is what we did but the other house was gone. The way to get around it is to have a connecting covered walk way from your house to the other house. My sister built a seperate garage from her house & if she hadn't had a connected roof it was gonna be charged out as a seperate dwelling. Check into it. Wish I still had the little house next door to me but inlaws sold it & had house moved had termites anyway. Good luck. Rough tough job ahead. Good investment at Lowes- nailgun with 4 guns in box. Does framing all the way down to the tiny staples. We really saved a lot of time & hammering when we fixed my metal bldg.

Hi Leaha, there are a few "befores" scattered in the thread.

If you ever get the bath tub clean, polish it with car wax & it will shine & look a lot beter. Dh use to repair fiberglass tubs & that is what he used. It probably has a cast iron tub so be careful you don't cut into the finish. Will work on it too. Also if you get the 600 silcon wet sandpaper it will clean it too.

Wish we could come and help you....We've had problems with a rental too, but it wasn't next door! What a great deal for you. Maybe you can do one or two rooms at a time. As for worrying about the air conditioning and the heater, I don't think it's a serious problem. My grandmothers both made quilts and some survived (though unfortunately I don't have any!) Both lived in sultry, humid, sometimes cold East Texas...and survived with space heaters and big fans...

Thanks Karen, I will try the TSP on the little bit of wallpaper in the kitchen. I hadn't thought of that. I have gone through a LOT of gloves in cleaning. The only thing I found to cut all the grease in the kitchen is Dawn Power Desolver. I'm sure I've gone through 6-8 bottles or more but it is great stuff. I used it on the stove, refrigerator, everything.The only thing is it strips part of the paint off but we will be painting anyway.

I just plain can't get over your pictures. I truly don't think I have EVER in my life seen anything so filthy. I just can't get over it. How in heaven's name could anyone occupy that place? Where did the last tenant bathe?

It's past amazing that it's not crawling with who knows what bugs.

Thanks, I will check on that paint.

By looking at the pics I bet the first thing you do when you get thru is strip & hit the shower. OOOOOO cooties. Double yuk

Thanks again Debra, I'm sure taking lots of notes.

Debra, I was going to tell you about your story about the alarm clock. I thought the old ceiling fan was antiqued...turns out it was white too. LOL

You know he really does not appear to be that dirty in his appearence. He is nearly 60 but I'm not sure he ever lived on his own before his Mother passed away and her home was sold so he moved in this house and didn't know what to do.

You are lucky I can dream of haveing a whole house for my quilting,congratulations. I am happy for you.
I look forward to seeing your photos. I took over one bedroom when the last child left, hubby wanted it for a guest room too but I won out. Told him when was the last time we had some one to come visit and stay for a while.
We do keep a bedroom for GD when she comes to spend the night told him if company come they can stay in there.
Waited to many years to get my own room.
Happy Quilting,
Carol in Delaware

OMG! I just saw the pics of the "clean spots". Is anybody still smoking? Do you see what is getting in your lungs?