I will have to clean and paint the house I want to buy. So I'm getting my ducks in a row before it all starts. My wife is talking about getting all this expensive stuff to clean the place before painting. But I remember when I worked at a hardware store that contractors would come in and buy something that they would use in fire damage jobs that would strip all the grime from the walls before painting. But I can't remember what it is. Or how they did it.

Are you thinking trisodium phosphate powder? Just ask for TSP and I think you'll have it.

Comet, glass cleaner, bleach mixed with water, oven cleaner, and as mentioned above, trisodium phosphate powder, as well water, real cellulose sponges, buckets to mix water and cleaning agents in, paper towels and rags should be some of the things that you might want to have on hand for a major cleaning job of just general horizontal ceiling, counter/sink surfaces and vertical surfaces such as on walls or the sides of other things.

Are the areas to be cleaned damaged by fire? You don't really clarify that in your original post.

Thanks!

No fire damage but as an example of how bad it is the house is 22 years old and still has the original carpeting in it. They were smokers and raised 4 kids in the house. I'm thinking of pulling the carpet and renting a paint sprayer and painting every wall and ceiling with Kitzs oil base primer. I did it once before on a 70 y/o house in southern Florida that was heated by kerosine heaters. I swear I could cover a dead squirrel nailed to a wall with that paint. Smelled for days but it was worth it.