Assess the damage to your belongings once you are back inside. Decide what you want to try to clean, and what you need to discard.
Run a dehumidifier with the windows closed if you live in a climate with warm, humid weather and have associated water damage along with smoke damage. In this situation, multiple powerful fans will be key. Change your furnace filter daily if your heat is running. Do this until it the filter shows no soot.
Contact your insurance company for approved restoration contractors that you can contact. Visit the Better Business Bureau website or Angie’s list to find trustworthy contractors. If you attempt to dry out your house yourself, beware of any mold or mildew underneath beneath carpets and floors. Remove all carpets from the home. The presence of mold can be a serious health risk and can damage your floors beyond repair. If possible, invest in some large swamp fans to help dry and air out your home.
Fix the plain attachment onto the vacuum cleaner hose, and hold the nozzle slightly above the surface of the wall. Move it back and forth until all loose soot is removed. You may also want to try using the brush attachment to brush off any additional soot. Anything that is not sucked into your vacuum cleaner should fall on to your drop cloth. Try a dry chemical sponge as an alternative to vacuuming. [1] X Research source This chemical sponge is highly recommended because it is impregnated with a chemical that removes soot and smoke from your wall. [2] X Research source Using a dry sponge, wipe the soot stain on the wall repeatedly. When the sponge becomes saturated with soot, wash it out in a sink and allow to air dry. If there is severe soot damage on walls or ceilings, they may need to be replaced.
Put on a pair of heavy duty gloves to protect your hands and forearms and a pair of goggles to protect your eyes. Wear old clothes that you don’t mind having ruined. Fill a standard bucket with 1 gallon warm water and add 1 tablespoon of TSP. Wet a sponge with the TSP solution and wipe your wall or ceiling vigorously with the sponge. Work one section at a time. Rinse the section you have just cleaned with a rag dipped in clean water. Continue until the entire wall and/or ceiling has been cleaned. Repeat the wash/rinse step several times depending on the severity of the soot buildup. Be cautious not to oversaturate your walls with water or let the water seep between your walls and baseboards. If the smoke damage is still visible after this cleaning process, you will likely need to prime your walls and/or ceiling and repaint. [3] X Research source However, it is important to make sure they are as clean as possible before you do so. Beware that TSP is a harsh cleaner and can have irritating effects to skin and eyes. Be careful not to allow it to touch your skin, and if it does, wash it off immediately and be on the lookout for severe irritation. [4] X Research source
Unsmoke Degrease-All Degreaser: tough enough to remove the heaviest smoke damage. Benefect Atomic Degreaser: a solvent-free, high-performance botanical degreaser, safe for use around people and pets. Chemspec Smoke-Solv Liquid Wall Wash: specially formulated to remove soot and smoke residue from walls and hard surfaces.
Place a plastic sheet around the base of the walls to avoid water seeping in between the walls and baseboards. Fill a bucket with warm water and add a few tablespoons of detergent, just enough so you create a few bubbles. [7] X Research source . Wipe down walls with soapy water using a soft cloth or sponge. Use white vinegar as an alternative. Try wiping down washable walls with white vinegar (this can also be used on furniture and floors). Vinegar, while strong smelling itself, can be used as a powerful odor-neutralizer. Spray walls and surrounding area with Febreeze. Febreeze, sold in many stores, uses cyclodextrin to absorb odor. Try spraying the walls and affected area down with Febreeze to reduce smoke odor. The smell of Febreeze will be a welcome change from the odor of smoke!
Look in the yellow pages or online under “Fire and Water Damage Restoration. ”
Do not use vacuum attachments or an upright vacuum. The brushes tend to force soot further into fabrics and will make them much more difficult to clean. An upright vacuum will ground the soot into the fabric or carpet.
Dissolve 1 cup of dishwashing detergent in 1 gallon of warm water. Completely submerge all items (including furniture covers, curtains, etc. ) and let them soak overnight in a washing machine or bathtub. Drain them and launder as usual the next day. For items that can be bleached, mix 4-6 tablespoons TSP with 1 cup Lysol or household bleach and 1 gallon of water. Add textile items, rinse with clear water, and dry. For especially stubborn odors, call a professional who will do an ozone treatment. This deodorizing treatment actually breaks up the smoke molecules to eliminate the order. This can be done by a professional fire restorer with an ozone generator. [8] X Research source Talk to a local dry cleaner about using counteractants. Tell them that there has been smoke damage, and they can use these chemicals to remove odors from your textiles and clothing.
Wash any machine-washable items in warm water using your normal liquid detergent. Several washings may be needed to get these items as clean as possible.
Sort clothes into piles based on their fabric types and washing instructions. Beware of any clothing that are dry-clean only, as these must be professionally treated.
Never use the brush attachment with your vacuum cleaner if removing the soot from clothing. The brush bristles can force particles of soot deeper into the clothing.
Use liquid detergent to return clothes to original state if they are 65/35 polyester-cotton blend, 50/50 polyester-cotton blend, or pure cotton. Use powder detergent and bleach (for bleachable clothing only) for clothing that is 65/35 polyester-cotton blend, 50/50 polyester-cotton blend, or pure cotton. Be aware that dry cleaning is non-effective with clothing that is 65/35 polyester-cotton blend, 50/50 polyester-cotton blend, or pure cotton. Recognize that 100% polyester fabrics may never be fully returned to their original state.
Use powder detergent or liquid detergent (with our without bleach) to get the smoke odor out of any type of washable clothing. Avoid using household deodorizers to remove the smell. These will only temporarily mask the smell.
That said, some dry cleaners can use special counteractants to remove odors from clothing. Talk to your dry cleaner to see if this option is available.
Vacuum the soot off the furniture using a flat attachment. Do not rub the attachment along the wood, as this can grind soot into the wood. If your wood furniture is finished, you can consider using the brush attachment and gently rubbing the bristles along the surface of the furniture. Wipe the wood with a dry chemical sponge. This is similar to the process of removing soot from the walls. Wipe the dry sponge along the surface of the wood in straight lines until the sponge turns black with soot. Rinse the sponge and let it dry. Restore the wood with polish. Use a cream restoration polish for best results, and do not leave the cream on the wood for more than 5-10 minutes. Consider using a polish like Restore It Cream Furniture Polish. You can also use a spray like Pledge.
Vacuum the soot off the furniture using a flat attachment. Do not rub the attachment along the surface of the leather furniture, as this can grind the soot in to the furniture further. Apply saddle soap or leather soap to a clean cloth and wipe the leather with it. Follow the instructions on the bottle for best results. Spray the leather with a half-vinegar half-water mixture mixed in a spray bottle. Because you cannot shampoo leather, this is your best bet for removing an odor. Wipe off this mixture, and then wipe furniture with a clean damp rag. Do not saturate the leather. Steam cleaning can also be effective for leather furniture. You can buy a steam cleaner for your home or hire professionals to do it for you. Sprinkle baking soda liberally over the leather and allow it to sit overnight. Vacuum it up in the morning, and repeat if needed. Remember to clean each cushion and pillow separately if your furniture has removable pieces.
If any fabric coverings can be removed from the furniture, do so. It is easiest to clean the smoke smell away in a washing machine. [11] X Research source . You can also add 1 cup of white vinegar to the washing water in order to increase the power of odor removal. Sprinkle baking soda with a little bit of salt over the entire surface of the affected furniture. Baking soda is a well-known odor absorber. [12] X Research source Allow the baking soda to sit for 1-2 days. Vacuum the baking soda away using the basic attachment on your vacuum cleaner. Repeat until the odor is removed. Consider purchasing a product called Odor Check by Watkins. This product is specifically found to work well for removing smoke smells. [13] X Research source
