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Going through a fire is stressful. Fires can cause extensive damage throughout your home or property, which requires the help of professionals to restore.
In addition to repairing items burnt, soot-covered, or damaged by water from firefighting efforts, there's also the question of how to remove the smoke smell from the house. The smell of soot or smoke can linger well after a fire, causing unwanted discomfort or damage to you and your family.
This comprehensive guide will walk you through removing smoke odors from your home. We've included immediate steps, deep cleaning suggestions, and odor-neutralization recommendations.
- Step 1: Ensure the Fire is Completely Extinguished. This might seem obvious, but it's crucial. Never attempt to clean or ventilate until you're sure the fire is out and any investigations are complete.
- Step 2: Ventilate (When Safe). Once it's safe, open windows and doors to circulate fresh air. Use fans to exhaust smoky air outwards, not just within the house.
- Step 3: Contact Your Insurance Company. Notify your insurance provider as soon as possible to begin the claims process.
- Step 4: Assess the Damage. Carefully evaluate the extent of the smoke damage. This will help determine whether you can handle the cleanup or need professional smoke odor cleaning.
How to Clean and Deodorize to Remove Smoke Smell
Essentially everything in a home affected by fire smoke needs to be cleaned.
Some items may only require thorough airing to remove the smoke smell. However, most items, such as carpeting, rugs, curtains, upholstery, and clothing, will need a thorough cleaning and possible sanitization.
While special tools and techniques used by professionals will be more effective, you can still take some steps to mitigate the damage caused by the smoke odor from items.
We'll break it down by material type:
Cleaning Fabrics (Clothing, Bedding, Curtains, etc.)
- Wash Everything Washable. Use a high-quality detergent and add a laundry booster designed for odor removal. Don't forget often-overlooked items like pet bedding, stuffed animals, and even decorative pillows.
- Dry Clean Delicate Items. Take delicate fabrics to a professional dry cleaner, and be sure to tell them about the smoke damage.
- Dealing with Oily Soot. If your fabrics have oily soot, avoid using your washing machine, as it can clog. Instead, try taking them to a dry cleaner.
- Storing Clean Materials. After cleaning, store items away from the affected area to prevent re-contamination.
Cleaning Hard Surfaces (Walls, Ceilings, Woodwork, etc.)
- Wipe Down Everything. Use mild detergent and water to clean all hard surfaces, including painted surfaces, baseboards, doors, window frames/sills, and the outside and interiors of all cabinets and drawers.
Pro-Tip:
- Act quickly. The acidic soot can cause metallic surfaces to corrode or rust within hours. Likewise, hard surfaces such as wood, wallpaper, drywall, or paint may start to discolor if soot is not removed shortly after damage. Remove soot as soon as possible to avoid hard-to-remove stains or odors.
Cleaning Carpets and Upholstery
- Vacuuming. Vacuum carpets and upholstery with a HEPA-filtered vacuum. Avoid using an upright vacuum with a beater bar on upholstery, as this can push soot deeper into the fibers. Use a brush attachment and vacuum gently.
- Spot Cleaning. For smaller areas, try spot cleaning with a specialized smoke odor remover. Test the cleaner in an inconspicuous area first.
- Professional Cleaning. For heavy smoke damage or if DIY methods are ineffective, consider hiring a professional smoke odor removal company.
Pro-Tips:
- Upright Vacuums. Avoid vacuuming curtains or upholstery if you're using an upright vacuum. The brushes can cause soot to go deeper into the material, resulting in more damage. Using the right equipment to remove the soot is important.
- What to Do with Smoke-Damaged Wood Furniture. When cleaning, keep smoke-damaged wood furniture away from your carpet. The cleaning solutions may leak and cause carpet stains unless there is a protective barrier between the two.
Cleaning Hidden Areas (Drawers, Closets, Light Fixtures, etc.)
Smoke can infiltrate even the smallest spaces. Empty drawers and closets and clean them thoroughly. Also, remember to clean light fixtures, behind appliances, and other often-overlooked areas.
Here are several tips for cleaning the hidden areas:
- Drawers and Closets. Empty them, wipe down all surfaces with a mild detergent, and leave them open to air out.
- Light Fixtures. Wash removable covers and shades, wipe down bulbs and fixtures, and consider replacing bulbs with persistent odors.
- Behind Appliances. Pull out appliances, vacuum, and wipe down surfaces.
- Cabinets. Empty and wipe down all interior surfaces.
- Under Furniture. Move furniture, vacuum, and clean underneath.
Odor Neutralization Recommendations
- Baking Soda. Place bowls of baking soda around the house. Sprinkle it on carpets, let it sit, and then vacuum it up.
- Activated Charcoal. Activated charcoal is another excellent odor absorber. Use charcoal bags or filters.
- Vinegar. Place bowls of white vinegar around the house or simmer vinegar on the stovetop (don't burn it!).
- Air Purifiers. A good quality air purifier with a HEPA filter and activated carbon filter can help remove smoke particles and odors from the air.
Note: These products may not be as effective at removing the smoke smell alone but could help areas that weren't as directly affected by the fire smoke.
Factors That Affect Smoke Odor Removal
Removing smoke odors from your home or property after a fire can seem straightforward. However, the amount of time needed to do so will depend on various factors.
These factors include:
- Type of Soot. There are two types of soot: dry and oily. Dry soot is easier to clean and can be handled with a sponge and a low-alkaline detergent. Oily soot requires special techniques and equipment to be safely removed from your home. If you're unsure, it's time to get help from a professional to ensure that your home and belongings aren’t damaged.
- Size of the Fire-damaged Area. If the affected area is small, the amount of effort needed to eliminate smoke smells will often be lower when compared to a large property or building with multiple rooms.
- Size of the Fire. A larger fire can cause more damage, which will, in turn, lead to more potential for smoke odor throughout your property.
- Time Delay After Fire. The longer you wait, the worse the smoke damage will get. Even if the damage seems minimal, most materials at home can start to yellow, discolor, rust, or corrode due to the impact of acidic soot or smoke particles. Treating them as soon as possible can improve your chances of reducing the need for more care.
- Types of Materials Burned. Materials throughout your home react differently to soot and smoke molecules. Porous hard surfaces such as drywall, wallpaper, wood, and paint can become discolored and permanently stained unless treated quickly. Acidic soot from a fire may also cause metallic surfaces to start rusting and corroding. Even cleaning your furniture may be damaging. Cleaning chemicals may seep into your carpet as it dries, carrying soot and smoke molecules that can cause stains.
Fire smoke infiltrates all areas of a home. It can seep into carpeting, furniture, clothing, draperies, books and even woodwork. Removing fire smoke smell from a home is a process best left to the professionals with the expertise, specialized equipment, and ability to work safely within your home without causing further damage.
Need Professional Smoke Odor Removal? We Can Help.
Call us if you'd like to trust your smoke-smell removal to the pros. After your home is affected by smoke, contact ServiceMaster® Restore for smoke odor removal services that will restore it to normal.
Our team will work with you to ensure that your salvageable belongings are restored and that your home is free from smoke odors. We will also inspect your property after fire damage to ensure no extensive damage could result in costly repairs down the road.
The experts at ServiceMaster Restore are standing by to help you remove unwanted odors from your home or office. Learn more about our smoke damage services, and call us at 1-800-RESPOND to get started.
FAQs
Can spray deodorizers and scented candles remove the smoke smell?
No, spray deodorizer and scented candles won't remove the smoke smell.
Often, homeowners attempt to dissipate the smoke smell with spray deodorizers and scented candles. However, these tactics only mask the smoke odor, not remove it from the home.
Smoke particles bury themselves into fabrics, fibers, and other porous surfaces. To remove the smoke smell altogether, items need to be deeply cleaned.
What should I do about my HVAC system after a fire?
The HVAC filter(s) need to be changed. An HVAC professional should also inspect the system to ensure no damage was incurred during the fire.
Fire smoke removal from a home or building requires a thorough inspection and cleaning of the HVAC system. Fire smoke can permeate ductwork and linger in the ventilation system long after the fire has passed.
How much does professional smoke odor removal cost?
The cost of smoke odor removal will vary depending on the extent of the damage and the services needed to remove the smoke odor.
Contacting an expert smoke odor removal specialist such as ServiceMaster® Restore will allow you to understand better the services required to remove the odor and whether there is a need for fire damage restoration.
Is it safe to eat food in my house during a fire?
No, it's not safe to eat food that has been exposed to fire smoke. Even if the food looks fine, it may be contaminated with harmful chemicals and soot particles that are not visible to the naked eye.
We also recommend not allowing your pets to eat food exposed to fire smoke.
What should I do if my belongings are covered in soot?
If the items are also soot-covered, we recommend handling them as little as possible and trusting their cleaning to a professional to prevent further damage. When determining how to remove the smell of fire smoke from house carpets and upholstery, trust the cleaning experts at ServiceMaster Restore.
We'll ensure the smoke smell and ash residue are removed from deep within the fibers and fabrics. We'll also wash down all hard surfaces with mild detergent and water—this includes painted surfaces, baseboards, doors, window frames/sills, and the outside and interiors of all cabinets and drawers.
Why isn't ventilating my house enough to remove the smoke odor?
Ventilation helps remove the smoke odor but doesn't permanently remove the odors. Smoke particles cling to everything, so a thorough cleaning is essential.
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