Soot, Smoke, And Odor Removval

Cleaning up after fire damage is one thing, but what about the leftover smoke smell? Or what if wildfires in the area bring smoke into your home, without actually burning anything? Soot, ash, and other particulates are all a part of creating that smoke odor. That smoky smell isn’t good for your property or for your health. In fact, soot particles are only 4 microns long, which is small enough for lung penetration. This also means that these particulates can become deeply embedded in your fabrics, fibers, wooden furniture, and other porous surfaces. Because of this, your average deodorizer won’t work to remove that smoky smell from your personal belongings!

A Stronger Line of Defense

Spray deodorizers, scented candles, or air fresheners will not be strong enough to battle the smell of smoke. Not only that, but the issue lies in the fact that these particulates need to be filtered out of the air, not just covered up with a different smell. You will merely mask the odor, not remove it. Smoke infiltrates every room in the house or workplace and will seep into carpeting, flooring, furniture, and any fabrics. To actually remove the smoke smell, you need to remove all the soot particulates embedded in the carpets, walls, and more. You may even need to consider whether your carpets should be professionally cleaned.

Check the HVAC System

Because smoke has the ability to move through the air, it is more than likely in your HVAC system and vents. If you clean every piece of soot out of your personal items and carpets but do not clean out your vent system, those soot particles will simply be reintroduced into your home or business as soon as you turn on the air conditioning or the heat. This will create a recurring problem until you get your vent system cleaned.

Soot is Corrosive

An important property about soot to remember is that it is corrosive. It will slowly deteriorate whatever surface or item it rests on. This can ruin your personal belongings and cause damages to the walls, mirrors, windows, and other structural aspects of your home or business. Metals will tarnish, mirrors will etch, and painted walls could become damaged.

Proper Sanitization and Complete Removal of Particulates

Due to the health risk involved with cleaning items affected by soot, you should hire a professional company to clean your upholstered furniture, drapery, carpets, and other affected items that cannot be thrown away. This includes sentimental items that may require delicate restoration. If you attempt to clean the soot by yourself, even if you think you know what you’re doing, you still risk some particles being left on the items you thought you cleaned. This could still continue to penetrate your lung tissue over time.

ServiceMaster TEAM with any and all fire and smoke damage-related restoration projects. Our team in the Dallas-Ft. Worth area can resolve any fire or smoke damage problem, no matter how big or small.