How to Eliminate the Smell of Smoke in Your Home
After having a fire in your home, there are some immediate and some long-term impacts. One such long-term impact is the lingering smell of smoke, serving as a constant reminder of the tragic experience, as well as having a toxic effect on everyone living in the home.
Smoke damage is sneaky. It works into every little nook and cranny and attaches with everything. Without proper treatment, your home could smell like smoke for years after a fire occurred. As the smoke lingers on, it can continue to cause damage in your home — discoloring your carpet and clothes, causing damage to one’s lungs, and creating a pervasive unpleasant odor. Getting professional help getting rid of the smell of smoke in your home may be the only way you’ll be able to completely eradicate the smell of smoke in your home. If you are in Southwest Florida and need help getting rid of the smell of smoke in your home following fire damage, contact FloStop Restoration, LLC today.
The Reality of Smoke Damage
Each and every item you have that has smoke on it will need to be thoroughly cleaned in order to eliminate the odor and the soot. It can be a daunting task to do all on your own. That’s why hiring professionals to restore your home to as smoke-free and clean smelling as possible is your best bet. However, there are a few things you can do to reduce the smell of smoke on your own.
#1: Air Out Your Home
The first and most obvious thing to do if your home reeks of smoke is to air it out. Open up all the doors and windows for at least an entire day to let it completely ventilate and to get as much fresh air in your home as possible. You can use fans strategically placed in doorways to push out as much of the smell in your home. This is a good first step before getting into the deep cleaning/restoration process. One way to make this process more effective is to rely on positive pressure — which is where you make it so the air pressure in your home is lower than outside your home, resulting in air getting sucked out. This can be done by opening your front door and putting a fan facing outward on the doorway, shutting all the other windows in your home, and running the fan for at least 15 minutes then completely sealing up your house. Then, you go through your home and re-open the front door along with individual windows. Going from room to room, you can use this method of positive pressure to force more of the smell out through the window.
#2: Baking Soda
Baking soda is a useful cleaning agent, as it is effective but gentle. One popular, natural way of removing smoke odor in things like carpet, furniture, and drapes, is to sprinkle baking soda onto them, work it in with a brush or broom, then leave it to work its magic overnight. This can significantly reduce the smell of smoke in your upholstery and more. The fabric in your home may have absorbed a great deal of smoke; baking soda is a good way of treating the issue. Simply leave it overnight and then vacuum it up the next day.
#3: Other Cleaning Solution
There are many other methods for eliminating smoke smell in your home after a fire.
Throw sheets, clothes, drapes, blankets, etc. all in the washing machine. Add your normal detergent but before the rinse cycle begins add a cup of vinegar in as well.
Use a mix of water, vinegar, and dish soap to wipe down all your countertops, hardwood floors, and cabinets. Let the solution sit for a bit before removing it.
#4: Get Professional Help
It is unlikely that you will be able to eliminate the smell of smoke from your home entirely by yourself. Complete smoke removal generally calls for industrial cleaning equipment and professional experience. At FloStop Restoration, LLC, we are well-equipped to eliminate the smell of smoke in your home. Having served Southwest Florida with our restoration services for years, we are confident we can help thoroughly get rid of the smoke smell in your home, following a disaster. Our highly-trained, professional team is passionate about providing you reliable service, so you can focus on the things that truly matter, while we take care of everything else. Give us a call and we’ll come by to assess the damage and then get started decontaminating your home with a thorough cleaning.