How to Clean Smoke Damage in Your Home?

Cleaning a smoke-damaged house is essential for creating a substantial living environment!

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We assume it to be as easy as opening a window and letting things out. But it is difficult for us to remove smoke and soot due to their acidic nature. They include unpleasant odours and particles that can cause respiratory diseases if inhaled, so it’s essential to clean them thoroughly. If you are not able to clean your home, you can always contact smoke cleaning professionals; they can get you out of trouble within a few hours. You are wondering where to start or how to get that smoke out of your house? Keep reading! Well, in order to clean smoke damage, you need to follow the steps mentioned below:

Allow Proper Ventilation

First and foremost, open all the doors and windows present in the home. This will increase the rate of airflow and get fresh air flowing in. Switch on all the fans to encourage the airflow. If you have exhaust fans, then turn them on also. Quickly switches off your HVAC system to restrict the spread of the smoke and soot.

Wear Protective Gear

Before you hop on to clean the house, you should wear proper protective equipment. Soot, smoke, and debris are dangerous for the human respiratory system if you inhale them, you might acquire respiratory infections. To avoid this, wear a proper respirator. Wear full trousers and a full sleeves T-shirt or shirt to protect your skin. You should also wear hand gloves and safety goggles. It is essential to cover the floor with a big sheet of cloth, as you will releasing soot. Watch your shoes so that you don’t leave soot stains on the floor. Remove house items that are undamaged from the room before you begin the cleaning process.

Use a Vacuum Cleaner

Soot and smoke damage generally come in a unified ugly, smelly package. Start with eliminating loose soot particles with a vacuum having an upholstery attachment. A shop-vac with a high suction power is highly recommended for this task. Be careful! Do not scrub; it can worsen the situation. Just lightly brush the damaged area with the attached brush, vacuuming up the loose particles.

Clean Thoroughly with Dry Cleaning Sponge

After this, use the dry-cleaning sponge to wipe out the soot and smoke stains. These specialized sponges contain special chemicals that are used to lift stains from walls completely. Never try to use a soot cleaner or water before carrying out this step as it will further spread soot. Do not try to scrub the walls; it will spread the stains further; just wipe the walls gently.

Use Liquid Cleaners For Further Cleaning

You can use commercial soot/smoke remover, rubbing alcohol, white vinegar, or paint thinner to clean your walls and floors. Soak the rag in the liquid cleaner, and wipe the walls throughout the damaged room. Even if there are no visible signs of soot or smoke damage, it’s essential to wipe out each and every surface in the room , even light bulbs! After you’ve cleaned thoroughly, dry up the surfaces with the help of a clean rag. You may turn on fans to speed this process up.

Get Rid of the Odour.

Soot and smoke deposits are accompanied by an unpleasant odour, so after clearing the smoke and chipping out soot, we must eliminate this odour. After executing the cleaning process, most of the odour is eliminated. But a small amount of smell can still be there; you may use ozone or hydroxyl deodorizing, as convenient. If still, the odour is present, contact your restoration company to get an ozone generator, as some situations can be handled best by experts only.

The entire process is very effort taking ,so if you’re looking you a quick and perfect resolution, contact your restoration company as soon as the damage occurs!