Did you know that 96% of all homes in the US have experienced some form of smoke damage?
Unfortunately cleaning up smoke damage is a hefty task. Not only will you have to clean up the soot and ash, but you’ll also have to get rid of the smoke odor and residue.
What’s more, you can’t just use some soap and water to remove smoke damage, this can make things even worse, and endanger your health.
Stay safe and read on to get smoke damage advice from the experts.
Wear protection
If you’re trying to repair smoke damage, the first thing you need to do is protect your eyes lungs, and skin from the smoke and soot particles.
Soot, ash, and char can be much more toxic than you think. Research shows that even invisible particles from wildfires can be highly hazardous to one’s health.
Therefore make sure you wear a respirator mask, rubber gloves, goggles, and, ideally, a full-body suit.
Start by Vacuuming
If you have any belongings in the house, remove these and sort out what is salvageable and what will have to be thrown away. Once you have a clear area to work with, start by vacuuming up the ash and char.
A professional smoke and odor removal service would use a smoke vacuum for this. However, you can also try a shop-vac with strong suction and an upholstery brush. Avoid scrubbing too hard with the brush attachment, as this can make stains worse.
Wipe All Surfaces With a Dry-Cleaning or Soot Cleaning Sponge
Once you have vacuumed, the next step in repairing smoke damage is to wipe every surface with a smoke cleaning or dry cleaning sponge.
Do not clean with water until you have completed this step. If you don’t wipe off the excess stuck soot with a dry cleaning or soot cleaning sponge, you can create a muddy soot layer on your surfaces that is very hard to eradicate.
Wipe gently with your dry sponge, turning it over every few strokes. Once both sides become soiled, you can trim them down with a knife to reveal a fresh layer of sponge, or you can simply grab a new sponge.
Wash and Rinse All Surfaces
Once you have gone over all surfaces with a dry-cleaning or soot cleaning sponge, you can move on to using liquid removers. You can either use a commercial smoke/soot remover, or you can try rubbing alcohol, vinegar, or paint thinners.
Dip a rag into your choice of cleaner and proceed to wipe down every surface and item in the room that has smoke damage.
After this, you can then go in with a general-purpose cleaner, TSP, or degreaser. Mix your cleaning agent in a bucket of hot water and start wiping down all surfaces with a fresh set of rags. Refresh your water and rags as soon as they get dirty.
Finish off by wiping down all the walls and surfaces with fresh water and clean rugs to remove any cleaning product residues.
Do You Need Professional Help Remediating Smoke Damage? Call Us
Getting rid of smoke damage is a very tough job. Not only is it tiring and difficult to do properly, but it can also be dangerous to carry out if you don’t have the right protective gear.
If you’re struggling to get rid of smoke damage or odor, it’s time to hire a professional.
We offer 24/7 emergency smoke damage services and provide a warranty on our work.
Contact us today to have professional smoke and odor removal carried out on your property.
