How to clean Smoke Damage following a fire
You’ve experienced one of the scariest things that can happen to a homeowner; a house fire. Now what? The smell of smoke has most likely penetrated most of your home and belongings which can make it seem impossible to know where to begin picking up the pieces. Here are a few simple steps you can follow before determining if you need to call in professionals.
Clean soot from the floor
Soot can be quite dangerous to your lungs and lead to medical issues. It is important to get it done as soon as it is safe to do so. Given its nature, make sure you have proper goggles and masks (something we all most likely have handy currently). You can either rent what is called a smoke vacuum,but a powerful Dry-Vac or standard vacuum with an upholstery attachment will work too. Go slow to avoid soot kicking up too much into the air.
Remove smoke damage from walls
Simply repainting the walls will not work. The soot will eventually show through the new paint and the smell will still remain. Using either a dry cleaning sponge or soot cleaning sponge, start gently scrubbing the affected areas. Use a new section of the sponge after a few strokes in each area. Once the surface of the sponge has turned completely black, you can cut it away to reveal more of the sponge to use.
Use a cleaning solution
Once you’ve completed sponging off the walls, the next step is to use a mixture of warm water and a cleaning solution. You can buy a specific solution for soot cleaning. Other options would be to use well-diluted paint thinner or white vinegar. Since the drywall will now be susceptible to soaking in water, you’ll want to be sure to wring out the sponge well before applying the solution.
Remove oil-soluble damage
Due to the nature of ash, there will still be some oily residual damage left to clean. Mix warm water with either a degreaser or mild dish detergent such as Dawn dish soap. Repeat the process of scrubbing all the walls.
