Stubborn smoke odour is one of the most common examples of the harmful consequences of a fire – it can linger in a home for a long time, compromising the indoor air quality and posing health hazards to the occupants of the building. Getting rid of smoke smells is quite a challenge. When fire smoke infiltrates the home, the tiny smoke particles stick to all household surfaces and get embedded into all kinds of porous materials – carpeting, furniture, fabrics, books and even paint. If smoke has affected your home, you need to take every possible measure to get rid of the smoke smell quickly and effectively. Here are some tips for smoke odour removal:
Air your home and items
Open doors and windows. Fresh air and sunlight will help remove odour. Air your soft furnishings outside in the sunshine and wind. Mattresses may be able to be cleaned by a specialist upholstery cleaner. You can also open the entrance door to your house and set up a large fan just outside of it, facing inwards to encourage fresh air inside.
Wash as much as you can
Wash your hard surfaces, including furniture, walls, windows and hard floors with mild soap or detergent and water. Remove all curtains, area rugs, furniture covers, decorative cushions, duvets, blankets and any other fabric materials from the affected areas and have them washed or dry cleaned. Wash and air any affected clothing outside.
Clean your carpet thoroughly
Sprinkle baking soda over the entire affected area and let it sit for at least 3 hours and absorb the odours. Then, vacuum the carpet or furniture to remove the baking soda. It is best to use a vacuum with a HEPA filter to keep the baking soda and smoke odours contained. You can also steam clean your carpeting. If neither of these techniques work, it’s time to contact a professional for a deep cleaning. You may need to have the carpeting replaced if the smell cannot be completely removed.
Change your air conditioning filter
In addition to cleaning every surface area of your home, you will also want to put a fresh filter in your air conditioning unit. If you have an HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) system, this will need to be inspected and cleaned by a professional. Air duct cleaning is really important to help rid any lingering smoke particles and keep the air healthy and fresh for all occupants.
Speak to a smoke odour removal expert
If you are unsure about the safety in your house following a fire, or have odour that persists, call in the experts. It isn’t safe to live inside a house with smoke damage, even if all the smoke is cleared away, there could still be soot and particles around that you can’t see. That’s why it’s crucial to have an expert check up on your house after you’ve had a house fire.
Disaster Recovery utilises the latest and most effective cleaning and disinfecting solutions to ensure your property ends up smelling clean and fresh. Our knowledgeable technicians clean with the best sanitising and deodorising chemicals and equipment available. We can speed up the natural process using heat, ozone machines, exhaust fans and chemistry. Call 1300 309 361 for Queensland smoke odour removal and fire damage restoration services.
