A house fire is one of the most devastating and traumatic events that can occur. Not only can it destroy your home and possessions, but it can also damage memories. In addition to replacing lost furniture and personal items, you may also have to make other repairs, such as patching holes and replacing windows.

Possessions can be replaced, but it is not always easy to replace a home. It is important to know how to clean smoke damage, and you may have to deal with lingering water damage once the fire is extinguished.

At first, restoring and repairing your home may seem like a daunting task, but with the support of your community and the right partners, you can get your home back to its original state.

Is all smoke damage the same?

It would be easier to navigate the smoke cleanup process if all fires produced the same type of damage.

They don’t, and that complicates the work.

Different materials create different sets of smoke remediation problems.

• Structural Wood – Burning structural wood contaminates the air with soot and volatile organic materials.
• Natural Materials – Smoke produced by other natural materials covers surfaces with penetrating ash.
• Synthetics – As plastic burns, it releases thick smoke that spreads sticky residue through affected areas.
• Proteins – Typically kitchen-based, protein fires leave behind greasy, yellow-brown stains.

Why does smoke damage need immediate cleanup?

The effects of smoke damage are streaked walls, discolored floors, and stained ceilings. Residual chemicals and carbon particles are left behind in layers of soot covering every surface.

When soot gets into buildings, it can be hard to get rid of. It can get trapped in wall cavities, spread into areas over the ceiling, and seep into the subflooring. Most concerning, exposure to acidic soot can cause serious respiratory problems.

The faster you start cleaning up, the better chance you have of protecting your property and health. Make sure to wear respiratory gear that is rated by OSHA while you are working.

How does smoke damage affect your home’s contents?

When a house fire happens, the first thing you worry about is getting everyone out safely. Once the fire is out, you have to figure out a plan for going back home. That’s when you realize that smoke damage from the fire affects everything in the house, from furniture to personal belongings.

Smoke exposure will quickly cover your home’s contents in sticky soot that will leave permanent stains. After only a few hours, the residue from the smoke will penetrate porous materials such as drywall and tile grout.

If you wait several days to restore smoke damage, it will cause irreversible discoloration to carpets, drapes, upholstery, and bedding. If you wait a week or more, the corrosive soot will permanently etch and pit glass in windows, shower doors, mirrors, and picture frames.

How do you start smoke damage cleanup?

Examine your property room by room for signs of smoke damage. Look for deep stains, heavy layers of soot, and light discoloration on walls and ceilings.

• As you go through each room, sort out any personal belongings. • Put any ruined items that you find in a bag and move them outside so that you can dispose of them later. • Doing this will help to control the smoke odor that is inside. • Find any things that may be salvageable and move them to a location that was not affected by the fire.

You will need the following items to clean up smoke damage: – rubber gloves – face mask – mourners clothing – safety goggles – old toothbrush – bucket – vinegar – baking soda – clean rags – sponges Make sure you have the following items before beginning to clean up smoke damage: rubber gloves, a face mask, old clothing that you don’t mind ruining, safety goggles, an old toothbrush, a bucket, vinegar, baking soda, clean rags, and sponges.

• Latex or nitrile gloves, heavy work boots, and coveralls
• OSHA-rated respirator and wrap-around goggles
• Dry sponges specifically made for soot removal
• Wet sponges and trisodium phosphate or a similar degreaser
• Sturdy ladder, large buckets, and plastic drop cloths
• A vacuum cleaner with HEPA filters and an upholstery attachment

Before Smoke Damage Cleanup

Initial Fire Cleanup

The aftermath of a fire in your home can be shocking. In addition to the soot and smoke damage, you may find damaged or destroyed furniture, books, clothing, and other belongings.

After you get over the initial shock of the damage, the first step is similar to decluttering your home. You will want to go through your belongings and keep the items that are salvageable. Throw away the items that are destroyed or damaged beyond repair.

Emptying out the contents of your home will likely be the most emotional part of the fire damage recovery process. It can be difficult to see all of the damage the fire has caused in person. Take your time clearing out your home, there is no need to rush.

After you remove everything that is not destroyed, you can start planning how to deal with the smoke damage.

Look for Any Additional Smoke Damage in House

To start, you need to check every room in your house to see if any other areas were impacted.

The smoke from a fire usually drifts into other rooms and can cause damage even if the fire was contained to one room.

You should inspect your ceilings when you are survey smoke damage. People often focus on the walls because the damage is more noticeable, but the ceilings often have extensive damage too and need just as much attention.

What Does Smoke Damage Look Like?

Before you start cleaning up the smoke damage in your home, you’ll need to figure out which parts of your home were affected by the smoke. Ways to know how to determine smoke damage include:

• Blackened or Soot Streaked areas
• Black Dust
• Discolored Paint

Cleaning Smoke Damage

Vacuum All Soot and Ash Off Ground

You should now remove any soot and smoke particles from the floor of the affected areas. Soot can be dangerous to your lungs and affect breathing, so you should remove it as soon as possible. Wear Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) when cleaning up soot.

Wearing gloves, a mask, and goggles, vacuum up the loose soot in or around the affected area. The best option is to use a smoke vacuum or at least a powerful dry-vac, but a standard vacuum with an upholstery attachment can also work.

You should be gentle as you vacuum up the soot and debris, because if you just run a vacuum cleaner over the smoke-damaged areas, the soot will probably spread and go further into the floorboards and walls.

After removing as much soot and ash from the ground as possible, you should focus on the walls.

How to Clean Soot Stains from Walls

First, vacuum all of the larger pieces of soot off of the floor and walls. Then, proceed to the next step.

If you try to clean smoke damage without first vacuuming up the soot, you could end up making the damage worse by spreading the soot around. If this happens, call a professional restoration company with a team that specializes in soot removal.

If you have soot damage, the first step is to remove the soot. Once the soot is removed, you can begin working on getting rid of the smoke damage. You will need to clean all of the surfaces in your home, including the walls, ceilings, floors, and any furniture. You will also need to remove any residual smoke odor. There are a few different ways that you can do this, but the most effective way is to use a smoke damage restoration company. If you have soot damage, the first step is to remove the soot. Once the soot is removed, you can begin working on getting rid of the smoke damage. You will need to clean all of the surfaces in your home, including the walls, ceilings, floors, and any furniture. You will also need to remove any residual smoke odor. There are a few different ways that you can do this, but the most effective way is to use a smoke damage restoration company.

The cleaning process for soot residue, stains, and smoke damage is divided into three phases.

First, remove most of the smoke with a dry-cleaning or soot-cleaning sponge. These sponges are made specifically for smoke restoration projects.

Make sure to have a few sponges on hand. Gently rub a dry sponge on the affected area without using water or cleaners. Be careful not to use the same part of the sponge more than a few times.

Use the sponge to apply the blackening agent until the sponge is evenly blackened. When the sponge has no more un-blackened areas, use a knife to remove the surface area of the sponge that is blackened. Repeat the process with a new sponge until the entire surface is blackened.

Use rags to wipe the wall with a commercial soot cleaner or paint thinner in warm water.

The final step is to use a degreaser or mild dish soap with hot water to scrub off the more oil-soluble smoke and soot particles.

After you have used all three products to clean the area, rinse the walls with hot water to remove the cleaning products.

How to Clean Fire Smoke off Walls

When cleaning smoke off walls, it is important to follow the three steps laid out in the previous section. The first step is to blot every area and get rid of as much smoke as possible with the dry-cleaning sponge.

This text is giving instructions on the best way to clean smoke-damaged walls. It is important to focus on small areas at a time and to rinse the area thoroughly when you are finished. If there is wallpaper on the walls, it is important to dry the walls immediately after cleaning to avoid any damage.

How to Clean Smoke Damage From Painted Walls

Painted walls that have been stained by cigarette smoke can be cleaned using a solution of half water and half vinegar. The vinegar will smell at first, but should disappear within a day’s time, while removing the stain and not damaging the paint!

How to Clean Smoke Off Windows

To clean the windows, first wipe them down with cloths and a soot cleaner. Then use a degreaser to remove any remaining residue.

To clean your windows with a spray bottle, mix water and white vinegar. Spray the glass and let the mixture sit for 5 minutes. Wipe the window with a rag or paper towel. If the window is dirty from cigarette smoke, the vinegar will help to remove the nicotine.

How to Clean Smoke-Stained Glass

To clean glass that has been stained by smoke, start by using cloths and soot cleaner to remove all of the particles from the surface of the glass. Next, mix water and white vinegar together and spray it on the glass. Let it sit for a few minutes before using a towel or rag to wipe it off.

How to Clean Smoke Damage from Ceiling

You will also want to clean any ceilings that have been damaged by smoke. You should follow the same steps as you did for the other parts of the room. It may be more difficult to clean the ceiling than other parts of the room.

You’ll need a ladder to be able to reach the hard-to-access areas that are damage. Once you have done that you can start working in small manageable sections with all three of your cleaners.

How Do You Clean Smoke Damage off of Floors?

For hard flooring that has been stained by fire and smoke damage, you can use gentle dish soap with warm water to scrub it gently to remove the residue. Dry quickly and carefully afterwards to avoid any water damage.

To clean carpets, you can either vacuum them to remove loose soot or shampoo them for a deeper clean. If you want someone else to do it, you can call a professional team of specialists. However, if you prefer to do it yourself, you should invest in a quality carpet shampooer and cleanser, which you can find at your local home improvement store.

How to Clean Smoke Damaged Furniture

To clean smoke-damaged furniture, sprinkle baking soda on upholstery, let sit for 24 hours, vacuum, and then repeat. Remove all removable covers and wash in cold water. Hang your removable covers outside when possible to speed drying and eliminate odors. Lastly, lightly spray the cleaned fabric with a product formulated to deodorize smoke-damaged fibers.

How to Clean Wood Furniture with Smoke Damage

To clean smoke-damaged wood furniture:

• Use your vacuum’s flat brush to remove soot from the wood.
• Use a dry chemical sponge to wipe away any soot. To avoid scratching, wipe along the grain.
• Wipe down the wood with a damp cloth and then let it dry.
• Lastly, use a high-quality wood polish or conditioner and use it to restore the finish!

How do you know when contents are damaged beyond repair?

Once a fire has been put out, fire restoration technicians will enter the property to assess the damage and see what can be repaired and what is beyond repair. These technicians use special equipment and advanced techniques to restore a home, but some damage can’t be repaired. Some signs that the damage is irreversible include:

• Structurally compromised wood framing charred more than 1/4 inch deep
• Drywall that must be torn out due to smoke trapped inside wall cavities
• Deeply stained tile and grout that can’t be cleaned or replaced with traditional techniques
• Solid countertops permanently discolored by smoke that also permeated counter underlayers
• Carpets and padding heavily soaked by water and other extinguishing products
• Laminate flooring with smoke-damaged absorbent foam underlayment
• Engineered and real wood floors warped and buckled due to extreme heat and water exposure