If you have had some fire damage to your home, then along with the other clean up you will have to take care of, you will also need to deal with getting rid of the smell of smoke. The smell will be in the walls, the flooring, the furniture and in anything else that was in a room that had a lot of smoke going through it. You should follow these tips to get the smell of smoke out of your house as much as possible.
Remove furniture
One of the first things you should do is to remove all the furniture and set it outside so it can air out. While it is sitting outside, you can take a spray bottle filled with water and a small amount of vinegar to scrub the upholstery, wood, metal and other surfaces of each piece. Allow each piece to sit with the solution on them until they dry completely.
If you have cushions on some of your furniture that can come off to wash, then you should wash what you can in the washing machine and put in a little amount of vinegar in as detergent.
Clean the walls and windows
You can also use a solution of vinegar and water to clean the walls in hopes of removing the smell of the smoke. Make sure you start from the tops of the walls and slowly work your way down. This way, you know you are getting every spot.
While you are cleaning the walls, you should have all possible doors to that room open, as well as all of the windows. You can spray down and scrub all the walls, then run some fans to dry them faster. Take a smell of each wall and if you can still smell a smoke odor, then repeat the process one more time.
Take down cloth curtains and take them to a professional. Let them know you need the smoke smell removed. If you have vinyl blinds, then you should dip a sponge into vinegar and water, then wash each independent slat. Even the cord can retain the smell, so be sure you wipe it down as well. Wash the windows with the same solution. You can use a balled up newspaper to wipe off the solution in order to avoid streaks.
Clean the flooring
Mop tile and linoleum floors with vinegar and water. To clean your carpet, start with a good vacuuming. Make sure the vacuum has clean filters; this will help remove a little more of the smoke smell.
Pour very hot water and vinegar into the steam cleaner and go over all the carpet. Open all doors and windows and turn on fans to help it dry. Once the carpet is dry, fill the machine with a good carpet solution and go over it a second time; repeat the drying process.
If you'd rather have professionals clean your carpet, contact a company like All Around Town Carpet Care; they may even be able to steam clean your furniture.
The tips provided to you above should help you to get rid of the smell of smoke in your home. Just remember to wipe everything down and then get as much air as possible moving through the room.
Share21 March 2016
Growing up, I was extremely close to my family. In fact, I lived with my parents and my sister until I married my husband eleven years ago. Unfortunately, I moved seventy-five long miles away from my family after my wedding. But I still visit my childhood home at least once each month. Our growing family also still celebrates all of the major holidays including Easter. Because my husband and I plan to start a family soon, we hope to begin hosting more family gatherings at our home. When this takes happens, I know I will need help cleaning my house. On this blog, I hope you will discover how hiring cleaning services can help you plan a stress-free Easter celebration.
