Share |

Removing Smoke Odor After A Fire


Removable, washable/cleanable items.

Wash or dry clean, as appropriate, clothing, curtains, bedding, etc. Send area rugs out to be cleaned, or clean as described for carpets below.

Walls:

  • Wash with ammonia or trisodium phosphate or detergent solution and rinse well.
  • Apply compound "BIN" (or others which act as both a sealer and a deodorizer). It seals the sooty residue which didn't wash off so it can't bleed through new paint; penetrates into dry wall and seals surface; seals smoky smell in.
  • Then repaint.

Carpets:

Do NOT shampoo. Extract with steam extractor. Hire professional truck-mounted unit, which is many times the horsepower of home rental units.

Lingering Smell:

If smoke smell lingers, rent a couple of ozone machines and put around house. They filter, circulate, and purify air. (Ozone is nature's way of purifying air.) Removal of smell is gradual but it works.

Check on commercial air purifying machines to see what they recommend using for removing smoke odors (may vary among brands).

Odor removers such as "Odor Away" and other brands may also help lingering odors.



References

This article was written by Anne Field, Extension Specialist, Emeritus.

This information is for educational purposes only. References to commercial products or trade names does not imply endorsement by MSU Extension or bias against those not mentioned. This information becomes public property upon publication and may be printed verbatim with credit to MSU Extension. Reprinting cannot be used to endorse or advertise a commercial product or company.

MSU is an affirmative-action, equal-opportunity employer. Michigan State University Extension programs and materials are open to all without regard to race, color, national origin, gender, gender identity, religion, age, height, weight, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, marital status, family status or veteran status. Issued in furtherance of MSU Extension work, acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Thomas G. Coon, Director, MSU Extension, East Lansing,MI 48824. This information is for educational purposes only. Reference to commercial products or trade names does not imply endorsement by MSU Extension or bias against those not mentioned.

This information.was reviewed as of June 2008. For more information about the contents please contact costner@msu.edu.