How to Clean Smoke Damage From Painted Walls

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By G. Marie
eHow Contributing Writer

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Fires cause myriad damages, including soot and charring on walls

The smoke from a fire causes all types of damage, including a layer of soot on walls. Charring occurs when paint on the walls burns. Before beginning the cleaning process, assess the damage and the likelihood that cleaning is an effective and realistic option. Assuming the charring hasn't gone too deep into the paint, cleaning soot and charring from walls covered with a satin or semigloss paint is more feasible than cleaning the same from walls covered with flat paint. The latter may require priming and repainting.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

Trisodium phosphate cleaner (TSP)
Measuring spoons
Large sponge
Two buckets
Warm water
Heavy-duty rubber gloves
Goggles (optional -- TSP may irritate your eyes)
Clean rags

Clean soot from painted walls

Step 1

In one bucket, add 1 gallon of warm water and 1 tbsp. of TSP. You'll use this to clean.
Step 2

Fill the second bucket with warm water; add the clean rags. You'll use this to rinse.
Step 3

Put on the rubber gloves and goggles and wet the large sponge in the TSP-and-water mixture.
Step 4

Concentrate on one section of a wall (and ceiling, if applicable) at a time, wiping it down with the sponge and rinsing it off with a wet rag.
Step 5

Repeat this process until the walls (and ceiling) are clean. However, don't get the walls too wet--you don't want to damage the drywall.

Tips & Warnings

If a layer of soot remains on your walls and ceiling after cleaning, your only option may be priming and repainting. To eliminate the odors from both the smoke and the TSP solution, consider an option such as VaporTek (http://www.vaportek.com/fight_odors.html).
TSP is a harsh cleaning agent. Wear gloves and goggles when working with it.

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