How to Restore a House With Smoke Damage

The odor left behind by smoke damage can remain for months after the initial incident.

Smoke damage can turn your cherished home into a smelly mess. Smoke damage can be caused by fires, fireplaces, candles and cigarette smoke. Once the smoke comes in contact with a surface -- such as walls, upholstery and carpets -- it leaves behind its unpleasant odor and soot. These are difficult to remove and can damage some items beyond repair. Restoring a smoke-damaged home requires you to remove the soot residue and odor.

Things You'll Need

• Dust mop
• Buckets
• Trisodium phosphate
• Long-handled spoon
• Sponge mop
• Fans
• White cloths
• Rubbing alcohol
• Prewash stain treatment
• Laundry detergent
• Liquid dish soap
• White vinegar
• Vacuum with upholstery attachment
• Carpet shampooer

Instructions

Walls

1. Remove curtains, draperies and other items from the walls. Use a dust mop to remove surface soot from the walls.

2. Fill a bucket with 1 gallon of water and add 1 tbsp. trisodium phosphate. Mix thoroughly with a long-handled spoon. Fill a second bucket with 1 gallon of plain water. Set both buckets and the cleaning tools next to your workspace.

3. Submerge a clean (or new) sponge mop into the bucket of trisodium phosphate and water. Hold the mop over the bucket and wring out the excess liquid. Begin scrubbing the walls with the damp sponge mop.

4. Clean the sponge mop in the bucket filled with water whenever it becomes soiled. Submerge it back in the trisodium phosphate and water mixture and continue scrubbing the walls until you have removed all smoke residue and soot.

5. Let the walls air dry. Place several fans near the walls to help them dry faster.

Fabric

1. Lay the fabric on a flat surface with the smoke and soot stains facing upward. Dampen a clean white cloth with rubbing alcohol and blot the stain until it is thoroughly saturated.

2. Apply a prewash stain treatment to the stains and let it sit for 15 minutes. Wash the fabric in the hottest water temperature allowed for the fabric with 1/4 cup laundry detergent.

3. Remove the fabric from the washing machine immediately. Repeat the process if the stain or odor remains.

Wood

1. Fill a bucket with 1 gallon cool water. Add two to three drops liquid dish soap and mix with a long-handled spoon.

2. Saturate a cloth in the mixture and wipe the soot and smoke residue off the wood. Rinse clean with a cloth dampened with cool water.

3. Fill a second bucket with 1 gallon cool water and 3 cups white vinegar. Saturate a cloth with the mixture and give the wood a good wiping down with the cloth. Let the mixture dry on the wood. White vinegar can remove any smoke odors trapped in the wood.

Carpets

1. Remove loose soot from the carpet by running a vacuum hose with the upholstery attachment across it.

2. Rent a carpet shampooer -- or carpet-cleaning machine -- from a home improvement center. Read and follow all directions and warnings in the carpet shampooer's manual.

3. Fill the shampooer's container to the indicator line with hot water. Pour 2 cups white vinegar into the water and place back in the shampooer.

4. Begin in the area of the carpet farthest away from the exit. Push the shampooer forward while squeezing the trigger. This will release the vinegar and water cleaning mixture onto the carpet.

5. Pull the shampooer straight back in the line where you just sprayed the cleaning mixture. Pulling the machine backward sucks up the dirty liquid from the carpet. Repeat the process until you have cleaned the carpet. Let the carpet dry for several hours.

Tips & Warnings

• Trisodum phosphate -- also known as TSP -- is a heavy-duty cleaning chemical that is available at home improvement centers and department stores.

• Wear rubber gloves when working with chemicals to prevent possible skin irritations.

References

• University of Missouri Extension: After the Fire is Out: Cleaning Household Textiles and Clothing
• University of Florida: Handling Smoke Damage after a Fire
• Good Housekeeping: Stain Buster--Smoke
• Reader's Digest: Extraordinary Uses for Vinegar