FIRE SMOKE
Deodorize the Air
The first step to eliminating the smell of smoke is to improve air circulation in your space. Start by opening all the windows and doors in the home.
This creates a cross-breeze that sucks dirty air out and fills the space with fresh, clean air.
For faster results, add a HEPA air filter and a dehumidifier, which will “scrub” the air as it moves.
GET RID OF SMOKE SMELL. To get a jump start on the freshness, make a DIY deodorizer. Here are a few options:
Place a few bowls of white vinegar or ammonia in rooms where the smoke smell is especially bad
Boil a pot of orange or lemon peels and water on the stove
Place bowls of baking soda in stinky rooms
Boil a potful of vinegar on the stove and let it simmer for 1-2 hours
- While these tactics may temporarily make the house smell like ammonia or vinegar, they neutralize the smoke compounds in the air and leave your space smelling clean and fresh.
Clean the walls and ceiling
Next, remove surface odors by scrubbing the walls and ceiling with a cleansing solution, like two tablespoons of ammonia mixed into two cups of water.
You can also use 1 part white vinegar mixed with 1 part water. Once you have your cleaning solution, use a soft rag to scrub the walls and ceilings.
Invest in professional carpet cleaning
Professional carpet cleaning technician. Again, smoke odors linger in textiles. Because of this, professional carpet cleaning is one of the best ways to get rid of musty, funky smells.
Because most professional carpet cleaners use steam cleaning equipment and odor-neutralizing cleaning solutions, they’ll help remove set-in smoke smells.
As a bonus, carpet cleaning also removes the toxic compounds in smoke odors, which improves your home’s indoor air quality. If you can’t clean them, throw away any area rugs that smell heavily of smoke.
Have your upholstery cleaned
Once your ceilings, walls, and carpets are clean, hire a professional to clean your upholstery.
Ideally, this will be the same company that cleaned your carpets.
Upholstery cleaning removes set-in smoke odors in furniture, drapes, and other items and removes stains and discoloration.
Clean your hard floors and windows
Last but not least, clean your hard floors. Use a mop, warm water, and soap with a neutral pH to clean all wood floors.
When you’ve cleaned the floors once, dump the mop bucket, mix up another batch of soap, and go over them again.
For laminate floors, use a water and vinegar mixture to get rid of lingering smoke smell. If you have tile or grouted floors, scrub the nooks and crannies with ammonia and a stiff scrub brush.
Once the floors are done, use a window cleaner to wipe down all the window sills, curtain rods, and window frames in your home.
