Posted by: Chris Laney on February 1, 2019

Take These Steps to Remove the Smoke Smell after Fire Damage to Your Home

A house fire is one of the most devastating things that a family can experience. Even after the fire is under control and you can return to your home, the damage that is left to deal with can be overwhelming.

Some of the damage that you will deal with is the lingering smell of smoke on clothing and fabrics that were caught in the fire. This smoke smell can stick around for a long period of time and be incredibly strong and invasive.

If you are particularly sensitive to odors, the smoke smell could even irritate your lungs and cause respiratory issues. While this is the last thing you want to deal with while recovering from fire damage, there are a few steps to try to remove the smoke smell from fabrics.

1. It is important to treat your clothing and fabrics as quickly as possible. The faster you get to the smell, the less time it will have to set into the fibers of the fabric. However, you want to keep clothing away from the washer or dryer. The heat from the dryer can set the smell into the clothing, making it nearly impossible to remove down the line. Instead, fill a tub with warm water and either a mild clothing detergent or white vinegar. Soak your clothing overnight in the mixture to begin the smoke odor removal process. Rinse the clothing after 24 hours.If the smell is gone, you can run the clothing through a wash cycle. Feel free to repeat the soaking as necessary to remove the smell!
2. Soot is the fine gray ash that is left over from the fire that has probably taken up residence on all of your items, not just the fabrics. Soot is notorious for clinging to clothing and it's extremely difficult to remove without causing stains. To remove the soot from your clothing, use the vacuum attachment on all fabrics to clean off the soot particles. It is important to not touch the vacuum directly to the material. Soot is easily smudged and will stain your clothing with just the slightest touch. Once you have vacuumed up as much soot as possible, sprinkle baking soda on the area to absorb the remainder. Let the powder sit for 15 minutes, then vacuum off. Once the soot is gone, you can begin the cleaning process with soapy water and a sponge.
3. Many materials and items may not be treatable by a do it yourself method. If this is the case, a professional fire restoration company may be the solution you need. At Water Out, our team of Fire and Smoke Damage experts use professional grade materials, scrubbing down walls, carpets, and all other surfaces with specialized solutions to remove the smoke smell from your home.

Professional Fire Damage Restoration

Remember that fire restoration should be left to the professionals as much as possible. At Water Out, we respond quickly and are open 24/7for emergency services. Our Fire Restoration team will review the damage, inspecting the issues, and create a customized action plan for your home.

Once our plan is in place, our team will remove carpeting, charred beams, or cabinets to make sure that all surfaces are clean and return to the way they were before the fire. If removal isn't an option, we'll clean every surface until there is no trace of fire damage.

Call us today for more information on how we can assist you during this difficult time.