How do you get rid of the smell after fire damage?

2/2/2021 (Permalink)

Get rid of the smell after fire damage

During a fire, the smoke extends throughout the building and gets absorbed in porous materials and objects such as wood, furniture, textiles, carpeting, drywall and air ducts. Although acting quickly after a fire can make a difference when it comes to the overall indoor air quality of the building, if the structure of the building remained intact, it is very likely that the smoke became trapped inside.

Though cleaning up after a fire and seeing the state of your possessions can be devastating when the awareness of what has been lost is realized, having adequate guidance on what to do can be crucial to preventing the current damage from escalating. If your property has been unfortunately affected by fire damage, here are five cleaning steps to perform to get rid of the persistent smell resulting from either burned materials or objects exposed to the fire.

• Ventilate the property: opening windows and doors while cleaning out the house will let out the smoke smell while allowing fresh air to come in. When airing out rooms, try to use fans in doorways in the direction towards windows to push out the smoke odor.
• Wash surfaces: from furniture, counter-tops, shelves, wood surfaces, tile floors, and baseboards, wash all surfaces with a solution of water (1 gallon), a cup of white vinegar and a teaspoon of dish soap or shampoo. Using a spray bottle, spray all solid surfaces and scrub them thoroughly. Then wipe them with clean cloths and repeat the process if a strong smell keeps coming from the cleaned surfaces.
• Remove and clean curtains and soft fabrics: by using regular washing detergent and a cup of white vinegar in your washing machine in a cycle of warm water, you can clean soft fabrics such as sheets, drapes and clothing. White vinegar is a heavy-duty cleaner ideal when trying to get rid of smells or difficult spots, so a long cleaning laundry cycle should be enough to clean and deodorize your fabrics.
• Clean and vacuum existing carpets: for carpeting and upholstery that has absorbed smoke particles, a 3-hour treatment of baking soda can help to neutralize the odor. Before deciding to clean it completely, sprinkle baking soda on your affected carpets and use a broom on the area to help spread it. Let it sit for a few hours and then vacuum it until all existing baking soda is removed. If the odor persists, consider hiring professional cleaning services.
• Call for help: while these steps are essential to avoiding smoke odor becoming a worse air condition problem that poses hazardous to occupants of the building, getting professional help from SERVPRO of Martin County will certainly make a difference in the process of cleaning and repairing your property. At SERVPRO we have all the industrial cleaning equipment ready to give all the surfaces and contents of your home a thorough cleaning. Let our team make your loss "Like it never even happened.” When fire or smoke damage affects your home or business, call SERVPRO of Martin County at (772) 334-8762, or visit our Blog online for more information: https://www.SERVPROmartincounty.com/blog