Tips for Removing Smoke Odor from Your Home
Fires cause a significant amount of physical damage to a home but the lingering odors left behind from the smoke can spread throughout the house, even to where there is no damage. Typically when a strong smoke odor is left behind in a home, it is best to call a professional for smoke odor damage restoration services. However, there are some things homeowners can do to help alleviate the strong smoke odor by using these following items to disrupt odor causing molecules from the smoke.
- Vinegar:The strong smell of white vinegar naturally cuts through odors such as smoke odors. Wipe down affected surfaces including the furniture, walls, floors, and ceilings with a wet rag dipped in white vinegar. You can also leave bowls of vinegar in a smoke damaged room for several days to help alleviate the smell. Adding some lavender oil to the vinegar bowls will help reduce the strong smell of the vinegar.
- Baking Soda: Baking soda naturally absorbs many odors including smoke odors. You can use it to eliminate smoke odor by sprinkling it over furniture and other surfaces affected by the odor or by leaving bowls of it around a room with strong smoke odor.
- Odor Reducing Products:Certain odor reducing products such as Febreeze, incense, and oil diffusers can be used to help eliminate the smoke odor.
- Activated Charcoal: The powdered form of activated charcoal naturally absorbs odor and placing bowls of it throughout the house can help reduce smoke odor.
- Fresh Air: If the weather permits, open up your windows and doors so that the fresh air can help dissipate the smoke odor.
- Ozone Generators: Ozone generators are expensive machines that can help reduce the smoke odor from your home. These machines are effective for reducing smoke odor but will not eliminate it completely, especially if the odor has infiltrated the carpet, draperies, or other furnishings.
If a fire in your home has left a lingering smoke odor, these products can help you eliminate some of the odor from the home. However, if the odor has penetrated deeply into the home or your furnishings, then it is best to call a reliable smoke damage restoration professional for odor damage restoration. There are trusted service providers in the Salt Lake City area such as RestorationMaster in Salt Lake, Utah that can effectively remove smoke odor using environmentally friendly methods.
Thanks for these helpful tips!
There was a recent fire in a historic building in the downtown where I work, and the next door property (a restaurant) retained a strong smoke odor. I know from that, and another incident (a fire at the Y where I exercise) just how difficult it is to remove smoke odor. Another nearby business to the “historic building” fire used an ozone generator supplied by a restoration company, with great success.
Wow, this is really great, practical advice! I would imagine that this could be very helpful for many people.