Did you know that every day 1,500 homes burn in the United States? With so many people dealing with fires inside their houses you might be dealing with smoke damage yourself, or you might know someone else that is.
Keep reading to learn our top tips to clean up smoke damage and have your house looking and smelling good again.
- Assess the Situation
First, you want to take a look at what exactly has smoke on it. Inspect your walls, ceilings, and furniture to see if the damage is more than you can handle. Assess the items that you can salvage and the items that you will need to dump.
This is also the time to decide whether or not you will need a reputable company like Cleanup and Total Restoration to help you. Honestly, a professional is the best way to remove smoke and soot from your home because they have the experience.
- Gather Your Tools
You will want to have the right supplies on hand to clean up the soot mess the smoke will leave behind. A great way to cut through the grime is with TSP (Trisodium Phosphate). You can either dilute it or use it as is, just be sure to wear goggles, gloves, and a mask while scrubbing with TSP.
Some other tools and supplies you will want to have on hand include rags, terrycloth towels, a drop cloth, vacuum, chemical sponge, and a steel wool to deep clean furniture.
- Smoke Damage on Furniture
If you can save your furniture then you will want to first wipe down any wood surfaces with a dry chemical sponge to remove the soot. Then use a cotton cloth with wood cleaner or a 1/4 cup oil soap solution to wipe down all the wood surfaces of your furniture.
Once you remove all the soot, wipe down the furniture with a damp cloth and allow it to air dry.
- Smoke Damage on Walls
First, wipe down the walls to get rid of the first coat of residue. Then, dissolve a tablespoon of TSP with one gallon of warm water and use a sponge to wipe down the walls one section at a time.
After wiping down each section with TSP, go back over each section with water to rinse the TSP off. Keep in mind that if you have drywall you do not want to oversaturate the wall because you will damage the wall and encourage mold to grow.
Ready to Clean Your Home’s Smoke Damage?
Now that we have shared how to clean up the smoke damage from a fire’s aftermath you can get to work. If this is too much of an overwhelming task after dealing with a fire then it is best to call in the professionals.
If you decide to do it on your own then preparation is key. You will also need a lot of patience to tackle this time-consuming task.
Did our article help you today? Please look around and browse the rest of our site for some more interesting and helpful reads.
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