After a home fire, you should always wait to re-enter the home until the fire department declares it safe to do so. But after that, you might wish you had never walked through the front door! The smoke odor might be quite obnoxious, but you need to get into the home to retrieve personal possession or start repairs. How can you get rid of that nasty smell?
Ventilate the house. Open all of your windows, and run fans throughout the house to move air through it. You need to get the smelly air out, and fresh air into the home. Depending upon the extent of the odor, this process can take hours or several days.
Clean the carpets and upholstery. Sometimes, these items are too badly damaged by smoke and soot, and must be removed after a fire. But if they can be saved, you will need to clean them thoroughly to remove smoke particles that carry odor. Consider professional carpet and upholstery cleaning, as soot can be difficult to remove. Using the wrong methods can even make the problem worse.
Try an air purifier. An air purifier with a HEPA filter will remove pollutants and contaminants from the air. This can include smoky smells, not to mention the leftover chemicals from flame retardants used to extinguish the fire.
Try natural odor eliminators. Both baking soda and activated charcoal are natural odor absorbers. They’re safe to place around your home, and can help to freshen the air. Place them in bowls around the house and leave them for a few days. Note: You can sprinkle baking soda on the carpets if you want, but don’t do this with activated charcoal. It does stain some surfaces and fabrics.
Call a professional smoke damage remediation specialist. Eliminating odors and other problems left behind after a home fire can be a difficult and time-consuming process. Call us to discuss your situation, and we can handle the issues with experience and the correct professional equipment.
