Smoke odors from fire damage, cigarette smoke, or even burnt food can permeate every square inch of your home, especially your carpet, furniture, and rugs. Once the smoke odors are trapped in the fibers of the carpet and upholstery, it can be extremely difficult to extract the stench. If you are struggling with smoke smells in your home and are looking for a way to eliminate them, you have come to the right place. this guide and learn how to remove smoke odors from your home.
fire damage
We start with the biggest challenge: removing smoke odors from carpets. Depending on the source of the fire and the type of smoke it caused, carpets and other porous surfaces in your home can be affected in different ways. If the fire has emitted wet or dry smoke, protein or fuel particles, or even fire extinguisher residue, it's usually best to call in a professional to fix the smoke damage.
Cigarettes & Cigars
Smoking-related odors in a home can be particularly overwhelming, not to mention harmful and offensive. Your first line of defense should be to create a baking soda-based carpet deodorizing powder. Simply mix in a cup of dried lavender in a large box of baking soda, then sprinkle it over every inch of your carpet, letting it sit for at least eight hours.
Helpful tip: sprinkle the mixture just before going to bed! After eight hours of setting, suck the mixture well; repeat the whole process if necessary.
burnt food
Using the same DIY deodorizing recipe (baking soda with a cup of dried lavender) that is used to eliminate cigarette and cigar odors, follow the same process: sprinkle the mixture on your carpet, let it sit for eight hours, then vacuum thoroughly. Also, go ahead and place three bowls of distilled white vinegar around the room to help absorb odors; leave those bowls for 5 days.
Note: If you have young children or pets, be sure to place the bowls in high or hard-to-reach places. Can't stand the smell of vinegar? Add a few drops of vanilla to the bowl; will surely help the stink. But keep in mind that even though the vinegar smell is pungent, it will lessen over time - your smoke smells won't.
Eliminate smoke odors from the rest of your home
After dealing with smoke odors in your carpet, take the time to eliminate smoke odors from other areas of your home. Here is a quick list of a few other home remedies you might consider:
Machine wash or dry clean soft items, such as pillows, draperies, blankets, etc. Have upholstered furniture professionally cleaned. Wash walls and ceilings with a solution of trisodium phosphate. Wash hard surfaces (countertops, tile, linoleum, etc.) with a 1:3 solution of vinegar and water. Do not use on granite, marble or stone. Wipe down fixtures with ammonia. Apply 1-2 coats of primer on all painted surfaces, then apply a new coat of paint. Replace all light bulbs. Clean vents and ducts. Change HVAC filters.When trying to remove odors from your carpet or home, always consider ventilating your space as much as possible. Always read printed instructions on chemicals and solutions very carefully and never combine toxic cleaning chemicals .If the job gets too big or you have a lot of questions, get in touch - we're always happy to help!
About Woodard Cleaning and Restoration
Woodard Cleaning & Restoration was founded in 1946 by Earl and Nancy Woodard. Located in St. Louis, Missouri, Woodard serves the greater metropolitan area (Illinois, St. Charles County, Jefferson County, St. Louis County and many more 'others).Woodard is proud to be the preferred provider of cleaning and restoration services.Our cleaning services include carpet, hard surface, furniture and rug cleaning for residential and commercial properties.We also provide water, fire, panel, storm and smoke restoration services for residential and commercial customers. For information or questions, submit an online form or call us at 314-227-3932.
Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and Twitter.
Updated on 03/26/2018
