Smoke Damage: How to Get the Smell Out of Your Home

According to the National Fire Protection Association, an estimated 374,000 homes in the United States catch fire annually. If you’ve been victim to a house fire, you know that no matter the size it can have detrimental effects. Fires can destroy structural materials, household items, and results in a number of hazards—including major smoke damage in the home.

Even after a house fire has been put out, excess smoke damage can leave you feeling a bit overwhelmed. Smoke odor can linger—here’s how to make sure it doesn’t stick around too long.

4 Fool-Proof Tips To Get Smoke Odor Out of Your Home

Getting rid of the smoke smell in your home can be quite a challenge. Smoke odor isn’t just a smell—you see, smoke particles can actually be embedded into all kinds of porous materials and become an indoor air quality issue for your family. Here are 4 fool-proof tips to freshening up after a house fire and helping your family breathe easier.

1. Ventilate the Home

First thing’s first, you want to make sure your home is well ventilated. Open up windows and doors to allow plenty of fresh air inside. If you have larger fans, turn them on and point them towards openings. (If you hire a professional, it’s likely they will also set up large, industrial box fans throughout the home to help push the smell out faster!).

2. Deep Clean Everything

Like we mentioned before, smoke isn’t just a smell—it’s a particle that embeds itself and lingers. Deep cleaning carpets, couches, duvets, and decor can help to alleviate some of the extra smoke odor from the home. You may also want to wipe down solid surfaces to rid your home of any smoke residue. Steam cleaning your carpets and upholstery can be the most effective way to rid yourself of smoke odor...but you may want to call in professional help if you worry about damaging specific types of materials (like linen, leather, or satin!).  

3. Service Your Air Ducts

That smoke smell that keeps circulating through your home months later? It could be in your air ducts. Think about hiring professional HVAC technicians to clean your entire air duct system. Any smoke particles that linger in your air ducts can be the culprit of compromising your indoor air quality—and the health of your family!

4. Repaint the Walls

Smoke particles (and odor!) can also reside on your walls. If this is the case, you may need to consider a fresh paint job. Use cleaning products that contain ammonia or glycol, first. This will wash the walls of any unpleasant smells on the surface. Then, rinse, wipe, and let dry. Before painting, make sure to prime your wall to lock in any leftover odors you don’t want rising to the surface.

970 Services: Fire and Smoke Restoration Professionals Near Denver, CO

At 970 Services, we understand disaster. Our team is always professional, attentive, and willing to go the distance for any and all of our clients in Northern Colorado. That’s why we’re known as one of Denver’s leading fire and smoke restoration companies. As experienced professionals, we have the expertise and advanced equipment to completely remove smoke odor after a house fire.

If you are ever faced with a disaster, like a fire or smoke damage, remember to call a local, trusted home restoration company (like us!) first. Need assistance ASAP? Give us a call now at (970) 888-0970 or contact us online for a free estimate.

Located in Loveland, CO, we also offer home restoration service in the following areas: Fort Collins, Loveland, Ault, Greeley, Denver, Windsor, Boulder, Longmont, and throughout Northern Colorado.