Smoke odors are caused by a build up of tar on a house's surfaces.
A house that smells of smoke, whether from cigarettes or a fire, is not a pleasant place to live. Intense smoke odor can cause headaches, nausea and irritation. Unfortunately, it can be difficult to completely eliminate all lingering smoke odor from a house; the particles are microscopic and particularly stubborn. The best way to get smoke odor out of a house is to remove the source of the odor through intensive cleaning, followed by sealing the freshly cleaned surfaces.
Instructions
1. Open windows to air out rooms and ventilate the house.
2. Vacuum carpets. Rent a carpet shampoo machine from your local home improvement store and follow the directions for use.
3. Wash all hard surfaces with a cleaner that contains ammonia and glycol solvents. Read the product directions to make sure it is safe to use on each surface.
4. Scrub walls and ceilings with vinegar and a stiff brush. Wash hard flooring with a wet mop and the strongest cleaner that is suitable for the particular surface. Rinse all surfaces after cleaning with warm water and leave them to dry.
5. Wash carpets with the carpet shampoo machine for a second time. Replace carpets if smoke odors remains even after a thorough clean.
6. Apply a coat of paint with stain-blocking properties to the walls and ceiling.
7. Contact a professional fire restorer to arrange a textile deodorization process called an ozone treatment, which is carried out by the expert in your house, using an ozone generator. Clothing, upholstered furniture and other household fabrics are deodorized under a specially designed tent.
8. Wash all curtains, drapes, bedding, blankets, clothing and any other fabrics in the home that may have absorbed smoke particles. Follow the specific washing directions for each item. Dissolve 1 cup of dishwashing detergent -- the kind used in an automatic dishwasher -- in 1 gallon of warm water. Leave your fabrics to soak in the mixture overnight. Drain and wash them as usual the following day.
9. Mix 4 to 6 tbsp. of trisodium phosphate with 1 cup of household chlorine bleach and 1 gallon of water. Immerse the items for a few minutes. Rinse them with fresh water and dry them as usual. Carry out this process only on items that can be bleached.
10. Take dry-clean only fabrics to a professional.
11. Clean heating and cooling system ducts if any smoke odor lingers in your house. Replace all fiberglass insulation lining.
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