Long after the fire has been put out, the stench of smoke continues to linger for an extended period of time.  Thus a house fire will leave smoke odor that will remain in the premises and in all the items within the house.  To be able to get rid of the smell you will have to have do odor remediation.  Different items made of different materials need different type of odor restoration techniques because fire also has different effects on each type of material.  For safe and proper application of each odor restoration technique, it will be best to get the services of a professional restoration company.

Conditions for Each Type of Odor Restoration

Generally, items found in your home will be made of any one or a combination of these materials:

§ Soft materials that are made of fabric like clothes, draperies, curtains, beddings, upholstery, and furniture

§ Hard and permeable materials like wallpaper, wooden structure or furniture, painted exterior

§ Hard and non-permeable materials like glass, metal, tiles, formica tops as most of the appliances

Additionally, the quality of smoke will also depend on the type of material that got burned.  If the source of fire is pure fuel such as grease, it will produce simple fire that will not spread and will end up in a full combustion.  On the other hand, complex fires result when a lot of different types of materials are burned such as in house or building fires where you will find all sorts of materials such as wood, plastic, clothing, furniture, carpets, electrical wirings.  Given the complicated nature of house fires, odor restoration should be left in the care of a professional restoration company.

Odor Restoration for Light Materials

One of the major issues in odor restoration for light materials is the big probability of staining of the materials.  One technique you can apply to minimize staining is by applying a powerful vacuum to draw in the soot to the vacuum cleaner.  You should be careful not to touch the material with the nozzle of the vacuum or directly touching the garment.  If you do, the soot will be pushed further down into the cloth.  If you believe that the soot has already permeated the fabric then it will be best to bring it to a professional cleaner.  Carpets should be cleaned by a professional cleaner as well.  If you want to do it yourself, you will have to buy or rent a professional grade scrubber and vacuum from your local hardware stores.  Clean the carpet once prior to doing the repairs and again as soon as the repairs have been completed.

Odor Restoration for Solid Surfaces

You can use a dry chemical sponge to wipe out soot on solid surfaces.  If the soot has already been ingrained into the material, it will also stain the item permanently.  If the fire damage is extensive, burning the walls, expect the surrounding areas to smell smoke and develop a lot of soot.  Industrial strength cleaners will have to be used to clean up the soot and eliminate smoke odor.

Odor Restoration for Other Types of Surfaces and Materials

You can always endeavor to do odor restoration yourself. However, owing to the delicateness of odor and soot restoration, it will be best handled by a professional who can precisely and efficiently do what is necessary at a shorter time.  Additionally, they have the needed machines and industrial grade cleaners to deal with all types of remediation and restoration procedure.  The machines, as well as the chemicals can be dangerous if not handled properly.

Next to secondary water damage, the major issues that have to be dealt with after a fire disaster are the destructive effect of soot and smoke because it can saturate all the items within the affected areas and will be extremely difficult to clean up without the expertise and proper equipment.  Professional restoration companies will be able to easily handle this difficult task and restore your house within a short period of time.  You can get more information regarding odor restoration from a professional restoration company in your locality.

Removing smoke odor and smoke residue is one of the major issues you have to deal with after a fire disaster.  But this is no easy task because you cannot take the smoke odor with the use of ordinary home cleaning agents.  Special devices that are of industrial grade have to be utilized to get rid of the smoke residue and odor effectively.    Additionally, the cleaning process has to be started immediately so that soot will not further stain and damage the surfaces of the furniture, walls and celings and smoke will not further permeate into the inner core of the materials.  Be that as it may, it will also be foolhardy to try to enter your home right after the fire without clearance from a professional that the premises are safe to enter.  In all probability, a lot of the parts of the structure, walls, ceilings and electrical isntallations have been damaged and weakened by the fire and the water that has been used to put out the fire.  This will be best handled by professional restoration companies.  However, it will be good for you to understand how the basic process of smoke removal goes regardless of who will be doing the smoke removal process.

Get the Appropriate Clearance to Enter the Premises Prior to Atemping Smoke Removal

Never enter the premises right after the fire without the appropriate clearance from a professional building inspector or fire deparment personnel who will certify that the premises has been cleared from risks to the homeowner as well as for causing further damage to the property.  The damaged areas will no longer be safe to step on or touch and live wires might be hanging from the power source which can cause electrocution.  Thus, the first thing that the homeowner should do after a fire disaster is to have a professional enter the premises and inspect it for safety.

The Best Cleaning Agent For Cleaning Soot and Smoke Odor Removal Is Trisodium Phosphate (TSP)

The most effective cleaning agent for cleaning up soot and removing smoke odor is Trisodium Phosphate (TSP).  However, it may no longer be able to clean items that have been badly burned or remove soot that has already permeated the materials of the items.  Since TSP is a very strong solution, extra caution must be used in handling it.  Protective heavy duty rubber gloves should be used as well as goggles and thick clothing for protection against smoke residue and the chemical.  TSP is most effective for small smoke remidation job.  However for major cleanup jobs, you might have to use other techniques as well such as thermal logging and ozone generators to remove smoke odor.  However, only a professional company will be able to do this safely and effectively.  Addiitonally, you may have a difficult time acquiring these special machines not to mention the expense you could incur if you purchase or rent them.   You can get more information on the ways of smoke odor removal and how a professional restoration company can assist you solve this problem.