Tips for Cleaning Smoke Damage Furniture
Removing smoke damage from furniture is tedious but possible when you know what procedures to perform and what types of products and equipment are required. Indeed, it is difficult to clean smoke-damaged furniture, but homeowners should evaluate all their options before replacing it. If you are faced with a similar situation and planning to replace your furniture, this article is for you where we share some useful tips for cleaning smoke-damaged furniture!
Tips for Cleaning Smoke Damaged Furniture
You must clean the wood, the upholstery, the lampshades and the hardware so that your furniture returns to its original state, free of bad odors. Fire smoke releases toxic chemicals into the air and onto your furniture that can damage it. When working to remove smoke damage, only do so in one furnished room at a time.
Following some simple steps can help you protect your irreplaceable furniture. Below are the things you may need for cleaning smoke damaged furniture:
- baking soda
- Vacuum
- kerosene oil
- dry chemical sponges
- linen soap or vegetable oil
- cleaning odor in a spray can
- Air purifier
- Electronic air purifier
- ozone machine (you can rent it)
- Disposable gloves and face mask (N95 dust mask)
You can clean smoke-damaged furniture in a number of ways, using different products and equipment. Let’s discuss them!
Steps to Follow!
Step 1
If possible, move furniture outside on clear, sunny days. A carport or other cutlery is ideal for spreading out of furniture. If moving large items like a sofa is not possible, open windows and circulate air with electrical box fans. Smells of smoke will gradually drain out of the permeability of the woods, and fabric and maintaining the air circulation will speed up the process.
Step 2
Remove all metal hardware from desks, tables, chairs, and other wooden furniture. Dip a clean rag in kerosene and wipe the hardware. Lay the parts on the plastic protective sheets and, once they have dried, spray or wipe a thin layer of “3-in-1” oil over the hardware to prevent the metal from corroding.
The second way is to sprinkle baking soda on the upholstered furniture and let it sit as long as possible at least 24 hours. The baking soda absorbs odors and helps draw the stench out of the fabric furniture.
Step 3
Vacuum all furniture surfaces with a corner nozzle, holding it slightly above the surface to allow soot to enter the vacuum without pushing dirt into the furniture material. Never use a tool with a brush.
If you are using baking soda, vacuum it using the same attachment. Repeat the baking soda process as needed until the smell begins to wear off.
Step 4
With a dry chemical sponge, gently wipe all upholstered furniture and screens to remove any soot that the vacuum has not picked up.
Step 5
Mix 1/4 cup of linen soap or vegetable oil with 1 gallon (3.8 L) of warm water in a bucket and clean all wood surfaces with this solution. Let them air dry.
Avoid using furniture wax or polish when you need to get rid of the smoke smell. Waxes trap odors in the woods, only to be released once more when the wax begins to wear off.
Step 6
Put the ozone machine in the room you’ve been cleaning in and close all the doors. The degree of damage and the chemicals present will determine how much ozone is needed. With little smoke damage, a portable machine with 1,000 mg / h ozone output will suffice for a 12 x 12 foot (3.70 x 3.70 m) room. Plug in the unit; set it to high mode, set the timer for 30 minutes, then push the button. It will turn off automatically when it has reached 30 minutes.
You can also use an electronic air purifier. These units draw odors and contaminants from the air into a filter system, which will speed up the process of developing the smell of smoke coming out of your furniture.
Step 7
After the ozonation process is complete, put the hardware back on the furniture. If there is any remaining smoke on your furniture, repeat the previous step with the same settings and the same duration.
Step 8
Spray furniture with a smoke-scent remover is available in a spray can. Test a small area of fabric on the furniture before spraying the product directly on the upholstery. Use solid air fresheners to help obscure the stench of the smoke while the furniture is being aired.
Tips and Warnings
- Do not do the above without a face mask and gloves.
- Make sure to get dry chemical sponges for the cleaning process. Chemical sponges lose their effectiveness if they get wet. So, make sure to use them dry to clean soot.
- You can rent zone generators online and carpet and steam-cleaning upholstery from home improvement and garden centers.
- Ozone generators create ozone, an air pollutant that can irritate the eyes and respiratory system. Do not run the generator in your home when people are inside.
When to Seek Professional Help?
It is always the best solution to seek professional help to restore your damaged furniture as they have the right equipment and skills to remove soot and smoke odors from your valuable furniture. 911 Restoration of Northwest Arkansas is at the service of the residents of Northwest Arkansas and the surroundings. Their furniture restoration specialists have been specially trained for such restoration projects. Getting your furniture cleaned and restored can be expensive, but it will still cost you less than replacing it. So, if you’ve faced such a situation, contact the 911 Restoration of Northwest Arkansas and rest assured with your furniture!
