How to clean smoke damage from painted walls that is the first thing to remember when you set out to clean wall there is a chance you might not be successful. Smoke is a combination of soot and oily tars that can act like a coat of paint. If your fire damage clean up efforts aren’t enough to remove stains, they will at least prepare the wall for the paint it will take to hide them.
How to clean smoke damage from painted walls – Smoke damage cleaning products
If you have extensive smoke damage on your dry painted drywall , you must remove loose, sooty material before you try to wash away the stain. If you wet the loose material down with water and rub it, you’ll likely simply smear it on the wall, so it is better to wipe out the soot with a dry chemical sponge, which is easily available at a nearby hardware store. Be sure to ventilate the area and wear a dust mask to ensure you do not inhale the soot and the smoke particles as you are cleaning soot.
Clean with a strong Detergent
The next step in the cleaning process is to wash the walls with a strong alkaline detergent, and trisodium phosphate is one of the strongest detergents available. Make a solution containing a gallon of warm water and table spoon of TSP, then put on the rubber gloves and goggles, as the solution for smoke damage cleaning products is highly irritating to skin and eyes. Use a sponge and also make sure you cover the floor with plastic to protect it from run off .
How to remove soot from painted walls – Odor Control
How to clean smoke damage from painted walls ,Smoky deposits have unpleasant odor that lingers even after the stain are taken care off. Vinegar, baking soda, charcoal and citrus fruit peels are among the remedies for getting rid of the smoky odor which surrounds your house or the property.
It also becomes important that you increase ventilation in these rooms, either by opening windows or creating cross- draft with a fan. Wall materials can absorb smoke odor and release it back into the room. It’s therefore important to assume after a fire that despite not appearing smoky or dirty , affected walls have to be cleaned anyway.
Essential items you will need for this:
- Plastic drop cloths
- Mild Detergent
- Warm water
- Bucket
- Sponge or damp cloth
- Dry towel
- Ladder or step tool
Now you’re ready to clean for How to clean smoke damage from painted walls
Safeties first, don’t scramble up on top of counter tops and kitchen chairs to reach the higher areas. Make sure you use a ladder or a sturdy step stool to reach those high areas instead. Also be methodical and work side to side and top to bottom. How to remove soot from painted walls?
Wash the walls. Take the bucket and fill it with warm water , adding just enough detergent to create some bubbles. Be careful with the amount of detergent that you add to the water, though. If you add too much you’ll end up with soapy residue on the walls. Wipe the walls down with mild soapy water. Be sure to use a soft cloth or sponge. It is not wise to use only water on a soot – stained wall. If there are soot / char satins on the wall, you’ll need to complete the removal process for that particular damage first. You can visit our another page smoke damage clean up cost.
How to clean soot off walls – Process
As the process for cleaning the damaged walls from fire damage may be a simple process but one has to follow a certain Do’s and Don’ts to keep in mind.
Do Contact a certified Restoration specialist: Make sure that you immediately contact a certified fire and smoke restoration professional for remediation services.
Do turn off utilities: Turn of water, electricity, gas and other utilities until a professional can evaluate if any of these systems were damaged during the fire.
Do break out the vacuum: A professional should provide service, but you can enhance the professional’s chances of success by doing the first pass on your own. Use a vacuum with a brush attachment and go over your furniture. Your furniture will look better as soon as the soot is removed. Also, cover your furniture with a sheet if you need to sit on it while waiting for professional help. How to clean smoke damage from painted walls. You can also visit our another page Smoke damage cleaning companies.
Do address your carpets, floors and countertops: Give similar treatment to your carpets. Vacuum them for an immediate and superficial improvement over the damaged state. It will prevent soot from grinding deeper into carpet’s roots. Counter tops and hardwood floors should be wiped clean to prevent soot from deeply staining and clinging to surfaces.
Do take care of pets: Remove pets from your fire-damaged home. Lingering soot and smoke can be harmful for them.
How to clean smoke damage from painted walls for that all above mentioned are some of the important Do’s you need to take but there are a bunch of Don’ts for fire damage restoration.
Don’t use your AC, heaters or electronics: Wait until a professional arrives on the scene, turning on electrical appliances such as AC, heaters can cause further more damage.
Don’t clean walls or clothing: Also, do not clean walls, ceilings and other similar surfaces, wait to clean your clothing and similar garments. A professional should examine them first and provide advice on which you can act accordingly. you can visit our another page what is considered smoke damage.
Don’t wipe away powder from extinguishers: How to clean smoke damage from painted walls or any staining from the powder discharged by a fire extinguisher. It is to let the professionals guide the cleanups of these areas.
Learning how to fix smoke damage is no easy but with right knowledge and tools you can do it. The sooner you start the smoke remediation process, the better. But be careful only when you have been given a “go” signal by a fire marshal you should consider to start the clean up after the fire damage. Seeking professional fire restoration services is highly recommended if the extent of the damage is serious enough to address on your own for how to clean smoke damage from painted walls.
It’s always better to call in an Expert
It’s always tempting to start the cleanup process immediately, and do as much as possible. The course of action is to hire a professional to provide expert knowledge and service. A trusted professional will offer an after fire check list which will speed up the fire and smoke damage process. Consulting a professional will restore your property back to new- like condition as quickly as possible. To know more about How to clean smoke damage from painted walls you can visit our home page.
