DIY vs. Professional Smoke Odor Removal: What You Need to Know

Smoke is a complicated mixture of gases, droplets, and particulate matter that are generated when materials burn, and it can have wide-reaching effects on your health and property. 

These microscopic particles infiltrate walls, furniture, clothing, and ventilation systems, causing discoloration, corrosion, and lingering odors. Soot can also remain behind, which can lead to symptoms like asthma attacks, eye irritation, and difficulty breathing.

Whether you’ve experienced a major blaze or a minor kitchen incident, getting back to normal after a fire in your home is hard enough without smelling a constant reminder of the event. Let’s explore the pros and cons of DIY smoke odor removal versus hiring professional services for your valuable property.

Understanding Smoke Odor: Why It’s So Stubborn

After a fire, the safety of your loved ones and pets is the top priority. Your next move is to contact your insurance provider and begin the recovery process. Thorough video and photo documentation is crucial for ensuring you’re reimbursed for the damage to your property.

However, pictures and videos can’t convey the smoky stench that remains after a fire or the effort it will take to eliminate it. 

Smoke particles are tiny and can penetrate deeply into porous surfaces like wood, drywall, and textiles. These particles contain various chemicals and compounds that produce the characteristic smell of smoke, including hydrochloric acid, sulfur dioxide, ammonia, formaldehyde, and benzene. 

The type of materials burned, the fire’s intensity, and the duration of exposure all affect the severity and persistence of the odor. Residue from wood and paper is not as oily or “wet” as soot and smoke produced from the burning of plastic, carpet, or insulation, which can make the remaining smells much more tenacious and hard to get rid of.

The Most Effective DIY Techniques

For minor smoke odor issues, some DIY methods can be effective and cost-efficient. The first and most important step is to increase ventilation. 

Be sure to wear appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) for dealing with a fire-damaged property, such as gloves, goggles, respirator masks, and appropriate footwear.

Open doors and windows and utilize fans to get fresh air moving through the house, including ceiling fans in every room and exhaust fans in your bathrooms and kitchen. Place box fans in windows facing out to help the air circulate.

Next, it’s all about cleaning and vacuuming. Make sure you have a supply of clean filters for your vacuum and change it frequently. 

While many personal items can be salvaged after a fire (and the water damage sustained from fire extinguishing efforts), certain things should be removed and properly disposed of, such as:

• Damaged appliances
• Burnt clothing, bedding, and toys
• Cosmetics and toiletries
• Large textiles like drapery, carpeting, and mattresses
• Medicines
• Food items

Several household pantry staples can help you battle persistent smoke odors, like baking soda, white vinegar, spray bleach, and dishwashing soap. Activated charcoal and lemon are also powerful odor-neutralizers. Vinegar, warm water, and elbow grease are all you need to remove soot particles from windows and screens.

While dehumidifiers and products like Febreeze and Zep Smoke Odor Eliminator can do a lot of heavy lifting, you may need professional cleaning assistance to truly breathe easier.

Time to Call in the Pros

At PuroClean of Evanston, our Paramedics of Property Damage™ are ready with a high-tech tool kit of proven odor-removing methods.

For homes or businesses with more severe fire and smoke issues, DIY methods can’t go deep enough to fully remove the soot and microscopic smoke particles that cause that acrid aroma. It takes a multi-pronged and holistic approach to truly restore your property.

A professional inspection is essential for your HVAC system. Your ductwork can suffer damage from high temperatures or become contaminated by smoke and other particulates, and attempting to clean or repair your HVAC system without professional expertise can lead to several significant risks. 

Smoke damage restoration specialists have many impressive tools in their arsenal when it comes to battling lingering odors. High-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters combined with industrial-grade negative air machines and cutting-edge hydroxyl generators provide advanced air cleaning that goes far beyond DIY.

Thermal fogging is another powerful technique to combat the fire damage miasma at its source. In some cases, sealing surfaces is necessary to prevent the re-emergence of odors. Our experts use advanced sealants which create a barrier that helps protect your home from the re-emergence of distasteful smoke odor in the future. 

While DIY techniques can provide some relief, they often fall short of being 100% effective. DIY methods typically don’t address smoke particles embedded in walls, ceilings, and HVAC systems, and this approach may not effectively neutralize the harmful chemicals present in smoke residue.

Our professional restoration services offer several advantages for Chicagoland property owners. From helping you navigate the claims process to handling and removing hazardous materials, our compassionate and expert team is here to help you and your family get back to normal — reach out to us today!