How To Clean Smoke Damage On Walls And Ceilings
Ceiling smoke damage can be difficult to reach and cleaning smoke damage walls can feel like an endless task. Add in the toxic chemicals and the risk it poses to property, it can become a huge problem that requires an expert instead of a DIY approach.
Smoke odour and dirt-covered surfaces are the least of your problems when cleaning smoke damage walls and ceiling smoke damage. To help you avoid hurting your property and your health Rainbow International has broken down everything you need to know about cleaning smoke damage, including:
- The protective gear you will need to clean smoke damage and be safe
- Common cleaning materials used for smoke damage removers
- Steps to take to clean smoke damage off walls
- Steps to take to clean smoke damage off ceilings
- How Rainbow International can help
Protective Gear You Will Need to Clean Smoke Damage and Be Safe
Smoke doesn’t just cause damage to your walls and ceilings, it can also cause damage to your body. Smoke is highly acidic in nature, and contains a lot of toxins that can lead to future health issues within your respiratory system, along with your skin and eyes.
Having the correct protective gear will keep you safe from these risks. This includes wearing pants to cover your legs, long sleeve shirts to keep your arms protected, shoes and gloves to keep the smoke away from your hands and feet.
You should also ensure you have goggles over your eyes and a mask over your mouth and nose – this is absolutely vital and no cleaning work should be undertaken until this step has been completed.
Common Cleaning Materials Used As Smoke Damage Removers
Cleaning materials used to clear away wall and ceiling smoke damage and smoke odour from the property are specially designed to tackle the tough substance.
What you actually need for cleaning smoke damage walls includes:
- Rags
- Cloths
- Dry sponges (made of vulcanised rubber)
- HEPA vacuum
Common cleaning substances that are used for smoke removal and soot stains from walls and ceilings are focused on breaking down the acidic substance, whilst clearing away any smoke odour.
These types of cleaning products include:
- Degreaser
- Baking soda
- Soot remover
- Bleach
Steps To Take To Clean Smoke Damage Off Walls
The first step to cleaning smoke damage from the walls is to remove any furniture or items from the walls and take them out of the rooms. This even includes items such as light switches and plug plates.
This is a necessary step to avoid damage to these items, but also to reveal any smoke and soot that may have gathered in a crevice you wouldn’t have seen otherwise.
Once this is complete and you have the materials and protective gear you need to get started, you can take a dry cleaning sponge and begin brushing away any soot that is sat on the walls. This must be done gently to avoid smudging the soot further into the walls.
After this step is finished, cleaning the smoke and soot away from the walls can begin. By using the cleaning products with a wet sponge or rag, you can begin to clean away the smoke stains and soot, this will also remove the odour. Before continuing with the cleaning, you must allow the whole wall to dry thoroughly.
Steps To Take To Clean Smoke Damage Off Ceilings
Similarly to cleaning smoke damage off walls, ensuring you have adequate protective gear on your body before you begin cleaning smoke damage of ceilings is very important. This should include having all of your skin covered, your eyes and mouth protected and thick gloves on your hands.
From here, remove any furniture or items from the room, and prepare them to be cleaned before being put back into the finished room. An air scrubber can then be placed into the room to suck up any soot particles that are floating through the air. Whilst this is happening, you can seal any air ducts to prevent further spreading.
The ceiling should be cleaned before the walls or floors as any soot or smoke could fall down and ruin any previous cleaning. The actual cleaning works the same as cleaning smoke off of walls, however you must ensure you’re paying attention to the light fixtures on the ceiling, as soot is attracted to electricity and can cause long-term damage.
How Rainbow International Can Help
The team at Rainbow International knows how important it is to restore your property back to its original state after the stress and worry of a fire. Removing any chance of a negative impact on your health or the state of the property itself is the first step to regaining a sense of normality.
That’s why we have curated a set of processes that are developed and led by experts with decades of experience. We have the professional equipment needed to completely remove soot and smoke from walls and ceilings, and for targeted smoke damage removal, we know how to spot the signs and remove the chance of future damage.
Get In Touch With Smoke Damage Removal Experts Today
If you’re handling smoke damage in your own property and you’re not sure where to start, call in the experts.
Rainbow International’s team are always on hand to support you, and our smoke damage restoration services are trusted across the UK to provide the very best results, so get in touch today!