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When it comes to house fires, the flames are not the only problem you will need to deal with. Smoke can cause severe and lasting damage to your home and its contents. Without professional smoke odor removal services, the remnants of even the smallest fire could stay in your home for years. Here’s what you should know about the harmful effects of smoke. 

How Smoke Impacts Your Home & Belongings

1. Carpets & Furniture

Smoke carries soot throughout your home, covering every nearby surface. Unfortunately, smoke is particularly good at permeating soft, porous surfaces and fabrics like carpeting and upholstery. Soot can make its way into tightly woven fibers and bind to the material, trapping the smell of smoke. Cleaning the surface can remove some of the scent, but a deep clean will get rid of the lingering odor.

2. Walls & Doors

smoke odor removalThey may look solid on the outside, but most walls and doors are made from porous materials. Smoke damage can permanently discolor hard surfaces like paint, drywall, wood, wallpaper, and plaster. For effective soot, stain, and smoke odor removal, the fire damage restoration service would likely use a dry chemical sponge to prevent the soot from seeping deeper into the surface.

3. Curtains

Smoke tends to move to cooler areas. Because the space behind curtains and drapes is typically cooler than the rest of the room, you’ll likely find more smoke and soot trapped in these spaces. Without the assistance of a professional restoration service, homeowners might forget to clean these areas and end up with permanent soot prints on and behind the curtains.

4. Ductwork

While taking care of your personal belongings and visibly damaged surfaces, it’s easy to forget about your air ducts. Whether your cooling system is running or not, smoke will find its way into this cool space, leaving behind layers of soot in your ductwork. It can also spread to rooms otherwise untouched by the fire through open vents.

5. Corners & Crevices

Even a full scrub-down of your house might not be enough to remove smoke residue and odors. Soot particles are fine and can cling to every unseen crack, corner, and crevice. The smell of smoke will stick to areas you can’t reach or clean. With a comprehensive restoration solution, however, your home will return to its former spotless state.

 

If your home still smells like smoke even though the fire has been long gone, turn to A-1 Cleaning & Restoration for effective and efficient smoke odor removal. Based in Red Wing, MN, this team has over 30 years of combined experience providing mold remediation, carpet cleaning, and cleanup and repairs from water and fire damage. These experts work tirelessly to restore your home, offering 24/7 emergency services. Call (651) 385-8442 or fill out a contact form online to request a quote.

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