Removing Cigarette Smoke Odor From Your Home

8/26/2021 (Permalink)

The odor of cigarette smoke is hard to remove from your Roanoke Rapids, NC, home.

Removing the odor of cigarette smoke in your house is not the easiest task. The smell has a way of seeping into nonporous items and leaving a residue on harder surfaces. Despite the difficulty, home deodorization is crucial to ensuring your family is breathing in the cleanest air possible. If you call on smoke odor removal companies in Roanoke Rapids, NC, each will probably tell you some version of the same removal process:

• Discard
• Scrub
• Wash
• Purify
• Professional Help

Throw Out As Much As Possible

Discarding personal items is never easy, and if any items have sentimental value, do not throw them away. However, keep in mind that removing smoke smells from porous items is challenging. In some cases, you might need to hire a specialized cleaner, which can become expensive if you try to salvage every item in your house.

That being said, there is no harm in trying to salvage as much as possible. You can use the tools at your disposal, like your washing machine or fabric fresheners. Sometimes, it helps to place items outside for a bit, allowing them to air out.

Use Some Elbow Grease on Hard Surfaces

Before you start cleaning, it is vital to ensure there is plenty of ventilation throughout the house. Open all windows and doors and turn on all ceiling fans.

You will need to prepare a couple of different solutions before cleaning hard surfaces in the home. The first, a 50/50 solution of hot water and white vinegar; this solution is suitable for most hard surfaces. When you are ready to clean the ceiling and walls, mix a solution of 1/2 cup ammonia, 1/2 cup baking soda, 1/4 cup vinegar, and one gallon of hot water.

You will need to clean every surface when your focus is home deodorization. Do not leave anything untouched. Clean the light switches, doors, knobs, fan blades, lightbulbs, knickknacks, picture frames, etc.

Wash All Fabrics

Take anything you can put in the washing machine and do so. You will want to use 1/2 cup vinegar in the initial cycle instead of laundry detergent. After the first wash, you can use your favorite detergent and put the laundry through another process.

Anything that cannot go in the washer sprinkle with baking soda and leave it for a few days. Vacuum the excess only after it has had time to absorb the odor. You’ll want to steam clean carpeting, drapes, and upholstered furniture.

Use Natural Ventilation and Air Purification

Having all the windows open and fans going will help circulate the air in the house, but it is not enough to remove or eliminate standing odors. Whenever possible, use air purifiers, HEPA filters, activated charcoal, or white vinegar to help absorb the odor. Do not forget to change your HVAC filters at least once every three months.

If natural ventilation and air purifiers are not working, consider using an ozone generator. These devices oxidize smoke molecules, effectively eliminating the smell when appropriately used.

Hire a Professional

Odor removal is a time-consuming task. Most homeowners do not have the time to tackle the process alone. A professional remediation service can help.

Home deodorization requires time, patience, and a variety of cleaning techniques. Sometimes, the DIY approach is not worth the effort.