If your property has suffered with a severe fire, you will need to call an emergency fire damage restoration team. However, there are occasions when you might be able to undertake the clean-up yourself: for example, if you’ve had a minor fire in the kitchen. The first stage is to know how to remove smoke damage from walls.
How to remove smoke damage from walls starts with cleaning
In a previous blog post, we explained the only smoke damage cleaning tips you’ll ever need. These include some basic measures, such as:
- checking to see what insurance cover you have;
- always using a dust mask and gloves; and
- making sure the affected area is ventilated well.
Once you’ve made sure you’ve followed these basics, then you can get on with the work of how to remove smoke damage from walls.
Clean the smoke damaged walls thoroughly
The first phase of cleaning is dry cleaning. This is best done using chemical sponges, which will remove most of the staining without pushing the soot deeper into the wall. To use chemical sponges effectively and safely:
- Protect all other surfaces and floors with plastic sheeting
- Wear suitable clothing (it’s a dirty job)
- Work top down, with straight parallel strokes (and don’t scrub)
- When the sponge is clogged, remove the surface layer with a knife. Whatever you do, don’t wet the sponge.
With luck, this dry cleaning will remove all the staining, but if there is still some left you’ll need to move onto a wet clean:
- Use Trisodium Phosphate, mixed with warm water
- Wear protective clothing, goggles, and gloves at all times
- Use a normal sponge, and employ the same stroke method as for the dry cleaning process
- Wipe down with clean warm water after you’ve worked on an area
- Let the surface dry completely before moving on
Prime and paint
Painting over a cleaned, smoke damaged wall will not stop odors escaping. So you’ll need to prime the walls first, using a professional primer. Once this is done and completely dry, apply two coats of the paint you want to use on the walls.
Don’t forget that there may be other damage, perhaps structural, that is concealed. If you’re in any doubt, always call a professional cleaning company to undertake the work – you’ll benefit from any guarantees, with quality of work assured.
For more information, advice on professional primers, or to get a quote for professional cleaning, contact us today – we’re available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and will be happy to help.