Soot damage cleaning involves removing the sooty residue from surfaces affected by smoke and smoke odors. Smoke damage can be a result of fires but even small smudges left from candles or smoking cigarettes can leave behind hard to remove char. Smoke stains can appear on a variety of materials including paint, wood, metal, carpets and fabrics.

Before starting any soot damage cleaning, it is important to put on personal protective equipment (PPE) as smoke particles can irritate the lungs and affect breathing. It’s also essential to make sure that you are using the proper cleaning chemicals for the specific material you are working with.

Begin by vacuuming all the loose soot from floors, walls and furniture. This can be done with a regular home vacuum or a vacuum with a specialty attachment for soot. After sweeping, use the PPE to clean all the nooks and crannies where soot is most likely to collect.

Next, if there is any soot staining on light carpets, it is important to treat these stains as quickly as possible. Soot can penetrate deep into the fibers of a light carpet and cause dark permanent stains. To treat these stains, start by removing any large pieces of soot with a spoon. Attempting to scrub the carpet may only make these stains worse.

For any remaining stains, use a dry cleaning sponge which is made for soot restoration projects. You can find these sponges at most art supply stores and in the wallpaper section of most hardware and home improvement stores. Simply use the sponge to wipe the soot stains on your walls, being careful not to soak the wallpaper. If you are repainting the wall afterward, be sure to allow it to dry completely. soot damage cleaning