Smoke filled house

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dyerkutn

Feeling the Heat
Jul 11, 2011
289
Boston NW suburbs
I stupidly left a piece of wood drying on the stove and went out. When I came back the house was completely filled with smoke. Every room, Even seeped into the refrigerator. I opened all the windows and doors and now there is no visible smoke and the smoke alarms are off but the place still stinks and I think I feel it a bit in my eyes. Any advice--I know the house is not really airtight so I am thinking it will eventually drift out--but it is really cold out so I have the windows closed.
 
Crack a few windows open and turn up the furnace for few hours might help. If the smoke was that bad it is likely in the fabric of you furniture and drapes etc. That may eventually go away but probably not for a while. Others here may have some better advise.
 
I stupidly left a piece of wood drying on the stove and went out. When I came back the house was completely filled with smoke. Every room, Even seeped into the refrigerator. I opened all the windows and doors and now there is no visible smoke and the smoke alarms are off but the place still stinks and I think I feel it a bit in my eyes. Any advice--I know the house is not really airtight so I am thinking it will eventually drift out--but it is really cold out so I have the windows closed.
First off don't put combustible materials on top of the stove ever. Yes the smell will dissipate slowly but it will take quite a while. If you don't want to wait call in a professional cleaning crew.
 
Get an air purifier. Not a filter, but a purifier. The smell would be gone in a day. Kills mold through walls, neutralizes bacteria, etc.


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Get an air purifier. Not a filter, but a purifier. The smell would be gone in a day. Kills mold through walls, neutralizes bacteria, etc.


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An air purifier will not remove smoke smell from furniture etc.
 
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You know everything and control reality? Cool.


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No I don't know everything at all. But I have dealt with tons of smoke damaged homes. And yes air purifiers can help. But if the smoke has gotten into the soft surfaces they need cleaned.
 
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*LMFAO*

Anyways.

I've used a mix of 1/4 - 3/4 or 1/3 to 2/3 mix of vinegar & water in a spray bottle. Hit the fabrics. Open windows when you can,

Good luck !
 
Febreeze ain't gonna cut it.
 
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I've used a mix of 1/4 - 3/4 or 1/3 to 2/3 mix of vinegar & water in a spray bottle.
And if that doesn't work, leave around several open boxes of Arm & Hammer baking soda. Am I dating myself? ==c
 
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And if that doesn't work, leave around several open boxes of Arm & Hammer baking soda. Am I dating myself? ==c

Nope. sprinkle, let sit. Vacuum, & reapply !

Add that to the list ;)
 
Nope. sprinkle, let sit. Vacuum, & reapply !

Add that to the list ;)
Yeah as long as it is minor smoke damage which if it was just one piece of wood it probably is. Those things should work.
 
Yeah as long as it is minor smoke damage which if it was just one piece of wood it probably is. Those things should work.
Sez you! ;)
 
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Hahaha just use some Windex and call it a night.

I mean pro reclamation guys use it, right? Oh wait, no, they use commercial ozone generators to eliminate the smells. But let’s recommend baking soda, fabreeze, vinegar, or MollyMaid with a shop vac.


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they use commercial ozone generators to eliminate the smells. But let’s recommend baking soda, fabreeze, vinegar, or MollyMaid with a shop vac.
All those are probably cheaper than buying an ozone generator...or maybe not?
 
Hahaha just use some Windex and call it a night.

I mean pro reclamation guys use it, right? Oh wait, no, they use commercial ozone generators to eliminate the smells. But let’s recommend baking soda, fabreeze, vinegar, or MollyMaid with a shop vac.


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Yes they do use ozone generators. As well as lots of chemicals and cleaning products. The ozone generators do not do it alone. I have seen many crews working in many houses.
 
Yes they do use ozone generators. As well as lots of chemicals and cleaning products. The ozone generators do not do it alone. I have seen many crews working in many houses.
I would just tough it out; Not a big fan of chemicals in da house. :oops:
 
Yes they do use ozone generators. As well as lots of chemicals and cleaning products. The ozone generators do not do it alone. I have seen many crews working in many houses.

No one questioned your experience, you questioned my recommendation, saying it won’t work. But it does work in my experience, and countless pro’s, as well as Science. The machines aren’t that expensive...

My point is one can, and should in my opinion, have a purifier, to neutralize smells of all kinds, including smoke, not to mention mold, viruses, bacteria, voc’s etc. etc.

On one hand people suggest really cheap and ineffective solutions. That’s fine to try. I for one would not breath Fabreeze, I wouldn’t spray vinegar on my furniture, or really much in my house, and besides for my laundry and a couple boxes in my fridge, the baking soda is moot.

You are right about one thing, a pro would use more than the ozone generator, and he’s welcome to wash his walls, floors, and ceiling down, launder the drapes, and steam/extract the furniture etc., but they WILL use the ozone generator to reach where they can’t reach, like in the walls, in his fridge, everywhere air (and his smoke) can go.

See, I left the other recommendations alone until now, full well knowing those things are not going to work. He could pay a pro, but I guarantee that will cost him more than buying a purifier. Fabreeze won’t even cover the smells from a bathroom visit.

Why not just let my advice be my advice, and your advice be your advice, and the guy can do whatever he wants with it?


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I would just tough it out; Not a big fan of chemicals in da house. :oops:

I wouldn’t use the chemicals either. Maybe steam on hard surfaces, and of course I already own a purifier that produces ozone if I want it to. It would neutralize the chemical smells too, if one had to go that far ;)

And this point I think the guy should just rip his house down and start over.


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I wouldn’t use the chemicals either. Maybe steam on hard surfaces, and of course I already own a purifier that produces ozone if I want it to. It would neutralize the chemical smells too, if one had to go that far ;)

And this point I think the guy should just rip his house down and start over.


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Yes I have one as well. It is a great air purifier. But it is an air purifier not a furniture cleaner. Yes in high enough levels ozone can kill mold. But you aren't going to get those levels without going to a commercial unit.
 
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