Smoke Damage Cleanup After a House Fire: What to Do

A fire can be out in minutes, but the smoke damage it leaves can reach every room. Soot settles on walls and ceilings, odor soaks into fabrics and insulation, and the water used to fight the fire soaks floors and walls. Laurel Dry Pros provides fire and smoke damage restoration in Laurel, from board-up to odor removal. This guide explains what you can safely do yourself and what needs a pro.

This is general information, not professional or insurance advice. Follow the instructions of your fire department and insurer.

First steps after a house fire

1. Wait for the all-clear. The American Red Cross says to stay out of a fire-damaged home until local fire authorities say it's safe to go back in.
2. Call your insurance company. The U.S. Fire Administration advises contacting your insurer right away and asking what to do first.
3. Check for hazards. Look for sagging floors and ceilings. Don't turn on power or gas until utility workers or an electrician have checked them.
4. Secure the home. Broken windows and roof holes need board-up or tarps to keep out rain and intruders.
5. Take photos and video of every room before cleaning.
6. Throw out exposed food and medicine. The Red Cross says to discard food, drinks and medicine exposed to heat, smoke or soot.

What is considered smoke damage?

Smoke damage is any harm left by smoke, not flames. It includes soot on walls and ceilings, yellow or gray stains, a smoke smell in fabrics and insulation, and residue inside ducts and cabinets. Rooms far from the fire can have it, because smoke follows air flow through the house. Insurers usually treat it as part of the fire claim, so document it room by room, even where nothing burned.

Why smoke damage is hard to clean

Smoke is made of tiny particles and gases that settle on every surface and get pulled into cracks, fabrics and insulation. The U.S. Fire Administration notes that the soot and dirty water left behind may contain things that could make you sick. Soot is also oily. The Red Cross warns that it smears easily and leaves black stains on whatever it touches.

How to clean light smoke damage yourself

For small amounts of residue on hard surfaces, the American Red Cross gives these steps:

• Don't wipe soot first. Vacuum loose soot with a shop vac, keeping the nozzle from touching the surface.
• Ventilate. Open windows and run fans to move smoky air out, when the weather allows.
• Wash hard surfaces with a mild soap or detergent. The Red Cross also describes a mix of 4 to 6 tablespoons of trisodium phosphate (TSP) and 1 cup of household cleaner or chlorine bleach per gallon of warm water. Wear rubber gloves and follow the label.
• Work in small sections. Wash walls from the floor up to prevent streaks, rinse right away, and do ceilings last.
• Let everything dry fully before you repaint.
• Launder washable fabrics. Test first. More than one wash may be needed.

Never mix bleach with ammonia or other cleaners. Wear gloves, eye protection and old clothes.

How to clean smoke damage on walls and ceilings

Painted walls and ceilings are where most smoke cleanup happens. The order matters.

1. Cover the floor with drop cloths so falling soot doesn't stain carpet.
2. Vacuum loose soot first. Hold the nozzle just off the surface. Wiping soot with a wet rag first can smear it into the paint.
3. Use a dry soot sponge on light, powdery residue before any water touches the wall.
4. Wash one small area at a time, working from the floor up, and rinse right away. The U.S. Fire Administration gives this order to prevent streaks, with ceilings washed last.
5. Let surfaces dry fully. Don't repaint until walls and ceilings are completely dry.
6. Seal before painting. Stains and odor can bleed through new paint, so painters often use a stain-blocking primer first.

Textured or popcorn ceilings, flat paint and wallpaper are easy to ruin with water. Leave those to a pro.

What usually has to be thrown away

• Food, drinks and medicine exposed to heat, smoke or soot
• Mattresses and pillows with heavy smoke odor
• Burned or melted plastics
• Drywall and insulation soaked by fire hoses
• Stuffed toys and porous items that can't be cleaned
• Cosmetics and hygiene items near the fire

The Red Cross notes that drywall and insulation soaked by fire hoses can't be dried out and keep their strength or their resistance to mold, so talk with a professional about replacing them.

The water damage behind the smoke damage

Many homeowners focus on soot and forget the water. Firefighters may use a lot of it, and the U.S. Fire Administration notes they may also break windows or cut holes in walls and the roof to fight the fire. That water runs into wall cavities, under flooring and into rooms below. The EPA says wet materials need drying within 24 to 48 hours to prevent mold. That's why drying equipment should go in early, even while the smoke cleanup is being planned. Our guide to water mitigation vs. restoration explains how that drying works.

How professionals remove smoke odor

Smoke smell comes from residue, so removing odor means removing the residue first. A professional crew will:

1. Clean or remove every surface with residue, including inside cabinets and closets.
2. Use the right cleaner for each residue type, such as dry chemical sponges for dry soot.
3. Remove odor sources that can't be cleaned, such as smoky insulation. The Red Cross notes insulation often holds odor.
4. Run HEPA air scrubbers to capture fine particles.
5. Treat remaining odor with methods that reach hidden spaces, such as thermal fogging or hydroxyl units.
6. Clean the HVAC system so it doesn't spread odor again.

Air fresheners and candles only cover the smell for a short time.

Insurance and smoke damage in Maryland

Fire is a standard covered peril on most homeowners policies, and smoke damage and firefighting water are usually part of the same claim. Many policies also cover extra living expenses, like a hotel, while your home is repaired. Keep every receipt. Don't throw out damaged items until your adjuster has seen them or you have clear photos. Our Maryland homeowners insurance guide explains how claims work.

Rebuilding after a fire is home improvement work, and Maryland requires those contractors to hold a Maryland Home Improvement Commission license. Electrical repairs need a licensed electrician.

How to prevent smoke damage from spreading

• Keep the HVAC off until it's inspected.
• Close doors to rooms the smoke didn't reach.
• Lay down drop cloths in clean areas to avoid tracking soot.
• Don't use upholstered furniture until it's cleaned.
• Change HVAC filters after cleanup.

Local note: Townhome fires in Odenton and Fort Meade and attached row homes in Greenbelt often send smoke and water into the homes next door. Larger houses in Columbia can spread smoke through the whole duct system.

Related reading: Learn what drives the cost of water damage restoration, since fire jobs include drying too, and how a water mitigation company works in the first days after a loss.

When should you call a fire and smoke professional?

Call a pro when soot is in more than one room, smoke smell lingers after cleaning, firefighters used water, the HVAC ran during the fire, or the residue is oily or sticky. These jobs need protective gear, the right cleaners and drying equipment.

Smoke damage in Laurel? Call (301) 368-0221 to reach Laurel Dry Pros for smoke cleanup, odor removal and drying.

Frequently asked questions

Sources

1. American Red Cross: Cleaning up after a fire
2. American Red Cross: Disaster cleanup and repair (smoke damage)
3. American Red Cross: Checking your home after a fire
4. U.S. Fire Administration: After the Fire (FA-46)
5. U.S. EPA: Mold Cleanup in Your Home
6. U.S. Fire Administration (archived): After the fire, salvage and cleaning