Dealing with Smoke Damaged Furniture

When dealing with the emotional and physical aftermath of a house fire, the last thing you want to deal with is throwing away your great grandmother’s rocking chair because it was damaged by the smoke. The good news is, you don’t have to scrap smoke-damaged furniture; you can often clean it up! But, if you’ve never dealt with this type of damage, you’re probably at a loss for what to do. Where do you start? 

Be Careful!

There are some risks in cleaning your smoke-damaged furniture. Soot is hazardous to your health and can contaminate the air. Please make sure to wear the proper gear to take this project on. It is also essential to work in a well-ventilated area, preferably outdoors if possible. If you are not sure that you can safely clean your smoke-damaged furniture, please hire a professional who can safely remove the smoke and soot from your furniture. 

If you still want to clean the furniture yourself, here are some tips that can help. 

Cleaning your fabric furniture:

• Carefully vacuum soot from fabric with a flat brush.
• Apply baking soda to the fabric, let it sit for 24 hours, then vacuum. 
• Repeat the previous step.
• Machine-wash removable covers in cold water.
• After washing, hang covers to dry, preferably outside, to speed up the process.
• Use a smoke deodorizer and carefully follow the instructions.

Cleaning your leather furniture:

• Vacuum up soot with a flat brush, being careful not to touch the leather to the attachment. 
• Clean with leather conditioner or soap and a soft towel. 
• Lightly dampen the leather with a water and vinegar solution.
• Follow the water/vinegar mixture by wiping the leather with a damp towel, then dry.
• If you are still experiencing odors in your furniture, dust the leather with baking soda. Let the baking soda sit overnight. Vacuum the baking soda the next morning, and repeat the process. 

Cleaning your wood furniture:

• Use your vacuum’s flat brush attachment to remove soot.
• To remove embedded soot, wipe dry chemical sponge along the grain.
• Wipe furniture with a damp cloth and allow it to dry.
• Restore with a wood polish. 

To ensure that your furniture has the best chance of survival, we recommend that you reach out to us at Paradise Cleaning and Restoration immediately. Call us 24/7 at (401) 849-6644 or request an estimate.