Is your home’s indoor air quality compromised by the odor of smoke? Smoky smells can occur from a variety of sources: burnt food, candles, tobacco, or from furnishings damaged by a smoky fire. How do you get rid of that smoke smell, aside from moving out of your home and buying new furnishings?
What Not to Do
Burning scented candles and using air fresheners will not get rid of smoke smells. They may mask the scent of smoke, but they won’t remove it, and they may even mingle with the smoke scent in an unpleasant way.
How to Get Rid of Smoke Odors
Vinegar is one of the best substances to cleanse smoke smells. Vinegar (either white or apple cider) helps neutralize odors. Add two cups of vinegar to half a gallon of warm water and wash walls, ceilings, floors, and all hard surfaces.
To neutralize the odor of smoke in a room, wet a rag with white vinegar and wave it around. It will help absorb the smoky smell. Also, leave bowls of vinegar around the home to get rid of the odors.
Try using baking soda on your carpets; leave it on for 24 hours and then vacuum. If the odor persists, you may need a steam cleaning. Carpet that has absorbed heavy tobacco-smoke odors may need to be replaced.
Air Purifier
One of the best ways of absorbing odors in a home is an air purifier with an activated carbon air filter. Activated carbon helps clear odors and gases by a process called adsorption. The carbon in the filter, which might be charcoal treated with oxygen, is extremely porous, which increases the surface area where other materials, such as gases and smoke, may be absorbed.
Another method of absorbing odors is to place bowls of charcoal around the home. This won’t work as well as a filter, but it may do some good. Be sure to change the charcoal pieces every few days.
For more on smoke smell and how to remove it, contact CCAC. We serve Corpus Christi and the surrounding area, providing HVAC repairs, maintenance, and installations.