Does your home reek of wildfire smoke? Here’s how to get rid of it — safely
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If you were lucky enough to get through the L.A. wildfires with your home still intact, you might be facing another problem: that smell.
As anyone who ever tried concealing the clingy smell of cigarettes from their parents may remember, the acrid odor of smoke is hard to hide and harder to remove. Here are experts’ answers to all your smoke removal questions.
This article is provided free of charge to help keep our community safe and supported during these devastating fires.
What’s in wildfire smoke — and what makes it smell?
Wildfires create a wide array of pollutants, including toxic particulate matter that can lodge deep in your lungs and enter your bloodstream, causing respiratory issues, cancer and other health problems.
Because the fires in Los Angeles this year have chewed through thousands of buildings, the smoke contains all sorts of harmful particles from the homes, cars, furniture, paints and belongings that burned. And while sometimes it’s easy to see a pile of toxic ash on your window, often windblown ash particles are too small to see with the naked eye.
“A lot of these buildings have asbestos and lead,” said Scott Huml, who runs Tactical Mitigation Services, a Westlake Village-based business that cleans up homes after disasters. “The volatile organic compounds inside this ash are hazardous.”
Volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, are a big contributor to the clingy smell that lingers long after the fire has died down. And according to the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, they can get deposited on walls and ceilings where they may continue off-gassing for weeks or months.
What are the first things you should do?
Once you’ve been told it’s okay to return to your home, start by assessing your surroundings. Take pictures of any ash, soot or visible damage. Look for any open windows, and check the attic for ash and soot that could become trapped in the insulation or work its way into the heating and cooling systems.
“My philosophy is, if you see anything at a high level, physical evidence, then I would also assume invisible toxins and dangers there as well,” said Dr. Noah Greenspan, a cardiovascular and pulmonary clinical specialist and director at the New York City-based Pulmonary Wellness & Rehabilitation Complex. “But if you come home and there is no smell, you can’t assume there’s nothing there, because a lot of the toxins we’re talking about are odorless and colorless.”
Protect yourself from what you can’t see by making sure you have a working carbon monoxide detector and be sure to change or clean the filters in your heating and cooling system.
If you can afford it, you might rent an air scrubber for a day of high-powered air cleaning. For a longer-term fix, you can buy a high efficiency particulate air, or HEPA , filter air purifier, which removes minuscule particles just 0.3 microns in size. If you can’t afford a high-quality purifier, the EPA has instructions for making a DIY version using a box fan and a MERV 13 air filter.
When the outdoor air is clean enough — which, right now, it might not be — you can open the windows and point fans outward.
As firefighters continue to battle multiple major wildfires, The Times has compiled a list of resources to help.
So how do you get rid of the smell?
It may be tempting to start with a wet mop — but several cleaning and damage repair experts cautioned against that.
“One of the biggest mistakes you can make is using a wet cleaning product on a flat painted surface — that will end up shoving the soot into the paint,” said Robert Bowles, director of service line development for Servpro. “What we do in the industry is use specialized rubber sponges. They’re designed to pick up and capture soot in a specific way that doesn’t damage surfaces. There’s no water involved.”
Karie Miller, who runs Green For You Cleaning, an eco-friendly cleaning service based in the South Bay, concurred: “If you start with water, you’ll just make mud.”
Instead, she suggested using dry microfiber to wipe down every wall and dust every crevice. Find a duster extender or ladder to make sure you can reach the ceiling and the tops of cabinets and refrigerators. “You’re going to have to put on your gloves and lift things up and clean,” she said.
Officials are warning of windblown ash and other pollutants from Los Angeles-area fires and say air quality readers won’t pick up on the ash pollutants.
After a first pass without water, Miller suggested going back with a damp towel and mild detergent. When you get to vacuuming, she said to make sure you use a vacuum with a HEPA filter —and don’t forget to vacuum the furniture, too. Turn to wet mopping only after you’ve vacuumed.
If the smell still lingers after your deep cleaning, Miller suggested putting out bowls of baking soda or sachets of charcoal to absorb the odor. For cushions and furniture, she said, you might consider sprinkling baking soda on the fabric. Leave it to sit and then vacuum up the powder to avoid leaving a mess.
Similarly, Huml suggested purchasing odor blocks, such as Sentinel’s Formula 522, to absorb smells. Cleaning experts warned to avoid using candles or air fresheners that mask odors instead of eliminating the root cause.
Are there other things you should clean that people usually forget?
Don’t forget to clean your blankets and curtains, which may need to be professionally cleaned depending on the fabric and the intensity of the odor. For materials that can go in the washer, Miller said adding white vinegar can help get rid of bad smells. (But do not mix vinegar with bleach or any cleaning products that contain bleach, as the mixture produces toxic chlorine gas.)
Another thing that’s easy to forget is the filter in your vacuum cleaner, which you should clean out or change. And be sure to check the vents in your bathroom, where dust and particulate matter can accumulate.
The fires in L.A. have caused terrible air quality conditions across the county. Here are ways you can protect yourself, and your children, from the health impacts of wildfire smoke.
When should you call a professional?
There’s no agreed-upon rule of thumb for when you need to call a professional cleaner or damage repair service, but your proximity to the flames and the length of exposure can be key.
“If the house next door was on fire, you probably need a professional,” Miller said, even if your home doesn’t have any noticeable damage.
Another indicator you might need outside help is if there’s visible ash or soot. But since airborne particulate matter from fires is often invisible, Miller and other cleaning experts generally leaned toward getting professional help if you can afford it. Your homeowner’s or renter’s insurance may help cover the cost.
A toxic soup of smoke, chemicals and particulate matter is being spread across the city by gusty winds. Here’s what to look for in an air purifier.
What do professionals do?
When dealing with the aftermath of a wildfire, Huml said he starts by decontaminating the attic, ripping out soot-infested insulation and using a spray-on odor sealant on porous wood. Then, he runs a HEPA vacuum on all surfaces — even the ceilings — and uses a dry chemical sponge to pull particulate matter and ash out of the drywall before doing another round of HEPA vacuuming.
“All your personal property gets wiped down with a combination of a HEPA vacuum and microfiber cloth,” he said, though some fabrics may need to go to a restoration dry cleaner.
Throughout the process, Huml also uses a variety of machines to clean the air, including air scrubbers, deodorizing hydroxyl generators and negative air machines that clean the air and push it outside.
Wildfires can irritate our sinuses, skin and eyes. Here’s how to care for each when it’s smoky out from wind and wildfires.
How much will it cost?
That can vary — a lot. Huml said the cheapest jobs he works, those that involve little more than setting up equipment and letting it run for a few days, come in around $5,000 to $10,000. The priciest jobs, in large homes with visible soot or damage, can easily clock in at six figures.
How long does it take for the smell to go away?
“I’d be a millionaire if I knew that answer,” Miller said. “It depends how close you are and how diligent you are.”
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