15 Better Ways to Eliminate the Burning Smell in an Apartment Than Eliminating It After a Fire
Careless handling of household appliances, distraction by extraneous actions during cooking, playing with flammable objects - all this leads to a fire in the house. Even if the source of ignition is located and neutralized in time, an unpleasant smell remains after it, which fills all rooms. How to remove the pungent smell of burning after a fire and what means are most effective for this, we will find out below.
First steps
Having eliminated the causes of fire in the house, you need to perform the following actions in order to minimize its consequences:
- ventilate the room;
- eliminate sources of burns;
- increase air circulation;
- humidify the air in the room.
Aeration
Ventilation of the premises is necessary to evacuate the fumes. If this is not done, it will quickly be absorbed into clothes and furniture, after which it will be extremely difficult to remove it.In addition, smoke negatively affects the human body, causing convulsive coughing, dizziness and fainting.
Disorganized
The best way to ventilate the room is a draft, for which it is necessary:
- open windows in every room;
- if possible, open the door from the entrance or from the street.
The circulation of cool air will disperse the smoke, reducing the likelihood of burning smells penetrating clothing and furniture.
Eliminate source of burn
Once the smoke has been evacuated, it is necessary to get rid of potential sources of burns. These include:
- burnt food;
- damaged household appliances;
- other household items exposed to fire.
They need to get rid of them as soon as possible, otherwise they will continue to saturate the air with unpleasant odors.
To note! Items damaged by fire are removed in plastic bags, which must be sealed. This way, the smell will not seep into the apartment, and it will become much easier to breathe.
Increased circulation
In a house with heavy smoke, it is not enough to open the windows and doors to ventilate the rooms quickly.
To do this, it is necessary to increase air circulation by using:
- hoods in the kitchen;
- air conditioning systems;
- stationary and portable fans.
The time saved will help reduce smoke damage by reducing the cost of dealing with scorched smells from a fire.
moisturizing
Experts working in cleaning centers recommend humidifying the air in the apartment as much as possible after a fire. The fact is that moisture absorbs the burning smell, contributing to its early elimination. You can increase the humidity level in the affected apartment by using:
- inclusion of water;
- moisturizing wipes;
- install a basin of water in each room;
- fill the pot with water mixed with aromatic herbs.
open water
To quickly increase the humidity in the house, it is enough to open all the water taps. If the smoke is not strong, then one tap in the kitchen is enough. It is recommended to open a tap with hot water, as it evaporates more strongly, saturating the air with water molecules. It is advisable to immediately wipe off the condensate that settles on the objects and squeeze the water into the sink.
Wet towels
Damp towels, hung in each room, capture the burning smell perfectly, absorbing it quickly. The larger the towel or sheet, the faster the smell will disappear. If the fire was strong, then the napkins are moistened not with ordinary water, but with a solution based on vinegar. It is prepared as follows:
- take 2 tablespoons of vinegar;
- we breed them in a five-liter container with water;
- moisten the towels with the resulting solution.
Water basins
An equally effective way to quickly humidify the air in the room. One or two basins of hot water will be enough to considerably reduce the harsh and unpleasant smell of the fire.
Herb Casserole
A pot of herbs placed over a fire not only saturates the air with moisture, but also releases aromatic oils that clog the pungent smells of burning. The following plants are used as herbs:
- mint;
- Caraway;
- cloves;
- lemon balm;
- lavender.
Sometimes one pot is enough to completely neutralize the effects of the smoke.
How to remove a stench
Preliminary measures to eliminate unpleasant odors after smoke pollution are not always sufficient. In this case, victims are advised to move on to more drastic methods, including:
- use vinegar;
- air saturation with the smell of ground coffee;
- the use of scented candles;
- processing of premises with special means;
- using citrus fruits, cloves or table salt.
The vinegar
Vinegar not only allows you to mask the burnt smell, but also interrupts it with your own. It acts on the very source of the odor by completely neutralizing it. To saturate the room with vinegar vapors, you must:
- set fire to a large container;
- fill it with three liters of water;
- until the water warms up, add 1 liter of vinegar;
- after the liquid boils, the fire is reduced to a minimum and the container is left to boil for another 1.5-2 hours.
Ground natural coffee
Natural coffee beans, ground into powder using a coffee grinder, fill the house with a pleasant sour aroma. It removes the burnt smell, making its presence invisible. You will need:
- grind coffee beans;
- sprinkle coffee powder on the saucers;
- arrange the saucers in different rooms;
- after 3 hours, the smell will disappear completely.
To note! Only a natural product will help you. Synthetic pellets do not have the desired effect and you just waste the product.
Citrus
The aromas emitted by lemons and oranges help overcome the presence of burn, filling the room with fresh, summery notes. Dried fruit skins and fresh foods will do. The dry skin is gently set on fire and the piece is drenched in fragrant smoke.
If you do not want to experiment with fire, cut fresh fruit into slices and send them to boiling water. Enough 20 minutes to leave no traces of the consequences of the fire.
cloves or cinnamon
Cloves or cinnamon are considered equally effective air fresheners. It is enough to put them in boiling water and cook for a quarter of an hour.
Thus, the aroma of combustion will not only be "hammered" by a stronger one, but will be completely absorbed.
Salt
Salt absorbs odors well, making the air fresh, without impurities. To apply the salt method, you must:
- Prepare a solution of water and salt. This will require 1 liter of liquid and 10 tablespoons of spices.
- The finished solution is left overnight in the room where the fire occurred.
- In the morning, the liquid is poured.
Dry salt can also treat unpleasant odors, but it does so less effectively.
Herbs
Herbs that have a pleasant smell and are not irritating to residents can be used to clean the air of unnecessary impurities. Just lay them out on a sheet of paper and let them dry on the windowsill in the room. The moisture will gradually evaporate, saturating the air.
Aromatic candles
Scented candles, placed in the house, will help to quickly eliminate unpleasant odors. The advantage of the method is the variety of flavors, among which you can always choose an option that is suitable for all residents.
Special means
If natural remedies do not withstand the effects of a fire, purchase special substances designed to combat unpleasant odors. They will cost more, but the result will be much better.
Bitumaz
A chemical agent that helps combat soot and soot marks. In addition to dirt, it eliminates unpleasant odors by disinfecting the room. The substance contains corrosive components, if it comes into contact with the skin or mucous membranes - immediately wash the damaged area with plenty of running water.
MAZBIT+
A cleaner used to eliminate the consequences of a fire. With its help, it is easy to remove soot, thereby neutralizing the unpleasant odor. When using, do not forget about safety rules.
SYNTILOR Fuoco
Means for removing the products of combustion remaining after a fire. Has no unpleasant odor and does not contain chlorine.
Smell
SmellOff is an effective remedy used to get rid of the burning smell indoors. For this it suffices:
- carry out wet cleaning in the bedroom;
- treat it with SmellOff by spraying liquid with a spray bottle;
- wait a day.
After the specified period, ventilate the room and enjoy the coolness.
DuftaSmoke
A tool with a powerful and fast effect. Destroys the burnt smell rather than masking it with stronger aromas.
After the fire
Eliminating the consequences of a strong fire with ordinary flavors will not work. This requires a thorough cleaning, which includes:
- the use of household chemicals;
- general cleaning of the apartment;
- discard damaged items;
- removal of odors from various surfaces.
Household chemicals
To eliminate the consequences of a fire, you will need strong household chemicals, which are divided into:
- liquid substances;
- aerosols.
Liquid substances
Suitable for getting rid of the burning smell of the floor and walls in the room. It is recommended to use detergents according to the manufacturer's instructions. Since most formulations contain substances that are harmful to the human body, do not forget about safety rules and personal protective equipment.
Aerosols
They allow you to process interior items, cleaning them from unpleasant odors.It is not recommended to stay in a room treated with aerosols.
It is advisable to leave the apartment after the treatment and return to it in a few days - once the odors have completely disappeared.
spring cleaning
General cleaning of the premises is a fundamental step in eliminating the consequences of a fire. The longer you delay, the more effort you will have to make in the future. General cleaning is based on the following actions:
- get out of things;
- dismantling of burnt decorative elements;
- wet cleaning of premises;
- repair.
Evacuation of things
Clothing, especially fabric, absorbs odors quickly. To prevent this from happening, it is necessary to remove all undamaged objects from the apartment, first of all paying attention to:
- things;
- the rugs;
- sleeping accessories;
- curtains.
Elimination of burnt elements
All interior parts damaged in the fire should be discarded without regret. If this is not done, the unpleasant smell of burning will remain in the apartment for a long time, and no means will be able to eliminate it.
Wet cleaning
As soon as the room is cleared of unnecessary things, proceed to wet cleaning. Carefully treat all damaged surfaces with water and a little vinegar.
Interior renovation work
The final step in general cleaning is repairing damaged areas. He understands:
- paste new wallpaper;
- The painting;
- laying new flooring.
Get rid of odors on other objects in the house
Even intact items that have not been exposed to fire can develop a harsh, unpleasant odor over a long period of time. You need to get rid of them as soon as possible, otherwise all your hard work will go to waste.
Tile cleaning
Use baking soda or bleach for this.They will effectively cope with the task at hand, without giving unpleasant aromas a chance.
Window
Treated with conventional glass cleaner. This measure is enough to eliminate the consequences of a fire.
wash the curtains
Wash the curtains several times with any powder, then hang them to dry. It is advisable to dry the curtains in the fresh air.
Carpets and upholstered furniture
Sprinkle baking soda on carpets and furniture. After 12 hours, remove the substance with a vacuum cleaner. If this is not enough, contact a dry cleaner.
Oven or microwave
Place a glass of water containing baking soda in the chamber. Wait 1 day, then remove the glass of solution and pour it into the sink. Do not turn on the oven or the microwave.
blinds
They are treated with glass cleaner and then rinsed with water.
Cleaning service
Cleaning companies should only be called in cases where the fire has damaged most of the living space. In such cases, it will not be possible to eliminate all the consequences on your own, it is better to entrust the matter to specialists.