Clean Smoke Soot Off Walls

Work from the top left edge of the stain to the bottom replacing the sponge as it becomes clogged with soot.

Clean smoke soot off walls.

Scrape off the sticky residue from the walls into a bucket. This is particularly true of walls and ceilings containing smoke damage and soot as soot will crumble and peel away. While a magic eraser may work at cleaning small areas it is not efficient for cleaning larger ones. However using an ordinary sponge first will only smear the soot and add to the cleanup process.

Even a small fire can cause extensive smoke damage. Next use a rag soaked in diluted tsp solution to wash the soot stains from the wall one section at a time. Then repeat this process until you ve removed as much loose soot as you can. Special sponges available at many hardware stores are made for cleaning soot off walls and most other surfaces.

Our cleaning solutions show you how to remove black soot from walls from minor smoke damage without having to contact restoration services. Use any clean rag cloth or towel to dry the surface of the wall. Place a drop cloth beneath the cleaning area. Soot and smoke stains can fall off of the ceiling and floor so laying down a dropcloth will minimize cleanup.

It s a good idea to have a bucket with clean normal water nearby to rinse the sponge in so excess soot is washed off. They are used dry and will remove much of the surface smoke damage before you use a liquid cleaning solution. For best results and to avoid difficult stains you should try to remove smoke char and soot as quickly as possible. Then rinse the area with a wet rag.

Frequently change out the cleaning cloth on the applicator to keep from spreading the soot and smoke back onto the wall. Then dip the sponge back into the solution and apply again to the wall. A steam cleaner can also help to loosen caked on smoke or its sticky residue. To clean smoke damage start by removing loose soot from the walls with the hose attachment of a vacuum cleaner or by wiping it with a dry chemical sponge.

Rinse clean with a dampened sponge or cloth. Several methods work effectively at cleaning soot off painted walls or drywall.