Smoke Removal Home Remedies

Ventilation

• Opening up doors and windows is one of the simplest and most effective smoke removal strategies since the influx of fresh air will help clear out the smoke and its pungent odor. Ideally, try to create a cross breeze by opening doors or windows that are across from each other, giving a fresh airstream a clear path through the room or house with which it can clear out smoke. This is also useful from a health standpoint since smoke sometimes contains carbon monoxide, which is an odorless gas that can cause asphyxiation in high doses and cause fatality. Ventilation helps remove carbon monoxide while also bringing in a fresh supply of oxygen.

Fans

• Fans are useful for dispersing smoke through a larger area, limiting its effects and noxious smell. While not a cause of fresh air, setting up fans through a room will create an effective air circulator that forces the smoke to spread out over a larger area and gradually disperse entirely, which can be effective for clothing that has absorbed smoke as well. Setting a smoke-smelling shirt or jacket in front of a fan for an extended period will help eliminate some of the smell from the clothing. Fans are also useful if you have a smoke detector going off since they will blow the smoke away from the sensor and help the alarm turn itself off.

White Vinegar

• While air flow is vital in removing large amounts of smoke, small traces can still create obnoxious odors that are difficult to remove. White vinegar is very useful for this since it functions as a natural deodorizer, neutralizing the smoke particles and eliminating their scent in minutes. While vinegar itself has a strong scent, and it will dissipate by itself in a relatively short amount of time and take the smoke scent with it. You can mix water and vinegar in a half-and-half solution in a spray bottle and mist it into a room, or you can pour some of it into a saucepan and bring it to a boil, allowing the vapors into the air that will neutralize the smoke.