Smoke and Soot Damage: What You Can Clean Yourself, What to Leave to Professionals, and How to Hire a Cleanup Company

Understanding Smoke Damage and Staying Safe

Smoke from a fire, even a distant wildfire, can travel far and enter your home through tiny cracks and air currents. This can damage your home’s structure and belongings. Washington’s Office of the Insurance Commissioner explains that smoke can leave lasting odors in carpets and furniture. Smoke contains acidic compounds that can etch metal, tarnish surfaces, and cause glass to yellow over time. Soot can get into drywall, insulation, and hardwood floors, which may need deep cleaning or replacement. Smoke particles can also spread through your heating and air conditioning (HVAC) system, spreading soot and odors throughout your home.

When returning to your home after a fire, make sure local officials say it is safe to enter. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) warns that ash and other fire products can irritate your eyes, nose, skin, or lungs, causing coughing or breathing problems. Ash contains tiny particles that can be inhaled. Ash from burned buildings often has more harmful chemicals than ash from forests.

Who should avoid cleanup:

• People with heart or lung disease.
• Older adults.
• Pregnant women.
• Children should not be near ash and should return only after affected areas are clean.

Before you enter or clean:

• Wear protective gear: The EPA says to wear work gloves, long sleeves, long pants, socks, and sturdy, thick-soled shoes. Also wear goggles. Wet ash can cause chemical burns or skin irritation. Wear a close-fitting respirator marked N95 or P100. Surgical masks and one-strap dust masks will not protect your lungs from ash. If you have heart or lung disease, talk to your doctor before using a respirator.
• Check for hazards: FEMA advises that if you see damage to electrical wiring or suspect a gas leak, do not touch it. Contact your utility company or an electrician. If you suspect a gas leak, leave your home immediately, call emergency services, and contact your utility company. If your outdoor heating and cooling equipment is damaged, contact an HVAC contractor.

Deciding What You Can Clean

Before you start cleaning, FEMA recommends assessing the level of smoke damage. You can do a “wipe test” to see how much soot and ash is present. Wearing clean gloves, wipe an unfinished horizontal surface with a small prepackaged alcohol wipe. Check the wipe for soot and ash. Your nose can also help: if you smell smoke, you likely have some level of smoke damage.

Document Damage First: Before any cleanup, take photos and videos of any damage to your roof, walls, windows, or doors for your insurance company. Note any strong smoke odors, soot, staining, and affected belongings. Washington’s Office of the Insurance Commissioner says not to throw anything away until an insurance adjuster has inspected it.

If you have only a smoke odor and no visible soot or ash:

FEMA suggests these four simple steps:

1. Air out your home: Open windows and doors. Do not do this if heavy smoke or particles are still in the outside air.
2. Change air filters: Install a new air filter in your air handling unit. This helps filter out smoke particles.
3. Use charcoal: Place activated charcoal bags or containers around your home to absorb smoke odors.
4. Clean fabrics: If the odor is strong in a specific room, clean absorbent materials there, such as linens and other fabrics.

FEMA warns against using odor-masking products or perfume-based odor counteractants. These do not get rid of smoke odors and can create new, hard-to-identify smells.

If you have light soot and ash on surfaces or visible airborne particles:

If the simple steps above do not remove the smoke odor, or if you see light soot, deeper cleaning may be needed. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) provides guidance for cleaning up ash and recommends specific methods:

• Avoid stirring ash: The EPA advises to avoid stirring up or sifting through ash. Do not dry sweep or dust. Never use a leaf blower. These actions can make ash airborne.
• Wet cleaning: The EPA says to mist hard surfaces with water before sweeping. Follow this with wet mopping.
• Vacuuming: The EPA recommends using a HEPA vacuum if you have one.
• Washable items: The EPA notes that furnishings with hard surfaces and items that can be thoroughly washed can be safely cleaned. Lightly soiled upholstered furniture might also be cleanable.

When to call professionals:

FEMA and the EPA recommend hiring a professional cleaning service or contractor for several situations:

• Heavy soot and ash: If you have heavy soot and ash on horizontal surfaces and floors.
• Structural damage: If there is visible fire damage to structural parts of your home.
• Hazardous materials: The EPA advises seeking professional assistance if you find hazardous materials.
• Affected HVAC system: If your heating and cooling system is affected, do not turn on your air handler until most of the soot and ash is removed. Running it earlier will spread particles and re-contaminate cleaned surfaces. FEMA recommends having all ducts and your furnace professionally cleaned.
• Job is too big: If the cleanup is more than you can manage on your own.

Never use certain products: The EPA advises avoiding products that add chemicals to the air to remove or neutralize smoke odors, such as ozone and hydroxyl generators or other oxidizers.

Working with Your Insurance and Hiring a Cleanup Company

Standard homeowner and renter insurance policies usually cover sudden smoke damage, including ash, from various fires. This coverage typically falls under fire damage. However, Washington’s Office of the Insurance Commissioner notes that policies usually do not cover wear and tear, damage from smoking tobacco over time in your home, or neglect.

Your Insurance Claim:

• Document everything: Take photos and videos before you clean anything. Note strong smoke odors, soot, staining, and affected belongings.
• Keep damaged items: Do not throw anything away until an adjuster has completed their inspection.
• Ask for a full inspection: Request that your insurer perform a full smoke damage inspection. This should include attics, crawl spaces, insulation, and your HVAC system.
• Clarify cleaning vs. replacement: Ask your insurer which items should be cleaned and which should be replaced.
• Keep receipts: Save receipts for temporary housing or meals if your home is unsafe due to smoke damage.
• Request reinspection: Smoke damage can show up later. If smoke odors or residue appear after the initial inspection, ask for a reinspection.

Hiring a Professional Cleaning Service:

If you have heavy smoke damage, tell your insurance company that you will hire a professional cleaning service. Your insurer might have a list of companies. FEMA suggests using local companies and being careful with out-of-town companies, especially after a major disaster. Use this checklist from FEMA when choosing a contractor:

• Check references: Ask for names of past customers and call them.
• Verify credentials: Confirm the contractor is licensed by your state or county for the work. Make sure they have the necessary bonding and liability insurance.
• Insurance coordination: Ask if the contractor works with your insurance company.
• Get an estimate: Do not let work begin without a written estimate.
• Sign a contract: Get a contract that clearly states the project cost and start and completion dates. Understand what you need to do, such as paying your homeowner’s insurance deductible. Do not let work begin until both you and the contractor have signed and dated the contract.
• Understand payments: Know how your insurance company will pay the contractor. Claims are often paid in installments or partial payments linked to project milestones. If a contractor asks for a partial payment before starting work, discuss it with your insurance adjuster first. Do not pay the contractor in full until you are satisfied that the project is complete.

When this advice may not fit

This advice may not fit if your home has extensive fire damage, structural damage, hazardous materials like asbestos or lead, or if you are not comfortable performing the cleanup yourself. In these cases, or if you have health conditions that make cleanup risky, you should hire qualified professionals. Always contact your insurance company before starting any major cleanup or hiring contractors.