Scented candle smoke damage

[Boxcar Wllie]

So the short version of the story is that I had left a scented candle on top of a fireplace stove. Didn't notice it when I started the fire. Hour or two later I walked back into the room and the space was full of smoke. 20x20 room w/ a 14' ceiling. Candle was gone. Soot everywhere and it smells like a Bed, Bath & Beyond.

I have done some research on the dry chemical sponges for removing the soot. Has anyone had success with this process and what have you done to get rid of the smell? How many sponges do you think I would need?

[Pat K]

To get rid of smoke smell in our house after an electrical fire we rented an ozone generator and ran it for a weekend we were going to be out of the house and it cleared up the smoke smell.

[Boxcar Wllie]

Thanks Pat but due to the health risks associated, I cannot go that route. I appreciate the response.

[harvey lee]

I purchased a reposed house one time from a bank. The heat exchanger went out on the furnace and the walls were all full of soot and to some degree stained black from the soot.

I took some Tri sodium phosphate and a sponge and washed all the walls in the house. I could not believe how well this worked removing the soot and light stains from the painted walls. It was some work, but it worked very well.

Another option if you would like, turn it into your Home Owners insurance. I spilt some paint painting a living room in the house once and it damaged the carpet. A guy told me to turn it in under the stupidity clause for your insurance, I thought what, he said they will pay for the new carpet.

So I called my agent, no problem, new carpet in that room and a new carpet pad. That's of course if you want to turn in a claim.

[JeremyCampbell]

I run in to this once or twice a year in homes.I usually clean it off the best I can and just repaint,For painting: I use any product that is paint/primer in one.

Cleaning

Assuming you have drywall in your house:

Depends on the sheen of your paint.If it's got any gloss to it like satin, eggshell, pearl, etc then you can use things like TSP, Oxy clean, or just straight warm water.If you have no sheen and it's a flat , you can only do the best you can on that one lol.

Note:Theres a high chance that you will rub the paint off if it comes down to using chemicals as I stated above.

If your ceiling is popcorn and pieces of the popcorn texture falls off to the touch, It's gonna need some carful attention.

Google search "painters sartell" Give the first guy on top of the Google page a call.Heard he can really Bull s... and talk your ear off if you let him,but he's pretty good about solving these type of things

[Boxcar Wllie]

Thanks Jeremy. The room is a bunkhouse that has finished tongue and groove on the ceiling and walls. Priming/painting is not an option. So far, it seems that anything wet just smears, hence the idea on the de-greaser or TSP. I just want to get the soot off and hopefully that will remove the smell.

I might have another need for a paint job in the spring though...and we need to get out fishing sometime too!

[ozzie]

I would call a restoration company and get suggestions from them. Different types of smoke damage require different ways to clean them

[Surface Tension]

Shop vac with a soft brush attachment. Whats left can be washed with TPS