HELP getting smoke out of clothes

kayjay1809 · 8 April 2008 at 4:46PM

Can anyone give me an old fashioned method of getting the smell of smoke out of clothes and furnishings after a house fire? It's for a lady on another forum whose parents had a fire yesterday and she's trying to salvage what she can for them. Her mum is in hospital but is recovering well.

Thanks :j

Austin_Allegro · 8 April 2008 at 4:53PM

There are various os methods of room freshening but I'm not sure they'd be sufficient in this case. Normally after house fires people hire ozone machines which basically zap all the molecules that cause the smoke smells.

Failing that though I'd suggest using a steamer, some Febreze, and lots of fresh air.

pigpen · 8 April 2008 at 5:00PM

I'd wash the clothes and hang outside.. zoflora in the wash will help.. worked with the stinky stuff out of my shed.

The furnishings.. probably just air the house.. it will fade given time.

I hope everyone is ok though.

whatatwit · 8 April 2008 at 6:43PM

Multiple washing of the clothes, with not too much stuff in each washload and use plenty of fabric conditioner in the 3rd or 4th time.
Possibly using bounce sheets in the tumble dryer, but it is usually in the dryer that the smoke smell becomes more noticeable.

fishing-girl · 8 April 2008 at 7:16PM

my friend recently had a house fire and the insurance cleaned all her clothing.
as smoke is acidic it needs a alkaline cleaner to get rid of the smoke (stardrops not sure what else)
if any electrical items were involved they will be damaged by the smoke, not initially but it will erode circuit boards etc ( the salvage people destroyed all my friends electrical items).
after seeing what a tiny fire in one room can do in the way of smoke damage to the whole house, i would really leave it to the pros

ubamother · 8 April 2008 at 7:58PM

I'm with fishing-girl - we had a bad house fire when i was 16 - i'm 40 now - i have a hardback book of piano that was salvaged from the piano all that time ago - when I play the page it was opened at during the fire I can STILL smell the greasy smoky smell of the fire - and it's not just my 'smell memory' - others who don't know its history can smell it too. If they had contents insurance get the loss adjustor to advise on cleaning - house smoke is very toxic so will leave a toxic residue on everything

Rikki · 28 May 2008 at 12:22PM

I have a dress worn recently to a party at a house where they smoke. Unfortunately this dress seems to have absorbed more of the smell than other clothes I've worn there.

I've hung it outside and in a steamy bathroom but the smell is still lingering. Any other suggestions?

Penelope_Penguin · 28 May 2008 at 12:46PM

I was going to suggest hanging it outside in the fresh air.

There's an older thread that I'll join this into.

Hope you get it out, Penny. x

squeaky · 28 May 2008 at 12:47PM

This should help

ema_o · 8 December 2008 at 11:22AM

Hello
I have tried to search for this and not come up with anything so far so sorry if this has already been asked...

We lit our open fire having taken advice from a couple of people about drilling a hole in our back boiler (from the chimney sweep) to avoid steam coming out of the pipe in an upstairs bedroom. Anyway, steam didn't come out, unfortunately lots of smoke did and at the time it didn't occur to me that most of our clothes were in the room and now all stink of smoke

Does anyone have any tips for removing the smell other than having to wash everything? OH suggested febreeze, but I am concerned this might make them smell of smoke and febreeze!! :eek:

The boiler has now been blocked so the problem shouldn't re occur, but the room still smells as do the clothes

Rikki · 8 December 2008 at 11:23AM

Have you tried hanging them outside for a blow in the fresh air?

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HELP getting smoke out of clothes

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