Smoke Remediation & Home Cleanup: Essential Tips and Resources

Wildfire smoke and ash can leave lasting damage to homes and belongings, making proper cleaning essential for health and safety. Below is a guide on effective smoke remediation techniques, protective measures, and available resources to help restore your home. This post is taken from Shaunda Brown's original Google docs created for the community, thank you Shaunda for going through the work to put this wonderful guide and smoke remediation kits together!

Why is Smoke Damage Dangerous?

Health Risks

• Ash and smoke can contain toxic substances like asbestos, lead, and plastic residues from burned materials.

• Physical contact with contaminated surfaces can transfer toxins to your skin.

Contamination Risks

• Touching soot-covered objects with bare hands can embed contaminants into surfaces, making cleaning more difficult.

• Wearing gloves and using the correct cleaning methods prevents further damage and exposure.

---

Smoke Remediation kit recommended must-haves:

✅ Chemical sponges (for dry cleaning walls—do not use wet)

✅ Treated dust cloths (attract smoke/ash particles, reusable)

✅ Boxes and tape (for organizing salvageable items)

✅ Buckets & terry cloths (for cleaning solutions)

✅ Trisodium Phosphate (TSP) cleaning solution 

✅ Personal Protective Equipment (PPE):

• Neoprene gloves (to protect hands from harsh cleaners)

• N95 dust masks (to avoid inhaling harmful particles)

• Shoe booties (to minimize spreading contaminants)

• Protective clothing (hats, safety glasses, long sleeves)

---

Proper Cleaning Tips for Smoke & Soot Removal

1. Safety First

• Wear an N95 mask, gloves, and protective clothing before starting any cleaning.

  
  

2. Create a Cleaning Strategy

• Assess damage and organize a staging area for salvageable vs. non-salvageable items.

• Label boxes clearly for easy sorting and handling.

  
  

3. Initial Cleanup

• Remove debris and heavily damaged items that cannot be salvaged.

• If possible, vacuum or brush off loose debris outdoors before moving items inside.

• Avoid plastic bags—items need to off-gas smoke residue rather than trapping toxins inside.

• Increase air circulation to help eliminate lingering smoke odors.

  
  

4. Vacuuming

• Use HEPA vacuums indoors to remove fine soot particles.

• Keep non-HEPA vacuums outdoors to prevent recirculating contaminants into indoor air.

  
  

5. Cleaning Walls & Surfaces

• Use chemical sponges to wipe walls (do not use water until soot is removed).

• Treated dust cloths effectively pick up ash; shake them outside and reuse them.

• For washable surfaces, use a mild detergent solution.

  
  

6. Fabric & Upholstery Care

• Shake out or vacuum fabrics before laundering to remove surface ash.

• Use a mild deodorizing agent in laundry if odors persist.

• Consider professional cleaning for delicate fabrics and upholstered furniture.

  
  

7. Cleaning Household Contents

• Non-porous items (glass, metal, hard plastics) can be wet-washed with mild detergent.

• Porous materials (books, wood, paper) should be cleaned with chemical sponges or HEPA vacuums.

  
  

8. Using Trisodium Phosphate (TSP) for Heavy Cleaning

• Mixing Ratios:

  • Light cleaning: 2 oz per gallon of hot water

  • Moderate cleaning: 3 oz per gallon

  • Heavy cleaning (before repainting walls): 4 oz per gallon

• Application Tips:

  • Use with a sponge or cloth, avoiding excessive water.

  • For medium or heavy solutions, rinse surfaces with clean water to remove residue.

  • Wear gloves to prevent skin irritation.

To dive in deeper visit Shaunda's Google doc here!