Remediation of Smoke Odors
One of the toughest odors to remove from any surface is from tobacco. While smoke odors are always pesky and challenging to remove, cigarette and cigar odors are especially tough because they have a powerful odor and they tend to linger. The particles are small, and they cling to and embed into any type of surface, especially fabrics. In automobiles, there are an issue especially when a car is being sold. One promising rule of thumb when it comes to removing tobacco odors is time. With fresh air and plenty of time, the odors dissipate on their own — for the most part. But many people don’t want to wait it out. Cleaning the surface is the first step in smoke odor removal. If you can launder an item, that’s the best way to remove odors. But some fabrics, such as rugs, furniture, and of course the interior of your car, you can’t put in the washer. Professional cleaning is always best, but there are a few tricks you can implement in the meantime. Hard surfaces If you are cleaning countertops, wood furnishings, or other non-permeable surfaces, you are in luck. Those surfaces usually are easy to clean, and smoke odor removal is often successful. Simply use an approved hard surface cleaning produce you can find at any department or grocery store, wet the surface, allow several minutes of contact time so the product can work, and then wipe away with a clean cloth or paper towel. Repeat until you see no more soil transfer. Adding a little deodorizer afterwards, and wiping it off, adds a pleasant, lingering scent. Soft surfaces Now we are getting into the real challenge, removing odors from fabrics. As said previously, laundering an item is the best way to remove odors. It may take several launderings to get the best results. While cleaning non-launderable fabrics is tough without proper equipment and experience, you can dry vacuum soils and that helps. You can also allow fresh air to do its magic. And putting a few drier sheets under cushions will help as well. You can stuff drier sheets in other areas, as well, such as in automobiles, to help with the odors over time. The real way to get rid of smoke odors from fabrics? Call a professional fabric cleaning or disaster restoration company. Restoration companies are highly skilled at the task of smoke odor removal. They have the equipment, products, and expertise to thoroughly clean and deodorize odor-causing substances. They also have special processes designed to remove tobacco odors. Do the right thing. After all, it pays to call a pro! How to Remove Adhesive Residues
When something is stuck — and you don’t want it to be stuck — that can be a problem. This is especially true when it comes to tape, glue, and other sticky stuff we use all the time in our homes and businesses. You can use soap and water, you can scrub, you can get red in the face… but when it comes to proper adhesive residue removal, there is a better way. Scrape it off If the adhesive residue is on a flat, hard surface, using a straight razor blade can remove the majority of the residue. It basically slices it off the surface. But be careful you don’t scratch the surface, especially wood and natural materials. If that happens, you have permanent damage. After scraping, you will still need a little dry solvent, such as rubbing alcohol or acetone, to remove what’s remaining. A few seconds of contact time is all that is needed. Dissolve and remove If the adhesive residue is on a soft surface, such as carpet, furniture, or clothing, you can’t scrape it off. You need to dissolve the residue and then blot or rinse it away. This isn’t easy. If you apply too much dry solvent (rubbing alcohol, acetone, etc) you can delaminate the fabric if it has a backing. You can also dissolve glues that are part of the fabric. It’s best to add a small amount of dry solvent to a white, cotton cloth that you can dispose of, and blot at the residue. Several applications will be necessary, depending on the type of residue. The challenge is the adhesive residue does not dissolve in anything but a dry solvent. Yes, you can use high heat and hopefully soften the residue for removal, but that is problematic at best. One big issue is when tape is used on carpet. Even if you remove the tape and clean the residue, over time, that sticky residue remaining will collect soils, such as from foot traffic. A dark line will form. Repeated cleanings will help, but this is an often-frustrating task. The real solution is to get some advice from your favorite cleaning company. Carpet and furniture cleaning companies deal with adhesive residues every day and know what to do. Let them handle this for you. After all, it pays to call a pro! |
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May 2024
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