The Best Ways to Remove Soot
Soot is the harmful black material that appears after wood or coal is burned. If your home has a fireplace, you’ve probably noticed soot.
Soot is an air pollutant and is also dangerous. Small particles (about 2.5 micrometers or smaller) can pass through the nose and throat, and lodge themselves into our lungs and bloodstream.
How can you remove soot from your home? We’ve compiled a helpful guide that includes a variety of tips for soot removal.
Remove Soot from Carpet
One of the most effective ways to remove soot from carpet involves creating a baking soda cleaning concoction.
To remove soot from the carpet, you need:
- Rubber gloves
- Baking soda (you can substitute cornstarch)
- Rubbing alcohol (you can substitute hydrogen peroxide)
- White towels
- A bucket of warm water
- One spoon or cooking tongs
- Vacuum
Put on the rubber gloves. Examine the soot in your carpet. Inspect for large chunks. Use the spoon or cooking tongs to remove them.
Next, sprinkle the baking soda onto the soot. The baking soda should naturally absorb the soot (as does cornstarch).
As the baking soda reacts with the soot, it will create a cakelike substance. Use your vacuum to suck up the soot.
Finally, take your clean towel and rubbing alcohol (or hydrogen peroxide) to tackle any stubborn soot remaining on your carpet. We recommend using white towels to avoid bleach damage from the rubbing alcohol.
Blot the remaining soot with the towel. Be gentle to prevent rubbing the soot further into your carpet. Thanks to the white color, you’ll be able to see the soot lifting and sticking to the towel.
Remove Soot from Walls
Before starting, open your windows. This increases ventilation and prevents the soot from harming your lungs.
To remove soot damage from your walls, you need:
- A bucket of hot water
- Clean rags
- Chemical sponge
- Degreaser or commercial soot cleaner
- Gloves
- Vacuum or upholstery brush
Put the gloves on. We also recommend wearing long sleeves and pants to prevent the soot from coming into contact with your skin.
Use your vacuum or upholstery brush to remove loose particles. Lightly brush the contaminated areas to remove as much soot as possible.
Take your chemical sponge and wipe away the soot. The chemical sponge contains materials that remove stains (like soot) safely from your walls.
Next, wash the walls with your degreaser. Dissolve the chemical into your bucket of hot water. Use the clean rags to create wiping motions across the walls. Replace the rags as they get dirty to prevent spreading the soot.
Use a clean rag to dry the area when you’re finished. Keep the windows open or use a fan to speed up the drying process.
Meet Your Local Soot Removal Experts
Removing soot from your home can be complicated. That’s where we come in.
Whether you’re dealing with water, fire, mold, or storm damage, we’re your go-to soot removal experts. With over 20 years of experience, our technicians can quickly and efficiently remove soot from your home.
Contact us to learn more about our services.