Cleaning Smoke Damaged Upholstery

Certainly, cleaning smoke damaged upholstery can be very challenging, depending on fabric. However, it is possible to have a good chance of salvaging your loved pieces. Because of water damage from firemen or heavy smoke damage, for this reason these are certainly the hardest to save.. Also this article will provide you detailed instructions on how to clean smoke damaged upholstery, and its challenges. Especially, things like dry rot, fabric shrinkage, staining or dye running. I will also help you minimize any potential damage where possible. It is important to realize, cleaning smoke damage furniture can be a challenge. Basically it comes down to this, if done incorrectly, you can create even more damage. We strongly recommend three things;

Cleaning Smoke Damaged Upholstery

What Not to Do and also what to do

First of all, lets be clear, Although I want to help you learn how to do it yourself. However; you must follow my steps in this guide using the right tools and products. Because that is what is necessary to be successful at your challenge.

• When you have extensive smoke damage and you have insurance. I recommend you use a professional cleaner for your expensive and antique furniture. Most importantly, check their reviews and make sure who you hire has experience with smoke damage. Also that they have experience with the type of piece you have.

• Certainly be sure to check under the cushions. Because, due to the fact there are tags explaining, how and if the item can be cleaned. Another reason to check, most modern pieces require dry cleaning only.

• Most importantly, do not touch smoke damaged upholstery with wet or sweaty hands. As this certainly will turn the soot into black stains almost instantly. In addiction, below I will explain how to avoid this problem. Before you start, remember you must follow the steps I give you to avoid damaging your piece

Think you can do it? Ready to give cleaning smoke damaged upholstery a try?

Cleaning Smoke Damaged Upholstery

Cleaning smoke damaged upholstery. Materials you need

Vacuum cleaner

Vacuum cleaner – Before you rush to buy a vacuum read the wet vacuum line.

Most importantly, You will need a vacuum with a strong suction and a good filter to pick up loose soot without spreading it in the air. When you are completed vacuuming, throw the bag away and wash the filter.

Wet Vacuum

Wet Vacuum – You also will need a strong wet vacuum for foam cleaning. Basically, there are vacuums that can do both processes.

Drop cloth

Drop cloth –Only when vacuuming is finished. Carefully, place upholstery and cleaning bucket on a drop cloth, to prevent any spills on the floor.

Dry soot sponge

Dry soot sponge – Smoke sponge, chemical sponge, to clarify, they are all the names used used to identify the same product. Basically, soot sponges feel and work like a large eraser. Due to they are rubbery in texture. Most importantly, they are only to be used dry, and not like any other type of sponge. Do not try to use similar products as to substitute them .

Foam furniture cleaning solution

Foam furniture cleaning solution – You want something gentle on fabrics that can mix in water and make a foam, but not something to spray on. Janitorial stores are a good place to start for a branded product, which would be your better choice. However; before buying check product reviews.

When you can’t find a suitable product in your area? Because some areas do not have any janitorial store in the area. Finally, you have no choice, you can use Suave Daily Clarifying Shampoo, ( no conditioners) in a jam it will work very well. While it will also foam well, besides that, it doesn’t leave any residue. Most importantly, it does clean, it will gently lift oil and grease, and it’s a safe product to use.

Car sponge

Sponge – Basically, a good car cleaning sponge works well. When you squeeze them in and out they will create foam. Basically, you start with almost a dry foam. Once you see how the fabric responds, if necessary you can increase amount of moisture used. However: vacuum well as you go.

Bucket

Bucket – 1-2 gallon When mixing solution in the bucket don’t over fill, mix enough to fill just over half full..

Soft towel or cloth

Soft towel or cloth – Maybe they will be needed to wipe your hands also used for spills and drips. Also be very careful around any wooden arm rest, towel maybe handy here also . Certainly do not use towel to wipe the fabric. Because it can leave a wear mark.

Safety Items

Rubber Gloves

Long gloves will work best, because with smoke cleaning you don’t want the water getting inside the glove.

Face mask with respirator

Face mask with respirator – Because smoke soot can be toxic to breath, Certainly look for a mask rated for smoke filtering with a respirator attached. Also ensure the mask fits firmly around your mouth and nose. Most important, wear it.

Optional materials

Furniture lifts

Furniture lifts (optional) – When the fabric of your piece touches the floor, like the skirt around a couch. Basically, you can use are small blocks or commercially bought furniture risers. Place them under the legs or corners to keep the piece off the ground. But do not use anything that could stain the carpet.

Soft Brush (optional)

Soft Brush (optional) – Optional for most materials but needed on materials like velvet and similar fabrics to set the pile. Certainly makes a difference on these fabrics.

Plastic sheets (optional)

Plastic sheets (optional) – Another good product to use for this is cling plastic food wraps. You need to protect wooden arms and legs from cleaning solution. Sometimes wood arms has body oils or wax on them. If you get them wet, they can become sticky or discolored. Even plain water can turn waxed wood pieces white. When you take these oils or wax off the finish may have already be discolored.

Dry vacuum loose soot

With caution, using a vacuum with a filter, slowly move the hose over the soot on the upholstery. It is important to not touch the soot with the vacuum that is why you need good suction to lift the soot.. You want to be very close to lift the soot. If you touch the soot particles, they will likely break and smear or stain the fabric.    

When dry vacuuming method is done correctly it will take off most of the loose soot.  

Cleaning Smoke Damaged Upholstery

Use a smoke sponge to clean smoke damaged upholstery

After vacuuming, gently wipe down the upholstered furniture with the smoke sponge. Rub lightly one way with the grain of the fabric. Make sure to get into the crevices and small areas really well.

Most importantly, DO NOT GET THE SMOKE SPONGE WET. this will ruin the sponge and defeat the purpose. You must have dry hands to avoid causing stains. Water can only be used when all loose soot is off.

Keep the sponge clean to avoid smearing

As your sponge gets dirty, remove a thin layer of the dirty area with rough sandpaper or a fine grater. Commercial scrubbing machines, coarse scrub pads work very well to scrap the soot off. Try to keep the sponge even. This will keep your sponge in perfect working order so you can use it over and over. Again, just don’t try to wash it or get it wet.

Read all warnings. Before cleaning smoke damaged upholstery

Cleaning Smoke Damaged Upholstery

Warnings about dry rot and aging fabric

Because fabric that has been exposed to direct sunlight it my have dry rot. This typically happens to furniture placed near windows. be aware dry rot is not always obvious. The challenge is that dry rotted material does not always show damage, it may look ok. Get it wet and it falls a part. Don’t blame yourself or even a professional if this happens it is not there fault. Dry rot typically is in a highly visible area like the top back of a couch. Wetting it to test it may leave a hole which will be seen.

If you believe your piece may have dry rot, unfortunately this is as far in the cleaning process we recommend going. Even a professional cannot guarantee results as cleaning is high risk.  Of course you can still do it yourself or have someone do it for you, at your risk. This is the same for old delicate upholstery, the material may have rot or be too weak to clean.

Cleaning Smoke Damaged Upholstery

Testing upholstery for potential shrinkage

Shrinkage test should be done first by wetting a small section.

Select and MEASURE a small test area of 2 inches x 2 inches on the back of the piece. If the fabric has a print or design on it, it will make testing a little easier as you can measure using the print as your guide. If the fabric is plain, and you are careful you can use common pins to mark out an area.

Wet just the measured section and let it completely dry.

Remeasure again to see if there is any shrinkage.

If you find shrinkage in the material, stop the process and hire a professional to continue cleaning the piece.

Cleaning Smoke Damaged Upholstery

Testing upholstery for dye bleeding

Typically, color run can happen with any color. Mostly it is the reds and purples.

You can test by holding a wet white cloth or cotton ball against fabric for 30 seconds, always check reds fabric. Try to use an inconspicuous spot on the back of the furniture.

If any of the colors transfer to the white cloth or cotton ball, stop the process here. You can try to hire a professional to continue cleaning the piece; most will not accept such a high-risk job.

Determining the internal filling material

If your fabric did not shrink or run, next you need to determine the inside filling material. Is it a synthetic, like padding, or genuine cotton?  

The easiest way to tell is to check the label.

If there is not a label, you can try and feel the material, or see if there is an area where you can see the innards of the furniture.  If you are not sure of the material you will need to be extra cautious of getting the filling wet.

Especially, because some furniture fillings often contains untreated cotton which has seeds. If these seeds get wet, they will cause brown stains on the fabric.

Cleaning Smoke Damaged Upholstery

Foam Cleaning Smoke Damaged Upholstery

Eventually, you can start cleaning smoke damaged upholstery. Only after removing as much soot as possible using the vacuuming and the dry smoke sponge, you can now foam clean the upholstery.

Mix the foam cleaning solution

Mix the foam cleaning solution in a bucket of water according to the directions on the cleaning solutions label. If the professional solutions are unavailable in your area and want to try the Suave shampoo. Mix approximately a tablespoon to a gallon of water, adjust if needed it to get a proper foam.

Car cleaning sponges work well for this. Dip the sponge in the solution.

Squeezing the sponge several times to work up a foam. Squeeze out the excess water, you do not want the sponge too wet; it is the lather that you need.

Take the foamed sponge and clean a small 2 feet x 2 feet areas at a time. Make sure to overlap each section. Rub back and forth with the grain of the fabric.

Watch for brown spots.

If any brown spots appear from cotton seeds, use the wet vacuum to lift the fabric and pull moisture away from the filling.  Stop cleaning.

No browning continue with cleaning

Immediately, use the wet vacuum to suck back up the foam on each section. You do not want any soil settling back into the fabric. Although you can use attachments on your hose, sometimes just the hose works best on some fabrics. Most importantly, make sure hose or attachments are clean.

Rinse out your sponge as you go. Re apply foam to sponge.

Repeat this procedure to clean the whole piece. You may need to change your bucket of water and solution several times as you go.  Especially if the water looks dark.

A little extra advice cleaning any fabric. All ways test, I can not say this enough. Some but not all recliners are easy to clean depending on the fabric, (but not leather). Basically, you can usually use a little more water on your sponge to help flush out heavy soil. It is important, you use a wet vacuum with a strong suction right behind the sponge to prevent water from settling into the padding.

Never use high pressure cleaning methods that inject water directly onto fabric. Because, this will just push the soot deeper into the fabric and embed it. As a result, the soot works its way back up to the surface in a short time. Also, these methods cause over wetting inside filling which can cause mildew.

Velvet and similar upholstery needs to be brushed.

When you are finished cleaning and the fabric is slightly damp, that’s when you need to lightly brush with a soft brush. It is important you only brush in the direction the pile was laying originally. This is an important step in setting the texture of the fabric back to its natural state. This applies to velvet and similar fabrics only. You cannot brush the fabric after it dries.

If you did it right, the piece should be damp to the touch. Use fans to help dry the furniture as quickly as possible.

Certainly, if there is no smoke/soot in other areas of the house, you can you use the air conditioner to draw moisture out of the fabric.  

In closing

I hope you find this post valuable and were able to salvage your smoke damaged upholstery.

If I helped you, you can help me back by leaving a comment, that my post was of help to you. This helps grow my FREE website. Thanks.

If you have other smoke damaged items you want to clean, see our posts and video on cleaning smoke damaged;

See my video How to clean Smoke Damage correctly

For more information when you have smoke in your home https://www.watermitigationadvice.com/smoke-damage-in-your-home/

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