A small fire in your kitchen, a fire in the apartment downstairs, smoke that poured through the hallway while the fire department worked: any of these can leave your home smelling of smoke long after the fire is out. This article covers how to get rid of smoke smell yourself where the damage is light, and when the smell is a sign that the home needs more than airing out. The tips here are general household practice, not tested methods, and none of them is a product recommendation.
NYC Fire Damage Restoration is an independent referral service, not a restoration company. When you send the form, your details go to an independent local restoration provider serving New York City, who can contact you, inspect and quote any work directly. You decide whether to hire them.
First, check it is light damage
Do-it-yourself steps make sense when the smell is the main problem: no visible soot on walls and ceilings, no water from firefighting, no burned materials. If there is soot on surfaces, water on floors or in ceilings, or the fire was in your own unit, start with the guides to smoke damage restoration NYC and fire damage cleanup NYC instead. If you are insured, NYC Emergency Management advises contacting your insurer for instructions before you start, and making an inventory before throwing anything away.
General tips for light smoke smell
- Air the home when it is safe to. Open windows on opposite sides for cross-ventilation when the air outside is clear, and close them again if the hallway or street is still smoky.
- Find where the smell sits. Smell comes from residue on and in things. Go room by room and smell fabrics, closets, curtains, rugs and soft furniture to find the worst items.
- Wash what can be washed. Clothes, bedding, curtains and washable covers, following each item’s care label. Photograph damaged items before washing if you may claim for them.
- Clean hard surfaces gently. Wipe walls, cabinets and floors with a mild household cleaner suited to the surface. Never mix cleaning products or add bleach to other chemicals: the EPA warns against it.
- Look at the air system. If your home has ducted heating or cooling, the vents and filter may hold smell. The EPA advises against running a system you know or suspect is contaminated with mold.
- Do not just cover it. Fragrances and air fresheners mask smell for a while; the smell comes back while the residue remains.
What to avoid
- Mixing products. The EPA warns against mixing cleaning products or adding bleach to other chemicals.
- Bleach as a default. For mold cleanup, the EPA does not recommend bleach or other biocides as a routine practice.
- Running a generator indoors for fans if the power is out. The EPA says generators go outside and at least 20 feet from buildings; their carbon monoxide can kill in minutes.
- Scrubbing visible soot with a wet cloth. An extension service’s fire cleanup guide warns that water and cleaning solutions drive soot further into surfaces. Leave visible soot for whoever cleans it; see soot cleaning.
- Throwing things out before they are listed, if you may make a claim.
How long does smoke smell take to go away?
There is no reliable figure, and this site gives none. A faint smell from a brief, distant fire may fade with airing and washing. A smell that keeps coming back usually means residue is still in walls, ductwork, insulation or furniture, and airing alone will not clear it. That is the point at which professional smoke odor removal is worth asking about.
Smoke smell from somewhere else in the building
In an apartment building, the smell may come from the hallway or from a neighbor’s unit. NYC Emergency Management’s advice for high-rise fires, to stay in your apartment rather than go into smoke-filled hallways if the fire is not in your apartment, shows how readily smoke fills common areas. Those areas are the building’s responsibility: the City Council’s fire guide says building management hires the vendors for clean-up and remediation in a rental building. Tell the super or managing agent in writing that the smell is reaching your home, and keep a copy.
When to ask for help
- The smell is still strong after a few rounds of airing and washing.
- You can see residue on walls, ceilings or vents.
- Firefighting water reached your home: the EPA advises drying within 24 to 48 hours to prevent mold.
- Soft furniture, mattresses or carpets carry the smell and are worth saving.
- You need a written list of damage for an insurer.
If any of these fit, send the request form with the borough, the building type and where the smell is strongest. An independent local restoration provider can contact you, inspect and quote directly. Asking is free and you never have to hire anyone.
Questions people ask
What absorbs smoke smell the most?
This site does not recommend any product or home remedy, because no source it uses tests them. The smell comes from residue, so washing and cleaning the items and surfaces that hold it does more than anything placed in the room.
Will smoke smell go away on its own?
A faint smell from a brief, distant fire may fade with airing. A smell that keeps returning usually means residue is still in the home.
Is it safe to clean smoke residue myself?
For light residue on hard surfaces, use a mild cleaner and never mix products, as the EPA warns. Have visible soot and wet materials looked at first, and never go into a building with a vacate order in effect.
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