Smoke smell is one of the hardest odors to get out of a home. Smoke is made of tiny particles and oily residue that settle on walls, ceilings, carpet, furniture, clothes, and inside the AC system. That’s why airing out and air fresheners rarely work for long. The right fix depends on what kind of smoke it was and how much of it got into the home.
Why Smoke Smell Is So Hard to Get Out
- It coats surfaces. Smoke leaves a thin film on walls, ceilings, blinds, cabinets and windows.
- It soaks into soft materials. Carpet, pad, curtains, mattresses and upholstered furniture absorb it.
- The AC spreads it. The AC pulls smoky air through the filter, coil and ducts, then pushes it back into every room.
- Humidity brings it back. In Florida, a smell that seemed gone can return on humid days.
By Type of Smoke
Cigarette, Cigar or Marijuana Smoke
Years of indoor smoking leave a yellow-brown film and a smell that’s soaked into everything. See our full guides on cigarette smoke smell and weed smoke smell.
Burnt Food or a Small Kitchen Fire
A burnt pot or stovetop fire can fill the whole house in minutes. See burnt smell after a kitchen fire.
A House Fire With Soot
If you see black soot on walls, ceilings or vents, this is fire and smoke damage, not just a smell. Soot has to be cleaned properly, and damaged materials may need to be removed, before any odor treatment. Don’t wipe soot with a wet rag; it can smear and stain. FL Cleanup handles fire and smoke damage restoration and can help you document the damage for your insurance claim.
Smoke From Outside: Brush Fires, a Neighbor’s Fire, or Grills
South Florida gets brush and wildfire smoke, and a fire at a neighbor’s home or unit can push smoke into yours. Outside smoke gets in through gaps, doors and the AC. Change the AC filter as soon as the smoke clears, and then again a week or two later. Wash fabrics that picked up the smell.
Candles, Incense and Fireplaces
Years of candles and incense leave a stale smoky smell and dark marks above where they burned, often on ceilings and around vents. Wash those surfaces and change the AC filter.
What You Can Do Yourself
- Change the AC filter right away, and again after cleaning.
- Wash hard surfaces top to bottom: ceilings, walls, cabinets, blinds, light fixtures, and inside closets.
- Wash or dry-clean fabrics: curtains, bedding, clothes, pillows and throws.
- Deep-clean carpet and upholstery, or replace them if the smell is heavy.
- Prime walls with an odor-blocking primer before repainting, if the smoke is in the walls.
Professional Smoke Odor Removal
When the smell has spread through the whole home and the AC, cleaning one room at a time usually isn’t enough. Our whole-home odor removal treatment treats the air throughout the entire home, including one AC system and an attached garage, to remove lingering smoke odor. You’ll be out for about 8 hours. It’s an odor treatment only. After a fire with soot or damaged materials, those have to be cleaned or removed first, and we’ll tell you honestly if that’s the case.
Not sure who to call or what it costs? See odor removal service: cost and who to call. For every other kind of household smell, see our smell-by-smell guide.
Whole-Home Odor Removal in South Florida: $997
Our Whole-Home Odor Removal Treatment is $997 and includes one AC system ($550 for each additional AC unit). You can buy and schedule it online, or call 877-224-2532. We answer 24/7; when you call, we’ll tell you honestly when a technician can be there based on that day’s schedule. Hablamos español.
About the author: James Rice-Peña is the owner of FL Cleanup and a Florida-licensed Mold Assessor (MRSA4035) and Mold Remediator (MRSR4158). He has worked in property restoration in South Florida since 2012, and FL Cleanup has earned 200+ five-star Google reviews.
