Working on mistakes, or how to remove the smell of burning in an apartment or house after a burnt pan

Food burnt in a pan has an unpleasant, persistent and pungent odor.
If the food is severely burnt, then smoke and fumes quickly fill the entire apartment, literally eating into the surrounding objects. How to remove the smell of burning in an apartment or house after a burnt pan? To cope with the situation, you will have to use simple folk recipes or special household chemicals.

Why does the burning smell appear?

In a living space, after a large or local fire, a burning smell always appears. Being a mixture of soot, smoke and soot , it easily penetrates the porous structure of materials . Possessing high volatility and chemical activity, combustion products bind to the molecules of plaster and concrete, furniture, wall and floor coverings and fill them with a pungent and unpleasant odor, which can pose a hidden threat to household members.

Even after extinguishing the fire, it is extremely dangerous to be in the affected area.

Why is the pungent odor dangerous?

The thing is that combustion products contain up to 100 different chemicals . All of them, when inhaled, first enter the human respiratory tract, and then into his blood and spread throughout the body. As a result, intoxication occurs , which leads to a deterioration in well-being. The person begins to feel headaches, fatigue, vomiting and nausea. And this is only part of everything that can result from prolonged exposure to a burning smell on a person.

Therefore, in order to make it comfortable and safe to live in the apartment in the future, you need to carefully consider a plan for eliminating all traces of fire that contain harmful resins.

Symptoms of deviations

If you feel a foreign odor in your nose, you should consult a doctor.
Identify the root cause using laboratory instrumental studies and prescribe treatment. If this is not done, auxiliary signs will appear:

• discomfort in the nasal passages, expressed in pain, itching, burning, tingling;
• partial or complete loss of smell;
• headache, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, other symptoms of neurological disorders;
• nosebleeds;
• secretion of clear mucus, which becomes green or yellow and thick when attacked by a bacterial infection;
• loss of appetite, malaise, increased body temperature with the development of systemic pathologies;
• mood swings, apathy, indifference, depression, lethargy.

Since there are many causes, the signs can be integrated, depending on the diagnosis. All deviations develop only in pathologies; usually they do not form. A person should not smell cigarette smoke or other foreign odors unless the source is near him.

Often signs develop along with neurological abnormalities, but this is only detected with the help of diagnostic tests.

When the first signs appear, contact a therapist. Order general laboratory and instrumental studies to determine the cause. The patient is then referred to a specialist doctor. For example, neurologist, otolaryngologist, pulmonologist.

What determines the concentration of burning odor?

Before solving a problem, it is necessary to correctly assess its severity. To do this, the following factors should be taken into account:

• Volume of fire. In a large fire, a large amount of materials is burned, which means there will be more burning and smoke in the room;
• Room area. The concentration of smoke will directly depend on the size of the room. In small apartments its value will be maximum, which means the smell will be more persistent and pungent;
• Duration of the fire. The smell will be stronger if the living area has been exposed to smoke for a long time. In this case, all porous materials will be saturated with combustion products and it will be more difficult to remove the unpleasant aroma;
• Material of burnt objects. Any material leaves different odors after combustion. When organic substances are burned, carcinogens are released, which pose a real threat to human health and the environment;
• Temperature of combustion . If the fire occurred in a low temperature range, the result will be the fattest soot with a strong and persistent odor.

To completely eliminate the negative factor, it is necessary to carefully analyze the burned materials that caused the burning smell and only then select methods of influence.

Only complete removal of the source, which is soot, will permanently remove the smell of burning from the house.

First actions after a fire

It is necessary to take measures to eliminate the consequences of a fire in an apartment as early as possible. Otherwise, all combustion products will penetrate deeply into the structure of surfaces and objects and it will be more difficult to get rid of them.

In this regard, the first thing to do in such a situation is:

• Open all windows and doors in the apartment . By creating a draft in the room, only visible smoke can be removed. If the house has a supply and exhaust ventilation system or a duct or cassette type air conditioner, and it was not damaged as a result of a fire, then you can use it. To do this, you need to close the windows tightly and turn on the device so that it draws out all harmful fumes from the room;
• Throw away items that cannot be restored. Household items, textiles and other interior elements must immediately be taken out into the fresh air. This should be done as quickly as possible, since they are one of the sources of the acrid smell in the apartment. Items that have been damaged by fire and cannot be repaired should be thrown away, and the rest should be dry cleaned;
• Perform water procedures. Moisture absorbs unpleasant odors, so after the previous steps, you must begin water procedures. To do this, it is advisable to take several containers, fill them with water and place them around the apartment. You can also add a few drops of essential oil to the water to slightly neutralize the burning smell.

Important! When cleaning a house after a fire, it is not recommended to use air fresheners. When their aroma is mixed with smoke in the room, an even more unpleasant odor is formed.

Recommendations

Expert advice will help you avoid making common mistakes and cope with the task as efficiently as possible:

1. 
   After the main fumes have been eliminated, it is necessary to carry out general cleaning. This should be done without delaying until later, so that the unpleasant odor does not have time to be absorbed and settle on surfaces.

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2. Treatment should affect not only hard surfaces, but also textile elements - soft corners, curtains, etc.
3. It is not possible in all cases to completely restore a pan after it has burned. Charred utensils will never be the same again. If her condition is very bad, she may just have to throw the item away.

You will find useful tips and recommendations for eliminating burning smells in this section.

Traditional methods of eliminating burning smell

On the Internet you can find a considerable amount of advice on how to quickly get rid of the consequences of a fire using available means. However, most of them are effective only if there is a slight burning smell in the apartment . In more severe cases, traditional methods will be ineffective .

Therefore, if there was a small fire in the apartment and the exposure to smoke was short-lived, the following means are suitable to combat the fumes:

• Vinegar. To restore freshness to the room, you need to soak towels in a weak solution of vinegar and hang them in the apartment;
• Activated carbon. Despite the fact that this adsorbent will not add pleasant aromas, it can do an excellent job of neutralizing a slight burning odor. To do this, you need to take several coal tablets, crush them and place them on plates in places where they will not interfere with movement. For the smell to be completely absorbed into the coal, 3-4 days are usually enough, and the adsorbent needs to be changed every two days;
• Ammonia and starch. Starch with a few drops of ammonia absorbs unpleasant odors well. To eliminate them, you need to put the mixture on plates and place them in rooms;
• Soda and salt. By scattering these products in the corners of the room, you can eliminate the faint smell of burning;
• Coniferous branches and aromatic herbs. By laying them on the floor and window sills, you can simultaneously fill the house with pleasant aromas and thoroughly disinfect the atmosphere;
• Citruses. Citrus peels give good results in the fight against stench. They need to be cut and placed around the apartment. To enhance the effect, it is better to pre-dry the citrus peels a little in a frying pan;

• Coffee. Ground coffee does an excellent job of absorbing unpleasant odors. To do this, just put it in saucers and place it around the apartment. The results of the procedure can be felt within 2-3 hours.
• use spices to neutralize the faint burning smell . But for this method, you should choose only cloves or cinnamon , and provided that no one in their household is allergic to them.

Some tips for cleaning up burning and soot

Gasoline or alcohol will help remove traces of burning from the laminate.

• Dish soap and a lint-free cloth will help clean the windows. Afterwards, rinse the glass with clean water. Then wipe the glass with crumpled newspaper. This is how we get rid of divorces. The method is also suitable for mirrors.
• If fumes need to be removed from laminate or plastic, use gasoline or alcohol. Wet the sponge, squeeze it lightly, and wipe the affected areas. Then treat the floor with any degreaser.
• Unpolished wood can be easily cleaned of soot with fine river sand. This method is effective only for minor stains.
• You only need to clean with new rags - old ones that were in the apartment during the fire will not remove the smell.

If, after all the procedures performed, you have not achieved the desired result and there is an unpleasant “aroma” of burning in the room, do not rush to get upset and call specialists. The final result can be seen (or rather, felt) in a few weeks. During this time, do not forget to regularly ventilate the apartment.

General cleaning of the premises after a fire

After the first steps are completed, it is necessary to begin more thorough cleaning of the apartment. First you need to do dry cleaning .

To do this, you should completely clean the walls and ceilings from wallpaper and paintwork, remove soot from surfaces and in cracks with a vacuum cleaner. After dry cleaning, you can begin wet cleaning using special chemicals.

What should you not do?

Actions prohibited after a fire:

• 
  Do not start washing electrical appliances connected to the network;

• do not trample soot and soot into the covering on the floor;
• Do not touch clean surfaces with dirty hands - this will cause the smell to spread to new products;
• Do not use aggressive substances or products with a pungent odor for cleaning;
• You cannot clean with the windows closed; the room must be well ventilated.

Eliminating burning smell with special means

As already mentioned, in order to get rid of the burning smell forever, it is necessary to eliminate its source. To do this, you need to carry out high-quality cleaning of the apartment using chemicals. There are a huge number of similar products on the market. However, according to consumers, as evidenced by numerous positive reviews on forums, the following are considered the most effective:

• Odorgone. A powerful professional product that can effectively eliminate burning odors of any complexity. The advantage of this composition is that after processing it not only absorbs unpleasant odors, but also interacts with burnt areas at the molecular level. The Odorgon series of products quickly and permanently removes odors of burning, rot and smoke in the apartment, and can be used to neutralize odors in cars. The compositions can be sprayed, treated with hard-to-reach surfaces , or used as a universal remedy for solving most household problems;

• SmellOff. The water-based liquid preparation does not contain aggressive chemicals. It not only masks the smell after a fire, but also completely eliminates it. When working with chemicals, you must have a spray bottle or sponge on hand. With their help, the composition is applied to the surface to be treated and left to act for a day;
• SYNTILOR Fuoco . A high-quality product for removing soot, carbon deposits, soot and burning odors. It actively dissolves contaminants due to its special composition, which contains alkaline composites and special additives. The product is biodegradable and has absolutely no odor;
• Dufta. The series of products from this manufacturer includes a special product for removing burning odors. Many who have tried it note the high speed of exposure to the chemical composition. Literally a couple of hours after applying the product in the room, the smell either completely disappears or it becomes less pungent. If the smell was not completely removed the first time, the procedure must be repeated. The drug is safe for humans because it mainly consists of enzymes, which act as odor absorbers after a fire;
• Spartan Airlift Smoke . Detergent with excellent characteristics, which is excellent in combating various odors. It contains a solvent and potent substances that suppress the smell of smoke. The drug acts on the surfaces being treated at the molecular level, is economically consumed and can be used in diluted form .

Air fresheners

Fragrances and fresheners are one of the effective ways to remove fumes after a fire. Industrially produced formulations or homemade products effectively eliminate stench. Proven folk methods of combating smoke are:

• baking soda, salt;
• freshly cut pine needles;
• Activated carbon;
• roasted coffee beans.

A strong stench, after intense smoke, requires the use of special-purpose industrial compounds. Modern powder or granular deodorants effectively absorb harmful suspended matter in the room. This method of air purification requires compliance with certain conditions. It is necessary to ensure good circulation of flows in all rooms, maintaining the required level of humidity and temperature. You can spray regular air fresheners in all rooms.

Combating burning smell using equipment

Some people mistakenly believe that if after a fire everything is quickly and thoroughly ventilated, washed and treated with various means, this will help get rid of the burning smell forever. Alas! Such methods do not always work, and sometimes in order to remove deeply settled soot particles, you have to resort to much more serious cleaning methods using special equipment and instruments. Cleaning companies have many effective cleaning methods in their arsenal, but you can do some of them yourself. Moreover, such companies often rent out some of such equipment.

Ozonizer to combat burning smell

The procedure for ozonizing a room after a fire is one of the most effective. Using an ozonizer, you can clean, disinfect your apartment, and deodorize the air .

The ozone released during operation of the device has an antibacterial effect and eliminates toxic and chemical combustion products.

During processing, ozone penetrates deep into materials that have been damaged by fire, including hard-to-reach places. The duration of cleaning a living space with professional equipment will depend on the extent of the damage caused, the size of the room and the performance of the ozonizer. It takes about 3-10 hours to treat an apartment that is saturated with a burning smell .

The advantages of cleaning an apartment using an ozonizer include:

• complete disintegration of unpleasant odor molecules after treatment;
• the process is carried out naturally and without the use of chemicals ;
• gas penetrates into all places and cleans even the most inaccessible areas;
• after ozonation, the room does not need to be cleaned ;
• Furniture and interior items do not deteriorate under the influence of ozone .

Since there are no ozone-resistant microorganisms in nature, this method of air treatment will be the most effective for most rooms.

In addition, the cost of the ozonizer itself is much cheaper than paying for services for treating the premises with chemicals. At the same time, the efficiency of ozonation is many times higher .

Dry fog generators for odor elimination

Unlike all kinds of aerosols and fragrances, which can only temporarily mask the smell of burning, dry fog generators can completely remove it from the apartment . The procedure using such equipment is safe , since the components do not harm the health of humans and animals if precautions are strictly followed. The generated dry mist penetrates into any corner of the room and removes the acrid aroma of smoke and burning. In addition, such a device will rid the room of fungus and mold, eliminate unpleasant odors from pets, and also help rid the home of insects and various viruses and bacteria.

By choosing such a device for treating an apartment, you can get advantages in the form of:

• uniform treatment of fire-damaged surfaces;
• high cleaning speed and ease of use of the design;
• complete process safety;
• mobility and availability of equipment.

But the most important thing is that after exposing the room to dry fog, all odors will be eliminated without a trace.

The fact is that fog crystals replace particles of burning and soot . The substances used in the process are absolutely harmless and do not cause allergic reactions. Therefore, the dry fog treatment procedure can be carried out even in children's rooms.