How to get rid of smoke odour in a home
Short answer: To get rid of smoke odour, you have to remove the residue, not cover it up. Air the home out, wash hard surfaces, and clean or replace soft materials such as carpets, drapes and filters. Then neutralize the odour left in porous materials, for example with professional ozone treatment while the home is empty. Air fresheners only mask the smell.
Why smoke odour lingers
Cigarette, cannabis, wood and wildfire smoke leave a fine, sticky residue of particles and odour compounds. It settles on walls, ceilings, inside ductwork and deep in porous materials such as carpet, upholstery, insulation and drywall paper. As long as that residue stays, the smell keeps coming back, especially on warm or humid days.
What you can do yourself
- Ventilate: open windows and run exhaust fans when the outdoor air is clean. During wildfire smoke events, keep the windows closed and run HEPA air cleaners instead.
- Replace furnace and HVAC filters.
- Wash walls, ceilings, cabinets and hard floors with a suitable cleaner, working top to bottom.
- Launder or professionally clean fabrics, and steam-clean carpets.
- Throw away items that cannot be cleaned and still smell.
When to call a professional
If the smell comes back after cleaning, the residue is in materials you cannot easily reach, such as drywall, subfloors, insulation or ductwork. Medallion removes the source and then uses ozone treatment while no people or pets are inside. Before anyone goes back in, we vent the home until ozone is below 0.03 ppm. See odour abatement and how ozone treatment works safely.
Frequently asked questions
Do air fresheners or candles remove smoke smell?
No. They mask the smell for a while. The odour returns until the residue is removed.
Can wildfire smoke odour be removed?
Yes. The same steps apply: clean the residue, replace filters, and treat any odour that remains.
Is painting over smoke-stained walls enough?
Not on its own. Walls should be cleaned first, and a stain- and odour-blocking primer may be needed. Paint alone often lets the odour bleed through.
Need help? We serve the Lower Mainland, Fraser Valley and beyond. Call 604-619-6655.