After a fire next door: smoke smell, health and first steps

Is the air safe to breathe?

Smoke from a house fire carries fine particles and gases from burned plastics, insulation and furnishings. Short exposure mostly causes coughing, sore eyes and headaches, but people with asthma, lung or heart conditions, babies, older adults and pregnant women are more sensitive.

Until the house is aired and cleaned, keep those family members out of the rooms that smell strongest, or have them stay elsewhere for a night or two. Anyone with chest pain, trouble breathing or a severe headache should get medical help.

Airing out the right way

Wait until the fire is fully out and the air outside no longer smells of smoke; opening windows earlier just lets more in. Then open windows on both sides of the house to get a cross-breeze, and run bathroom and kitchen exhaust fans.

Keep the furnace and central air off until you have changed the filter, because the system can spread residue from one room to every room. Portable air purifiers with a true HEPA filter help in bedrooms.

What to wash and what to leave

Some things are safe to clean yourself; others are better left until residue has been tested.

• Wash dishes, counters and anything that touches food
• Launder bedding and clothing that smell lightly of smoke, one load at a time
• Wipe hard toys and pet bowls with soap and water
• Do not scrub walls or ceilings with water; residue smears and sets
• Do not vacuum heavy soot with a household vacuum; it blows fine particles back out
• Throw away uncovered food that sat near open windows

Pets, kids and older relatives

Pets are close to the floor where residue settles and they groom it off their fur. Keep them out of the smokiest rooms and wipe their paws and coats if they have been in them.

Young children touch everything and put hands in mouths, so wipe their play areas and toys first. Older relatives may not notice smoke smell as easily, so check on them and their rooms.

When the smell means it needs cleaning

If the smell is gone after a day of airing out, the smoke probably passed through without leaving much behind. If it comes back on warm or humid days, sits in closets and fabrics, or is strongest when the furnace runs, residue has settled and will keep releasing odor until it is properly cleaned.

A gray film on window glass, dark marks around vents or a smell from the attic are other signs. At that point professional testing and cleaning are worth it, and the cost is usually covered by your own homeowners or renters policy; our service page on smoke damage from a neighbor's fire explains the cleanup and the claim.

Questions about smoke from a fire next door