Does anyone know a good product/technique for cleaning soot/smoke from painted walls (otherwise undamaged) after a fire? The walls will be repainted, they just need to get them really clean so they can prime/paint.
I’ve been asked this question today and I have no clue since I don’t do fire rehabs. Apparently using “normal” cleaners doesn’t work well and scrubbing drives the soot into the paint pores. Or so this person says.
Now I’m really curious.
DG/Builder
Replies
trisodium phosphate, TSP.
Some 'normal' cleaners used to have TSP in them, but that was discontinued tweenty some years ago.
Buy the real TSP, with trisodium phosphate.
It not only has cleasing action, it microscopicly eteches the surface to make for a good bond to paint.
There is bno better way to clean up a house lived in by smokers
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Can you still buy real TSP? Where? I looked for it a short while ago and everybody sells "phosphate free TSP". In other words, not TSP.
DG/Builder
Last time I bought was at a Shewin Williams paint store
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Funny you should mention Sherwin Williams. That's the first place I looked last time I needed TSP. The only thing they had was something called TSP-PF (phosphate free) by Savogran. I bought some.
The active ingredient is sodium meta-silicate. Said on the label that it had "equivalent" cleaning power to TSP for use where phosphates are prohibited. Equivalent my arse!! It cleaned about the same as Krud Kutter, etc. No etching at all (I was cleaning a garage floor). It was pretty cheap though.
Any non-TSP ideas for soot, anybody?
DG/Builder
Just got an email from a friend who heard from a cousin twice removed about something they use at fire/crime scenes called Winsol Cleansall.
Googled it and they say it's good for soot. Anybody ever use it?
DG/Builder
That is regional. Some areas have banned phosphates because of water polution.But it is available in others.
some walls can actually be cleaned by using a "dry spounge".
get one at at janitorial supply house.
won't work for real heavy smoke but does a good job on lite smoke.
TSP... rise well... do it again...
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