Soot is a black powdery carbon residue that remains on the surface when organic matter is not completely burned. Sources of soot formation include candles, flames, matches, and other combustible materials. Soot stains on walls are unsightly and difficult to remove, but that doesn't mean they're impossible. You only need some basic cleaning tools and a special sponge.
Step
Part 1 of 3: Taking Security Measures
Step 1. Open the window
If inhaled too much, soot can irritate the lungs and cause lung disease. So it's important to open a window before you start working. Open windows allow fresh air into the room thereby reducing the amount of soot you inhale.
Open windows also help circulate air in the room and allow soot particles to be carried out instead of settling on carpets or furniture
Step 2. Turn on the fan and open the ventilation system
It is also important to have a ventilation system in place when you are working to remove soot as it will ensure a constant supply of fresh air and air circulation throughout the room. Turn on hanging fans, install floor fans, and turn on ventilation systems or fans in locations such as laundry rooms, bathrooms, and kitchens.
Step 3. Wear personal protective equipment
To protect your eyes, skin and lungs from soot particles while working to remove soot, you should wear a variety of personal protective equipment. The protective equipment you should wear includes:
- Protective glasses
- Rubber or latex gloves
- Mask or respirator
- Long sleeve shirt
- Thick apron
Step 4. Clear the room
As you work to remove soot from the walls, the particles will float in the air and settle on the furniture, decor, and everything else in the room. To protect personal belongings, remove anything that can be moved from the room. This will also reduce piles of stuff and make it easier for you to move around and clean. Take out things like:
- furniture
- Carpets and rugs
- Paintings and photos
- Plant
- Curtain
- personal items
Step 5. Cover the floor
Once items are removed from the room, cover the entire floor with a plastic sheet, tarpaulin, or newspaper. The soot will float in the air. So cover the entire floor, not just the area near where you are working. Arrange the floor covering so that it covers the siding as well and use tape to hold it in place.
If there are still items in the room, such as furniture that is too large to move, cover them with protective cloth as well
Part 2 of 3: Cleaning Soot
Step 1. Use a dry cleaning sponge
The soot sponge is specially designed to absorb residue making it perfect for removing soot. Soot easily smears the surface. So, using a conventional sponge runs the risk of pushing soot into the walls and causing permanent stains.
- Soot sponges are also called chemical sponges, but they don't contain any chemicals. This sponge is made of vulcanized rubber.
- You can buy soot sponges at building materials stores, home improvement stores, shops selling cleaning supplies, and online stores.
Step 2. Wipe down the walls with a downward sweep of the sponge and overlap
Start cleaning the soot stain from the top left edge. Press the sponge firmly against the wall and pull it down vertically. Then, back up. Move to the side, placing the sponge on top of the first stroke by about 2.5-5 cm, then pull the sponge down again.
- Repeat these steps until you reach the stain on the lower right corner and have wiped the entire surface.
- The key to removing soot is wiping it off, not scrubbing it, as scrubbing can transfer the soot to other places and cause the stain to spread.
Step 3. If necessary, use a clean sponge surface every time you wipe
After wiping one section, check the condition of the surface of the sponge to see how much soot has accumulated. If the surface of the sponge starts to become clogged and becomes filled with soot, turn the sponge over and use the clean side. Repeat with all four sides of the sponge until the entire surface of the sponge is covered with soot.
Do not rinse the sponge with water to remove soot as this will render the sponge unusable
Step 4. Cut off the surface of the sponge that is clogged with soot
Place the sponge on a flat surface. Hold the sponge with one hand to keep it from sliding, and use a cutting knife or razor to cut off the dirty outer layer of the sponge. Turn the sponge over and repeat the same procedure until you have removed all the clogged surfaces of the sponge.
Once you have a clean sponge again, you can use it again to remove the soot
Step 5. Continue your work until the entire wall surface is clean
Repeat the process of wiping the walls in an overlapping vertical downward motion until there is no more soot for the sponge to lift. Once you've successfully removed the soot that the sponge can absorb, you can remove any remaining stains with a regular sponge and an oil cleaner.
Part 3 of 3: Cleaning Wall Stain Residue
Step 1. Make a cleaning solution that can handle oil or degreaser
Once the soot has been removed from the walls, you can treat any residual stains with a degreaser, such as denatured alcohol, lye soap, ammonia-based cleaner, tyrosdium phosphate, dish soap, or citrus cleaner. Mix the homemade cleaning solution in a bucket:
- To make a cleaning solution with lye soap, mix 3 tablespoons of lye soap with 2 liters of water.
- To make a cleaning solution with trisodium phosphate, mix cup of trisodium phosphate with 2 liters of water.
- To make a cleaning solution with dish soap, mix 2 tablespoons of dish soap with 2 liters of water.
Step 2. Clean the walls with an oil-dissolving cleaning solution
Soak the sponge in the cleaning solution and wring it out. Wipe the walls with a damp sponge to remove soot residue. If the sponge is dirty, rinse it with the cleaning solution and then wring it out before continuing with your work.
Since most of the soot has been removed and you only need to remove the residue, there is no need to use special techniques to clean the walls
Step 3. Rinse the wall with water
After you have finished cleaning the walls with the degreaser solution, discard the cleaning solution and rinse the bucket. Then, fill the bucket with clean water. Rinse the sponge or take a new one, dampen the sponge and then use it to wipe any excess cleaner and soot off the walls.
Step 4. Dry the wall
After the wall surface is clean, use a towel or rag to dry it. You may need several towels, depending on how large the area of the wall you are cleaning. Once most of the water has been absorbed by the towel, allow the wall to dry on its own for a few hours.
Step 5. Remove the floor covering
Once the walls are clean and dry, you can remove the floor covering sheet. Peel off the tape that's stuck to the wall or siding at a 45-degree angle. Starting at the edges, fold the floor covering up or down the center to prevent soot from escaping.
- Discard newspapers and plastic sheeting to avoid spreading soot everywhere.
- If you are using a tarpaulin cover, take the roll of tarpaulin outside and beat it to remove the soot that has stuck to it before washing it off.
Step 6. Clean the whole room with a vacuum cleaner
If soot particles have managed to settle on the surfaces of objects in the room, use a vacuum cleaner to clean the floors, carpet, siding, and furniture that remained in the room while you were cleaning the walls. Use a long nozzle for this purpose.
- When using a vacuum cleaner, try not to press the nozzle against the surface of the object being cleaned, as this can push the soot particles deeper. Instead, hold the nozzle about 2.5 cm from the surface being cleaned.
- Once the walls and floors are clean, you can put carpets, rugs, furniture, decorations, and personal items back in their original place.
