Smoke odor removal and smoke damage repair: $200 to $1,200

National figures for cleaning smoke and soot. Odor treatment, painting and contents are priced below.

Is smoke damage an emergency?

Smoke damage is urgent when the fire also left water behind or when oily residue sits on metal: HomeServe says wet smoke residue can corrode metal, and water from firefighting is a drying job of its own (see water damage restoration). Otherwise it is a job to book within days, after you photograph everything and call your insurer.

• Do not reset tripped breakers after a fire; the Red Cross says they may mean damaged wiring.
• Throw out exposed food and medicine once it is on your insurance inventory (Red Cross).
• Stay out during ozone treatment. The EPA says ozone can damage the lungs.

How much does smoke damage cleanup cost

Smoke damage cleanup costs $200 to $1,200 per room in HomeAdvisor's June 2026 data, and HomeAdvisor's smoke guide puts a whole job at $4,000 on average, from $250 to $10,000 or more. HomeGuide's December 2025 guide gives $500 to $5,000 for smoke and soot removal. HomeAdvisor says the total can include water damage work, soot removal, damaged item removal, duct cleaning, furniture deodorizing, thermal fogging and ozone treatment.

HomeAdvisor says smoke removal takes several days for many jobs, and a week or more in severe cases. If the fire was large enough to need firefighting water or structural repairs, the job is priced as fire damage restoration instead.

Soot removal: dry, wet and protein smoke

Soot removal cost depends on the type of residue; dry soot costs less to clean than oily soot, HomeAdvisor says, and LawnStarter prices dry soot at $400 to $700 against $1,000 or more for oily soot. HomeServe describes three kinds:

HomeServe, Oct 2024.

For loose soot, CIRES researchers at the University of Colorado, citing the EPA, recommend a vacuum with a HEPA filter and say to avoid typical household vacuums. Wet smoke residue, which HomeServe says can corrode metal, is a job for a crew.

Smoke smell removal: ozone, thermal fogging and hydroxyl

Restoration companies remove smoke odor with ozone treatments, thermal fogging, hydroxyl generators and deodorizing of furniture and fabrics, and HomeAdvisor's smoke guide says pros seal HVAC ducts to stop soot spreading. The odor treatments cost:

No cost guide that we could check publishes a hydroxyl treatment price.

Ozone treatment: what the EPA says

Ozone is a lung irritant, and the EPA says it should only be used where no person or pet can be exposed. The EPA's ozone generator page says that when inhaled, ozone can damage the lungs; that at levels that do not exceed public health standards it is not effective at removing many odor chemicals; and that it does not remove particles. It notes that high concentrations are sometimes used to treat unoccupied buildings after fires, and that ozone can damage plants, rubber, fabrics and artwork. If a company proposes ozone, ask how long everyone, including pets, must stay out, and how they will air the house before you return.

Hydroxyl generators

Hydroxyl generators are sold as an odor treatment that can run while people are in the building, but the evidence is mixed. A 2019 R&R Magazine trade article said they are safe in occupied spaces when used to the manufacturer's guidelines, though several claims in it came from companies that sell them. CIRES researchers say hydroxyl radicals would likely be used up very quickly indoors and are highly unlikely to reach odor chemicals on surfaces. They recommend HEPA filtration for particles and activated carbon filters for odors in occupied homes.

Sealing and painting

Painting over smoke residue needs a sealer first. Bob Vila recommends a solvent-based, stain-blocking primer to lock in smoke particles, and puts interior painting at $966 to $3,046. Ask whether the quote cleans the surfaces before it seals them.

What to do yourself, and what to leave

• Throw out exposed food and medicine. The Red Cross says to throw away food, beverages and medicine exposed to heat, smoke or soot.
• Photograph first. Do not discard damaged items until they are on your insurance inventory, the Red Cross says.
• Use a HEPA vacuum on loose soot (CIRES, citing the EPA), and skip the household vacuum.
• Ventilate in dry weather. The Red Cross suggests opening windows and doors to air the house when the weather is dry.
• Leave the ducts to a pro. HomeAdvisor lists duct cleaning at $250 to $500 after a fire; see duct cleaning and, if the system was damaged, HVAC repair.
• Do not reset tripped breakers. The Red Cross says they may mean damaged wiring; call an electrician. See electrical repair.

Does homeowners insurance cover smoke damage

Often, when the smoke came from a covered event. HomeAdvisor says many homeowners policies cover smoke remediation for covered events, minus your deductible. HomeServe warns that some policies exclude smoke and soot damage, so check yours. Photograph the damage, keep receipts, and call your insurer before work starts. Do not sign an assignment of benefits or any contract that hands your claim to the contractor; Florida voids them on policies issued on or after January 1, 2023.

Smoke damage restoration near me: what to ask

• Who cleans the contents? Ask whether clothing, furniture and fabrics are cleaned, deodorized or listed for replacement.
• Will you clean before you seal? Ask what gets cleaned, what gets primed, and what gets replaced.
• Which odor treatment, and is the house empty during it? Get the occupancy instructions in writing if ozone is used.
• Are the ducts in the price? HomeAdvisor lists duct cleaning at $250 to $500 as a separate line.
• License and insurance: ask for the license number and proof of insurance, and check them yourself.
• What do I owe if the claim is denied? Get the answer in writing before you sign.

Smoke after a fire often comes with water from the hoses; water damage restoration covers drying, and mold remediation covers mold that follows a slow dry-out. Not sure which line to call? See who to call. Other trades are on home repair costs. Calls go to an independent company that serves your area and takes this kind of job. How calls work.

Smoke odor removal: how to get smoke smell out of a house

Smoke odor removal costs $200 to $1,000 for a professional treatment in Bob Vila's guide, and HomeAdvisor's smoke guide puts a whole smoke remediation job at $4,000 on average, from $250 to $10,000 or more. The smell lives in soot on surfaces and in fabrics, so the order that works is clean first, then treat the air, then seal.

1. Get the soot out first. CIRES researchers, citing the EPA, recommend a HEPA vacuum on loose soot and say household vacuums spread it. Odor treatments over soot do not last.
2. Air the house in dry weather. The Red Cross says to open windows and doors when the weather is dry.
3. Wash or discard fabrics. HomeAdvisor prices furniture deodorizing at $200 to $1,000 and HomeGuide at $300 to $1,000; ask which pieces are cleaned and which are listed for replacement.
4. Clean the ducts. HomeAdvisor lists $250 to $500 after a fire; HomeGuide $300 to $1,000. Smoke in the HVAC comes back every time the fan runs.
5. Treat the air with the house empty. Ozone runs $400 to $800 (HomeAdvisor) or $235 to $465 (LawnStarter) and thermal fogging $200 to $600; the EPA says ozone can damage the lungs and must only run where no person or pet is exposed.
6. Seal, then paint. Bob Vila recommends a solvent-based stain-blocking primer over cleaned surfaces and prices interior painting at $966 to $3,046.
7. For an occupied house: CIRES recommends HEPA filtration for particles and activated carbon filters for the odor chemicals rather than ozone.

Smoke smell removal after a kitchen fire is usually the small end of this, $200 to $1,200 per room in HomeAdvisor's figures; a house that burned needs the openings secured first, which is on emergency board-up.