Many people love grilling, and the smell of a charcoal grill can bring upon a happy summer memory of loved ones. However, one issue that always comes up after such an event is the pungent smell hanging around in the house.
You will want to remove it immediately. Some homeowners begin by opening all windows. But there are many other ways you can use to get rid of bbq smell from the house.
You can eliminate the barbecue smell from your house using an air purifier. The device continuously purifies your home and destroys all VOCs produced from the grilling. Alternatively, you can place activated charcoal or baking soda in the corner of the house to absorb the pungent BBQ smell.
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How long does bbq smell last indoors?
Barbecue smell can linger in the air for at least three hours after you have finished grilling, even with the windows open. The smoke will easily spread from the kitchen to the rest of the house, where people will inhale it.
But if the smell sticks on furniture, clothing, and walls, it may take at least two days to get rid of it with a window open. You can accelerate the process to within hours by using an ozone generator or air purifier.
Are bbq fumes dangerous?
You may be exposing yourself to toxic fumes when you breathe in the smoky emissions from a barbecue or absorb them through your skin. That is according to Medical News Today.
A closed grill hood produces hotter temperatures and creates volatile organic compounds that stick to the food or rise into the air. An open hood dissipates the smoke fast and produces fewer VOCs.
Breathing VOCs can cause several health ailments, including asthma, liver toxicity, cancers, allergies, and respiratory irritation. Grilling also produces polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which a person can inhale or absorb through the skin. Prolonged exposure can lead to blood and liver abnormalities and some cancers.
Another compound produced during grilling is carbon monoxide. Inhaling carbon monoxide can reduce the amount of oxygen in the blood, cause headaches, and impact the proper functioning of the heart, brain, and other organs.
Top 4 ways of getting rid of BBQ smell in the house
You can eliminate the BBQ smell from your home by using the following methods:
1. Use an air purifier
An air purifier works by cleaning indoor air. It uses filters and advanced air cleaning technologies to eliminate odors.
It can also remove other pollutants like dust, toxins, bacteria, and allergens to ensure the air is healthier to breathe. You can use an air purifier to get rid of the BBQ smell from your home through these steps:
- Close the room entirely by shutting the doors and windows
- Place the air purifier in a room most affected by the BBQ smell
- Switch the air purifier on to start cleaning the air
On average, an air purifier can take 30 minutes to two hours to purify indoor air. You will notice a difference in air quality after 20 minutes.
2. By using an ozone generator
An ozone generator is a device that produces ozone gas. When the gas is released into an area containing air or water, it will kill microorganisms and remove odors.
Here is how you can use an ozone generator to eliminate the BBQ smell from your home:
- Clear the room of any living thing, including kids and pets
- Seal all the gaps in your room. That includes vents, windows, and doors to ensure the ozone does not escape the house
- Set a timer on the machine
- Power on the ozone generator
- Run the ozone generator for not more than 12 hours
- After the timer elapses, open all the gaps, windows, and doors
Avoid getting into the room immediately after using an ozone generator. Give yourself at least three hours for the ozone to clear out before going into the house.
Since ozone gas is dangerous, use an indoor air quality monitor to confirm that the gas is no longer indoors before you use the room. If there are still a trace, you should remove it completely.
3. Using activated charcoal to remove bbq smells
You can also get the smoke out of your house after grilling by using activated charcoal. Activated charcoal is chemically treated charcoal that contains more oxygen.
Neutralizing BBQ odors with activated charcoal is as simple as setting the charcoal bags in the areas where you notice the smell. It will take at least one hour to get the difference in smell after treating your house with activated charcoal.
We recommend using Moso Natural activated charcoal for this purpose.
4. How to get rid of BBQ smell using baking soda
Baking soda eliminates odors by absorbing them. The best way of using it is to sprinkle some amounts over surfaces with the barbecue smell. These include furniture, floors, and carpets.
Alternatively, place a bowl of baking soda powder in the corner of the house affected by the smell. Leave it for some time to eliminate the odor. It should take at least two hours to notice a change in indoor air quality.
Most baking soda brands will work well. However, pure baking soda that is designed for cleaning, such as the Arm & Hammer pure baking soda, will definitely give better results.
How to remove BBQ smell from your hair
Although the BBQ smell will linger in your house, it will also accumulate in your hair. Here is how to remove bbq smell from your hair:
- Wash your hair using citrus and water.
- Make a hair mist using baking soda to absorb the odor.
- Use a hairdryer to get rid of the smoke smell.
Perhaps the fastest way of removing the BBQ smell from your hair is to use regular shampoo.
How to remove barbeque smell from your clothes
You can get rid of bbq smell from clothes by doing the following:
- Sprinkle your clothes with baking soda, leave it overnight, and then shake out and wash in a machine.
- Wash your BBQ-scented clothes separately from the rest.
If you cannot wash, leave the clothes hanging out in the fresh air for some hours.
Get rid of the barbecue smell from your house, hair, and clothes
If you want to eliminate the BBQ smell from your house, you can start by opening the windows. Other methods include using vinegar, ozone generator, air purifier, or baking soda.
Typically, it can take at least three hours to remove the BBQ smell indoors with one window open. But the process may take days if the smell sticks on walls, carpets, or furniture.
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