Dealing with Smoke Residue
cigarette in ashtray
Smoking indoors at any public place, whether it be in the office or at a restaurant, has been banned in Toronto for several years now. The ban was put into place to protect the health of the general public, but form a Professional Janitorial Company’s point of view, other more practical benefits exist.
What makes cigarettes so addictive is their composition. Smoking releases ingredients into the air, including tars, resins and nicotine. These particles float around for a bit then settle on surfaces around teh room, like the windows, furniture and even ceilings. Accumulation of particles creates a film that becomes a disgusting yellow, thickening with further smoke. It also attracts other airborne pollutants, offering them a sticky surface to easily adhere.
The janitors at Original Cleaning are far too familiar with smoke residue. While the ban has significantly reduced the number of establishments that require this type of cleaning, there are still some places that require smoke residue clean up.
Cleaning Smoke Residue
Smoke gets everywhere and to maintain a clean environment with better air quality, residue from cigarette smoke must be removed. Air cleaning equipment definitely can help, such as odour neutralizers and carbon filters, but they can be expensive to install and maintain. On top of that, residue will still form on surfaces and must be tended to.
For surfaces that are smooth and non-porous, like tables and glossy walls, a solution of warm water, white vinegar and a few drops of dish soap will help. Wipe with a clean rag and dry with another. This can also help with windows.
Porour surfaces, like upholstery, drapes, and other fabrics should be vacuumed thoroughly, then cleaned following the most suitable method (dry cleaned or we tcleaned with appropriate cleanser).
Acoustic ceiling tiles that are heavily soiled cannot be cleaned sufficiently and must be replaced, therefore they should be tended to on a regular basis.
Removing the smoke residue is a time consuming task that is also expensive. If you can’t kick the habit, it’s better for indoor air quality, hygiene and interior furnishings to smoke outside.
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