Can you detox a house?

[ZippyGirl]

I am looking for a rental house to move my family into while our house is being renovated. We found a great house today, but the smell of chemical cleaners knocked me out and make my throat, nose, and eyes burn. It smelled like Swiffer floor cleaner and Windex.

My question is: Can residue from these chemicals be removed from the house? Or have the chemicals soaked into the wood floors, wood countertops, and walls? If so, what would you use to remove these chemicals? Also, should I put VOC filters throughout the house?

I am chemical sensitive, so any advice anyone could offer on eliminating chemicals in the house would be great!

Thanks!

[Ruthla]

I don't think those chemicals linger more than a few days, with the most intense smells being a few hours after use. The house was probably "freshly cleaned" before being shown.

The first thing you do when you get the house is to open all the windows and let the place air out for a couple of days. While it's airing out, re-wash everything with all natural cleaners, to "wash off" the chemical ones. I would use paper towels for this, so you don't risk chemical resiues on all your cleaning rags.

I'm not familiar with VOC filters, but any kind of filter or air purifier is probably a good idea.

[SleeplessMommy]

Put on the bathroom vent fan and crack a window open in the opposite side of the house. Leave it on for a week or more.

[ChristyMarie]

Ditto.

It only lingers for a few hours in a closed house. Just open all the windows, clean away with whatever you use and it will be fine. You can put a fan blowing OUT a window on one side and a fan blowing IN on the other and that will speed up the airing out process.

[BelovedK]

What about those ozone air cleaners, they are not filters, but they get rid of the chemical residues. I have a friend who used to have Alpines, they also worked in my old salon to get rid of color and perm odor.

Not sure though. You could maybe run them on high, and then have someone else turn them off and remove them and just use fans and ventilation.

I hate chemical smells.

[BelovedK]

I want to say, they are kind of expensive, maybe you know someone who has one to let you borrow, or the reps will lend one out in trying to sell them

[Drummer's Wife]

I would just air it out for a few hours/days until the fumes are gone. They won't linger forever. When we had cleaning ladies use strong chemicals, I about gagged when we came home, but the smell dissapated after a few hours of tons of open windows, ceiling and bathroom fans on.