Available 24/7, on site in 2 to 4 hours
Soot Removal Memphis, TN
Black film on the ceiling, dark lines along the walls or gray streaks over the vents? We remove soot from every surface without smearing it in.
- Serving Memphis since 1989
- IICRC certified technicians
- Candle soot and puff-backs too
What soot is
Soot Is Fine Particles, Not Just Dirt
Soot is the black carbon a fire, candle flame or dirty burner leaves behind. The particles are small enough to stay in the air, slip into cracks and, according to the EPA, get deep into the lungs.
We take soot off the building with HEPA vacuums, dry soot sponges and cleaners matched to the residue, with air scrubbers running the whole time. It is one part of smoke damage restoration, and it is work our Memphis team has done since 1989.
- Fine
- The smallest soot particles fall in the range the EPA calls PM2.5: 2.5 micrometers and smaller.
- Acidic
- Soot keeps reacting with paint, metal and grout after the flame is out.
- Sticky or dusty
- Dry soot smears under a damp cloth. Oily soot smears under anything.
Quick check
Black Marks on the Wall: Soot, Mold or Something Else?
Three questions, no touching needed. Answer them from where you stand.
Question 1
Was there a fire or furnace puff-back, or do you burn candles, a fireplace or gas logs?
Question 2
Are the marks in straight lines: along the ceiling, at carpet edges, around doors or above vents?
Question 3
Are the spots fuzzy or blotchy, in a damp area, with a musty smell?
Most likely: soot from the event
Soot from a fire or puff-back spreads in patches and films, heaviest near the source and up high. Do not wipe it. Call us at (901) 459-6610.
Most likely: soot ghosting
Lines like these usually come from candles or a burner that is not burning clean. The next section explains why they follow your framing.
Most likely: mold
Fuzzy spots in a damp, musty area point to moisture, not smoke. See our mold remediation service.
Most likely: dirt or an old stain
No flame, no damp, no lines: it may be dust, scuffs or an old water mark. If a stain is growing or brown at the edges, look for a leak above it.
A guide, not a diagnosis. We confirm on site.
No fire needed
Soot Ghosting in Memphis Homes: Dark Lines Without a Fire
Some homes get soot with no fire at all. It shows up slowly, as gray or black lines that look almost drawn on. That is called ghosting.
Why the Lines Follow Your Framing
Warm air carries the soot around the room. It sticks where a surface is slightly cooler, like the drywall over a joist or stud, or where air is pulled through a gap, like under a baseboard or around an outlet. The soot draws the frame of the house on your walls.
- Straight lines on the ceiling, over the joists
- Dark strips on carpet edges along the walls
- Shadows around outlets, switches and door frames
- Gray fans above heating and AC vents
- Outlines where pictures hung
Common Causes Inside the House
- 1
Candles
Jar and scented candles burn with a flickering, sooty flame, especially in a draft. A few each night adds up over months.
- 2
A furnace or water heater burning dirty
A gas burner that needs service can put out soot through the vents. Turn it off and call MLGW or an HVAC technician: a dirty flame can also mean carbon monoxide.
- 3
Fireplaces and gas logs
A damper left partly closed, or gas logs set wrong, sends a little soot into the room every time.
Fix the cause first, or the lines come back. Then we clean the soot off the walls, ceilings and trim.
Surface by surface
How We Take Soot Off Paint, Brick, Wood and Metal
The same soot needs a different method on paint, brick, wood and metal. The wrong one can smear it in or damage the surface.
Painted Walls and Flat Ceilings
Our method
HEPA vacuum first, then dry soot sponges in one direction. Any film left after that gets a cleaner matched to the paint and the residue.
Watch for
Flat paint marks easily. If a stain stays after cleaning, your painter seals it before repainting.
Textured and Popcorn Ceilings
Our method
No scrubbing. Light passes with a HEPA vacuum and dry sponges lift soot without knocking the texture loose.
Watch for
Textured ceilings in older homes can contain asbestos. If yours went up before the 1980s, have it tested before any ceiling work.
Brick and Stone Fireplaces
Our method
Loose soot is vacuumed out of the pores first. Then a cleaner made for masonry, worked in and rinsed.
Watch for
Brick is porous. Old soot above the firebox may lighten a lot but not always disappear.
Wood Cabinets and Trim
Our method
Dry sponge, then a cleaner safe for the finish. Oily soot from kitchen fires gets a degreasing clean.
Watch for
Inside the cabinets and drawers get cleaned too, since smoke pushes in through the gaps.
Metal Fixtures, Tile and Grout
Our method
Faucets, hinges and hardware are cleaned early, since acidic soot can pit them. Tile is washed, and grout lines get extra attention.
Watch for
Grout soaks soot up. Light gray may stay in old grout lines.
Cost
Soot Removal Cost in Memphis: Dry Soot vs Oily Soot
The kind of soot moves the price as much as the size of the job. This is a typical national range, not our price.
Soot cleanup for a home
Often $2,000 to $6,000
Before any stain removal or repairs. Some guides also count duct cleaning and deodorizing in that number, and we do not clean ducts.
HomeAdvisor (2025) and Angi cost guides
Dry soot
Toward the low end
Powdery soot from hot, fast fires and candles. It lifts with vacuums and dry sponges, so it is the quicker job.
Oily soot
Toward the high end
Sticky soot from plastics, rubber and furnace puff-backs. It smears and needs more cleaning passes.
Your real number depends on the rooms, the surfaces and the soot type, and is confirmed in your free quote.
Why choose us
What You Get From Our Memphis Soot Crew
Soot looks like it should wipe right off. Here is the difference between a quick wipe-down and soot removal done in order.
A quick wipe-down
Our soot crew
Tools
A quick wipe-down: A wet rag and a household cleaner
Our soot crew: HEPA vacuums and dry soot sponges first, then cleaners matched to the residue
The air
A quick wipe-down: Fine soot gets stirred up and lands again
Our soot crew: Air scrubbers run the whole time we work
Order
A quick wipe-down: Whatever looks dirtiest gets done first
Our soot crew: Top to bottom, dry methods before anything wet
Hidden spots
A quick wipe-down: Cabinet insides and fixtures get missed
Our soot crew: Inside cabinets, closets and light fixtures too
Safety
A quick wipe-down: Old ceilings and burners go unchecked
Our soot crew: We flag textured ceilings for an asbestos test and a dirty burner for MLGW or an HVAC tech
When it is done
A quick wipe-down: Gray streaks under the new paint
Our soot crew: We tell you and your painter what still needs to be sealed
- Serving Memphis since 1989
- IICRC certified technicians
- On site in 2 to 4 hours, 24/7
- Free quotes
- We bill your insurer once you have a claim number
Service area
Soot Removal Areas We Serve
Our crews cover 29 ZIP codes across Memphis, from Downtown to Hickory Hill and the Bartlett side. Not sure if you are in our area? Give us a call and we will tell you right away.
- Hickory Hill
- Bartlett
- Whitehaven
- Raleigh
- East Memphis
- Southeast Memphis
- University District
- Frayser
- Midtown
- North Memphis
- South Memphis
- Downtown
FAQ
Memphis Soot Removal FAQs
Have a question that is not listed here? Call us and talk to a real person on our Memphis team.
Can soot be cleaned off a popcorn ceiling?
Often, yes. We use light HEPA vacuum passes and dry sponges, never scrubbing, so the texture stays on. If your ceiling went up before the 1980s, have it tested for asbestos before any work.
Do candles really leave soot on walls?
Yes. Jar and scented candles are one of the most common causes of soot ghosting. Trimming wicks short and keeping candles out of drafts makes a big difference.
How do I know if soot got into my HVAC?
Look for gray or black streaks around the vents and a dark air filter. We clean the soot in the rooms, but not inside the ducts, so a duct cleaning company handles that part.
Is soot dangerous for kids and pets?
Soot particles are small enough to breathe in, and they can irritate eyes, skin and lungs. Keep children and pets out of sooty rooms, and keep pets from licking soot off their fur or paws.
Does insurance cover soot from a furnace puff-back?
A sudden puff-back is often treated as a covered event under a homeowners policy. Soot that built up slowly from candles usually is not. Check your policy and get a claim number before work starts.
How long does soot removal take?
Ghosting or light soot in a few rooms is often done in a day or two. Oily soot after a fire or puff-back takes longer, because each surface needs more passes.
Related services
Other Fire and Smoke Services
Get the Soot Off Without Smearing It In
Call ServiceMaster by Riverside any time. Tell us where the black marks are and what might have caused them, and we will take it from there.
Call now: (901) 459-6610