How do I clean smoke-damaged walls and a stone fireplace damaged in a house fire. What about the odor?

The fire was confined to one bedroom. Unfortunately, the smoke damage went through almost the entire home - 3,000 square feet. Is there a way to clean the walls and ceiling without replacing all the drywall? The stone fireplace is also covered in a layer of smoke. Any suggestions on how to deal with this mess would be appreciated. I prefer to save the cost of doing it myself, instead of calling the "professionals".

Public Comments

1. The stone fireplace can be cleaned with a mixture 50% bleach and 50% water. Put in a spray bottle and spray on the soot. You won't have to wipe much if any but have some old rags handy. My guess on the walls would be to wash down, coat with "Kilz" and paint.
2. Dry rubber sponges remove smoke well-without noxious fumes.Then a coat or three of paint will be necessary. 3000 square feet will take 4 people a week to complete. The paint will mask some of the odor. Try incense for the rest. As for the stone on the fireplace there is a product from saver systems that will take care of mild smoke residue, but it may need something more than that. If it does, you will need to vacate the residents for a day. Then you cover the area with heavy plastic sheeting, set up a fan system for fume elimination and break out the industrial strength masonry cleaner/acid available at your local hardware store. DO NOT attempt to fix your own fireplace! Do it yourselfers beware, this is not your realm. One chimney fire is enough, the second one may be YOUR last. There are liners and retrofits for this but improper installation can be more dangerous than leaving it unattended. Call a certified chimney sweep for an evaluation and let them perform the necessary repairs. I can't enjoy a fireplace if I'm worried about a slow or fast moving fire escaping from it while I sleep.