Gloved hands cleaning soot from a framed picture

Odor removal for Metro Detroit homes

Fragrance only covers an odor for a while. Call 248-845-0000 and we'll find what's causing it, clean or remove the source, then treat the air and the surfaces that absorbed it.

Call 248-845-0000 Request help

24-hour emergency hotline248-845-0000A person answers, day or night

Why odors linger, and how we remove them

Don't paint over a smell or cover it with fragrance; both hide the problem and make the source harder to find. If the odor is musty, look for water: a leak under a sink, a damp basement corner or a ceiling stain. If you see mold, don't scrub or spray it, since disturbing it can spread spores. Note when the smell is strongest, such as after rain or when the furnace runs; it helps us find the source.

Odors come from something: soot left after a fire, contamination left by a sewage backup, or damp materials from water damage that was never fully dried. Smoke particles are small enough to work into drywall, insulation, carpet and ductwork. Musty odors usually point to hidden moisture and sometimes mold growth, which is handled with containment under the ANSI/IICRC S520 standard, not just deodorized.

Our process is to inspect, find the source, clean or remove it, scrub the air with HEPA and carbon filtration, and then deodorize what remains with the method that suits the odor and the house. Framing that still smells after cleaning gets an odor-sealing primer before walls are closed or repainted.

Source first
Odor comes from residue or damp material somewhere in the house. We find it and clean or remove it before treating the air.
A treatment that fits the odor
Thermal fogging, hydroxyl generators, ozone and sealing each suit different odors and different homes.

The RMO team in navy uniforms in front of an RMO box truck

What odor removal includes

Odor inspection
We trace the odor with moisture meters, thermal imaging and a room-by-room walk-through, including ducts, crawl spaces and the attic.
Source removal
Contaminated pad, wet insulation, soot residue or damp drywall is cleaned or removed, because treatment can't fix a source that's still there.
Air scrubbing
HEPA air scrubbers with carbon filters capture airborne particles and odor gases while we work.
Thermal fogging
A heated deodorizing fog reaches the same cracks and porous materials smoke got into. The house is empty during treatment.
Hydroxyl treatment
Hydroxyl generators work on odors in the air over several days.
Ozone treatment
For strong odors in an unoccupied home, ozone generators run on a set schedule, with people, pets and plants out until the house is aired.
Sealing and recheck
Cleaned framing that still holds odor is sealed, and we recheck every treated room before calling the job done.

Gloved hands cleaning a silver picture frame

Signs an odor needs professional treatment

A smell that returns after cleaning
Smoke odor weeks after a fire
A musty smell in the basement or closets
Sewage odor with no visible backup
An odor that's worse on humid days

Call 24/7: 248-845-0000

From your call to the last repair

One phone number and one accountable team, from the emergency to the finished repair.

See the full process

Call us, day or night
A person answers 248-845-0000 at any hour and asks a few quick questions, so the right crew and equipment roll.
On site in about 60 minutes
Across Metro Detroit, an IICRC-certified crew arrives, finds the source and makes the property safe.
Mitigate and document
We stop the damage, extract and dry, and record photos and moisture readings your insurer can use.
Restore and rebuild
Once everything is dry and clean, the same team handles the repairs, from drywall and flooring to finishes.

Why RMO for odor removal

Restoration work behind the odor
Stubborn odors usually come from water, smoke or sewage damage, which is the damage our IICRC-certified team cleans up.
Moisture checked before deodorizing
If a musty smell points to hidden water, we find and dry it first, rather than masking a moisture problem.
Replacement when cleaning isn't enough
If drywall, carpet or cabinets hold odor after cleaning, RMO replaces them as part of the same job.

We will work with your insurance

We will work with any insurance carrier you use. We’ve done it on claim after claim, and we take pride in it: every job is documented from the first hour and priced line by line, and we work hard so your insurance covers the whole project.

Many of our clients have saved thousands of dollars this way, and many paid nothing beyond their deductible.

How we help with insurance claims

Examples of carriers our customers use. RMO is an independent company and isn’t affiliated with or endorsed by these insurers.

Questions people ask us

Don’t see yours? A person answers 248-845-0000 around the clock.

Is ozone treatment safe?

It's used only in an empty home. People, pets and plants stay out during treatment, and the house is aired out before anyone returns. If you can't leave, we'll suggest another method, such as a hydroxyl generator.

Why does the smell come back on humid days?

Humidity releases odor still held in porous materials such as drywall, wood and insulation. That usually means part of the source wasn't removed or a material needs sealing. We recheck the area, clean or remove what's holding the odor and treat it again.

How long does odor removal take?

Light smoke or musty odors can clear within a few days of cleaning and treatment. Heavy smoke, sewage or long-standing odors take longer, especially when materials have to be removed. We give you a timeline after the inspection.

Can't I just run an air purifier?

An air purifier can reduce odor in the air, but it can't reach the residue in walls, carpet, ducts and framing that keeps releasing it. Cleaning or removing that source is what ends the odor.

We will restore your property