Incense has been used for centuries to promote relaxation and increase one’s creativity. However, it has one downside – it produces a lot of smoke. Because of this, incense can cause serious health effects. It could also coat your walls, but does incense damage walls? Below you’ll discover more about this substance and how you can keep your home safe.
Does Incense Damage Walls?
So, does incense damage walls? Unfortunately yes, incense can damage your walls. This is due to the smoke which can stick to walls and other nearby materials, leaving a residue.
Depending on the incense composition, the debris could create noticeable dark spots.
At first, soot might not seem like a big deal, but it can become a problem over time. The sticky, resiny soot can discolor walls and leave permanent stains and odors.
What is Incense?
Incense is a material that releases an aroma when lit. It contains natural ingredients like bamboo, cinnamon, musk, frankincense, and sandalwood. In various cultures and religions, incense has many different meanings.
Incense comes in a variety of different forms, including sticks, resins, and cones that are used with backflow burners. Depending on its size, it will burn anywhere from 1-2 hours.
How to Protect Your Walls
If you want to burn incense, there are a few ways you can protect your walls from damage.
Light it in a Ventilated Room
One of the best ways to protect your walls from incense particles is to burn it in a ventilated room. It will provide good air circulation and remove debris that the incense releases.
As it enters the vents, the air will get pushed through the ductwork and then moved outside. This way, it won’t collect behind your walls.
To assist the ventilation, you could also run fans and open windows in the room when the incense is done burning. This will invite fresh air and prevent it from settling on nearby walls and furniture. Fresh air will lessen the risk of the incense setting off a smoke alarm.
This will also lessen the potential negative health effects of burning incense, such as headache. You can also protect cats and dogs by ensuring proper ventilation.
Choose Natural Incense
Natural incense is less likely to contain adjuncts, charcoal, and other harmful chemicals. Just keep in mind that many manufacturers claim they make natural incense, but in reality, the definition of “natural” is… well, complicated.
Do your research.
Scrub Your Wals With Baking Soda
You could also do weekly wall scrubs. By mixing baking soda and water, you can create a powerful blend that will remove incense debris from the walls. This is because baking soda eliminates odors and toxins, so it will quickly destroy any traces of smoke.
To do this, simply dip a clean rag into the mixture and rub it over your walls. Let it sit for a few minutes and then use a clean cloth to dry it.
If you want to do spot cleaning, use a q-tip or cotton ball at first. This allows you to test the mixture and make sure it doesn’t create blemishes.
Keep in mind though that you need to be careful when putting water on the wall. If you don’t properly dry it, the water could seep into the materials and develop mold.
Limit the Amount You Burn
To prevent wall damage, you might need to limit the amount of incense you burn. If you’re lighting more than two sticks at a time, it could create a vast amount of smoke. In addition to this, if you burn it for hours, the smoke will eventually absorb into the walls around it.
This can be important if you’re using an urn to burn multiple sticks at once.
Ideally, burn about one stick for no more than an hour. This will give the room a nice fragrance but prevent excessive exhaust.
You might also consider using incense designed to release less smoke. Many times, it will include ingredients like sandalwood and camphor that don’t release much smoke as they burn.
Put Out Bowls of Vinegar or Rice
A surprising way to absorb incense smoke is to place vinegar bowls near it. Vinegar naturally absorbs odors. When you burn incense, the liquid will soak up the burning debris. It will also prevent your walls from smelling like smoke.
Rice acts similar to vinegar when it comes to removing incense smoke. Because it’s hygroscopic, it will quickly absorb it and its strong odor. By placing a few small rice bowls alongside the vinegar, you can ensure the incense smoke doesn’t hurt your walls.
Don’t Use Backflow Selections
Backflow incense is a cone-shaped piece that makes smoke flow downward rather than upward. While this eliminates smoke on your ceilings, it makes it more likely to coat your baseboards.
Backflow incense also tends to have a stronger smell when you blow them out. This could fill the room with a strong odor that will absorb into the walls. Instead, you might want to use sticks or aromatic wood.
Incense provides plenty of unique health benefits, but it can damage your walls if you’re not careful. By keeping these tips in mind, you can easily safeguard them.
