The smell of tar is pungent, noticeable, and unappealing.
You will want to find out where it’s coming from and get to the bottom of things as soon as possible at home. The longer you let this smell linger, the harder it is going to become to stay safe.
This is why the best approach is to make sure you are removing the smell correctly. This includes learning how to get rid of tar smell in the house quickly.
To get rid of the tar smell in a house, start by locating the root cause, mix a cup of water with a cup of baking soda, apply the mixture where the tar is, and scrub everything. This will eliminate the odor.
The smell of tar at home is something you will not want to tolerate for too long. It will be far too noticeable and something you will want to nip in the bud as soon as you can.
This guide will show how to get rid of the tar smell in a house the right way.
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Steps On How To Get Rid Of Tar Smell In House
1. Find The Root Cause
Dealing with a tar-like smell in the house means figuring out what the root cause is.
You can’t get rid of the tar smell at home until you pinpoint its origin. This is one of the harder parts of the process to navigate around when you want to do things the right way.
A common reason for the tar smell is sunlight burning parts of the house causing it to stink. While this is common with shingles, it can also happen with items inside the house too.
Another reason is gas flowing from the shingles into the house.
If this is the reason then you will need to replace the shingles at home.

2. Mix Water With Baking Soda
Now you are going to prepare a cleaning solution for the rooms where the tar smell is noticeable.
In most cases, the smell is going to pour in from the attic.
This means it is best to look for the room near the attic. This is where the tar smell is going to spread and it will be noticeable right away.
To prepare the solution, you are going to maintain a 1:1 ratio. This means 1 cup of water for each cup of baking soda.
This is going to be a wonderful mixture that will work like a charm.
3. Apply Mixture To Problem Area(s)
You will want to begin applying the mixture to the problem areas in the room where the smell is noticeable.
Look to apply it to larger surfaces and begin scrubbing.
The reason for doing this is to help remove some of the tar-like particles that spread throughout the house. While this is not going to remove the change in air quality, it will help reduce the odor.
You can then begin working on airing out the room by opening the windows and doors for a bit.

4. Scrub The Spot
When you have waited 10-15 minutes, it’s time to start scrubbing.
The premise behind scrubbing is to eliminate any particles that sit on the surface. It is these particles that begin to spread even more as you move around the house going from room to room.
When you scrub the spots around the house, you are going to begin noticing a change in the overall smell.
You will need to be patient while doing this but the results are going to come the way you want.
How Long Does It Take For Tar Smell To Go Away?
It takes at least 24 hours for the tar smell to go away. This can be expedited with the use of warm water + baking soda. Apply the mixture to different surfaces around the area, scrub, and then air out the space. This will help eliminate the tar-like smell faster.
Final Thoughts
It is always important to learn how to get rid of the tar smell in a house due to how pungent it is.
To get rid of the tar smell in a house, start by finding where it’s coming from. Next, mix a cup of baking soda with a cup of water, apply this mixture to the problem area(s), scrub everything, and then air out the room. This will get rid of the odor.
It’s easy to assume the tar-like smell will remain for a long time but that is rarely the case. As long as you air out the room by opening the windows, you will be fine.
This will get rid of the stench.
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