Why is cleaning smoke after a fire necessary?

4/7/2022 (Permalink)

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After a fire, there is a combination of damages, from fire to water to smoke. Smoke cleaning is one of the most challenging types of damage to remove from a property because it is so invasive. Smoke gets into electronics, snakes through HVAC systems, and seeps into porous fabrics and materials. If you want the best chance of recovering smoke-affected items, contact a fire remediation professional in Goldsboro, NC. 

The 4 Step Smoke Cleaning Process

One of the biggest complaints about fire damage is smoke odor. The odor permeates everything. It is incredibly challenging to remove and will likely require a tremendous amount of patience. Any professional service will follow a four-step approach to remove the odor of smoke residue.

1. Surface Debris Removal

The first stage of smoke damage cleanup is the surface cleaning of items in your home. There will probably be a thick coating of ash, sediment, and residue on almost every surface in the affected area. The remediation team will comb through the space using vacuums and other tools to pre-clean the space, allowing further steps to be more effective.

2. Sanitization

Smoke residue is toxic; it is not something you want to get on your hands and face or into your mouth and lungs. Whenever entering your property after the fire but before cleaning, you should wear appropriate protective gear, like gloves and a mask.

The remediation company will go through after the initial cleaning and sanitize the space using different cleaners and purification techniques. You will need to call in other professional services to clean and repair appliances or HVAC systems in some circumstances.

3. Washing and Scrubbing

The remediation service will go through at least two or three cleaning and scrubbing cycles to remove any remaining residue and odor. In some instances, you might not have a choice but to get rid of furniture and other porous items. Smoke odor tends to seep deep into fabrics, and sometimes deep cleaning is not enough to remove or eliminate persistent odors.

If you wish, you can contact specialty cleaners for items that hold particular sentimental value. These cleaners often have techniques and tools that are beyond the scope of a traditional remediation service.

4. Restoration and Deodorization

The service you hire will ensure that everything they can clean has been cleaned and scrubbed thoroughly before moving on to restoration stages. The final stages of cleaning will involve deodorization, which can utilize air purifiers.

The restoration of your property will include the replacement of damaged walls, ceilings, floors, etc. When the restoration company is done with your property, it should look like pre-disaster conditions, meaning your family can return to a place that looks and feels like home.

Smoke cleaning is a bit of a tedious process. However, when performed effectively, the process should eliminate the remaining odors and damage. The extent of the cleaning will depend on the severity of the fire, and the scope of the damage often dictates the efficacy of the restoration process. Unfortunately, after a fire, the only way to determine salvageability is to have your property assessed.

If you suffer a fire loss, call the professionals at 919-751-5353