Eliminating The Smoke Damage From Your Home

One of the worst things that could happen to your home or apartment is a fire, and it is important to get adequate insurance coverage to cover your belongings and the damage done to the property. Even more important than getting the insurance coverage is preventing the fire from occurring in the first place. Sometimes, however, things don't always turn out the way you planned, and accidents can cause your home to go up in a cloud of smoke.

If your home has sustained some fire damage, then your troubles are not over yet. Not only will you have to deal with the fire damage, but you will have to deal with the smoke damage as well. No matter how big or small the fire is, it is best to call a fire or smoke damage restoration company as soon as possible so they can diagnose the damage and give you a thorough evaluation and proper steps you would need to take to restore your home. If the fire was a very minor one, such as a towel setting on fire in the kitchen, then there will probably be no need to contact a fire damage company.

There are some things you can do to eliminate the smoke damage. Your two biggest problems will probably be the odor and the soot. Don't allow the smoke odor to stand in your home longer than it should. Open up your windows, turn on your air conditioner, and turn on the fan immediately to get good air circulation flowing throughout the house. The smell will begin to subside after a few minutes, but you might still need to wash your clothes, curtains, and any other furniture or materials that are covered in cloth.

Before washing anything, however, you must clean up the residue that the fire left behind. Failure to properly vacuum up the soot will cause smudges and stains on your belongings because it is oily. Porcelain, ceramic, glass, steel, and other items that are made of non-cloth materials, can be wiped down with a damp towel to prevent the soot from being spread around.

When it comes to your cloth-covered belongings, you have two options. You can take them to a dry cleaner business that has experience with fire- and smoke-damaged items. Or you can use the hose attachment on your vacuum to suck up the soot. Get close enough to the fabric, but not so close that the hose is touching the fabric. Putting the hose to the fabric might cause the soot residue to become embedded and will be harder to clean off.