Fire and Smoke Damage - How to Cleanup Smoke, Soot, and Odors From Your Home

Fire and smoke damage can be caused by multiple factors, such as the fuel source, the temperature of the fire, the type of furniture or other materials that were in the fire, and the overall location of the fire. It can cause both visible and invisible damage, requiring restoration professionals to remove the odors, residues, and other signs of the incident.

Smoke is hot and contains toxic chemicals that can irritate the lungs, skin, and other parts of the body. Residual smoke damage can also negatively impact the resale value of your home. Depending on the severity of the fire, removing the smoke and soot from your home can be an expensive process. The sooner you contact an experienced Summit Cleaning & Restoration specialist to remove the smoke, soot, and odors from your home, the better the results will be for both you and your belongings.    

The first step in removing smoke, soot, and odors is to thoroughly vacuum up the accumulated soot particles and clean the floors and carpeting. This will help the odors disperse and will prevent further damage to your flooring, upholstery, and other materials that have been affected by the fire.    

After the soot and odors are removed, you will need to get rid of the stains from the burned materials. For example, if you have Formica or chrome appliances in your kitchen, you will need to remove the stains immediately before they become permanent and irreversible. You will need to wipe down porcelain or ceramic fixtures as soon as possible, as the acidic soot can etch these materials and cause permanent staining. In some cases, you may be able to salvage some items that were damaged during the fire. However, it will be a time-sensitive process and some items may not be able to recover because they have been exposed to high temperatures for extended periods.