With a fire, one of the most destructive and damaging things is the smoke. The smoke from a fire can spread even further than the fire itself, depositing damaging soot all over the place. After a fire, it is essential to know how to clean things up in a safe manner.
Always Protect Yourself
When it comes to cleaning up after smoke damage, you should always protect yourself. You want to minimize exposed skin, as you don't want the soot to come in contact with it. You should also wear goggles and a facemask with a respirator to keep the soot out of your lungs.
Don't Let the Soot Sit
Second, it is essential not to let the soot sit in place. The longer that it sits, the harder it will be to clean. The longer it sits, the more it will sink into whatever material it is on, and the more its smell will become embedded in your home. That is why you should clean up soot damage as soon as possible.
Be Careful with Cleaning Products
Third, you are going to want to be careful with cleaning products. One of the best cleaning products you can use is some dishwashing soap and water. This is a tried-and-true cleaning method that is not going to react negatively to the soot.
You can also use a Trisodium Phosphate (TSP) cleaner. If you choose to use a TSP cleaner, be sure to dilute the cleaning solution properly. You don't want the cleaning solution to be too strong; it could react negatively with the chemicals in the soot.
Use a Vacuum with Care
Fourth, a vacuum can assist with your clean-up process if you use it correctly. Don't use any brush attachments for the cleaning process; the brush attachments, especially when used on carpet and walls, can actually push the soot further into the carpet and walls, making it harder to remove.
When using a vacuum, use a hose attachment instead of a brush attachment. Then, hold the hose at least an inch above the surface you are trying to clean. This is slightly different from how you normally vacuum but will allow the soot particles to get sucked up without forcing them deeper into the surface you are cleaning. A vacuum will not clean things up all the way, but it is a great place to start.
When cleaning up fire and soot damage, always protect yourself, start cleaning as soon as possible, stick to basic cleaning products, and use a vacuum with care. Most importantly, call in a professional team to assist you with the cleaning process. A professional smoke damage restoration team will know how to clean things up without creating any more damage.
