by PuroClean of Greenwich | Stamford
In the aftermath of a fire, it’s important to take immediate action to clean your home, clothes and its contents. This is especially important when it comes to sensitive items such as clothes, draperies, and other textiles. Remember to utilize these techniques to assist in restoring your home and belongings. If it seems like it will be overwhelming or you’re not sure how to do it, connect with a local industry expert. Here are a few key tips and practices that will help you get the smell out!
Minimize the Damage
- Dry the textiles at once to prevent mold growth.
- Hang clothes and fabrics outside to dry.
- Use fans and dehumidifiers, and open windows for ventilation.
- Change the furnace filter daily until the unit absorbs most of the soot from the air.
- Cover clean fabrics with plastic sheets to protect them.
Sort Out the Fabrics
- Separate salvageable from scorched items. Non-burnt fabrics can usually be saved.
- Organize the restorable items based on their fabric types and washing instructions, such as “bleach-safe” and “dry clean only”.
- Remove any damaged accessories from clothing.
Remove the Soot from Fabrics
- Remove the soot from textiles before cleaning.
- Take the items outside and shake the soot off gently. As soot is oily, it can easily stain fabrics if you don’t shake it off lightly.
- Alternatively, use a high-powered vacuum cleaner with a narrow tip. Please keep it one or two inches away from the fabric.
- Never use a brush tip attachment – it can force soot particles deeper into the clothing.
- It’s strongly recommended that you get professional help removing soot from textiles. One wrong move could permanently stain your fabrics.
How To Get Smoke Smell Out Of Clothes
You should deodorize fabrics before they are cleaned, or the smoke odor could persist in the material. We do not recommend a DIY deodorization as using perfumes, aerosol sprays, or disinfectants only masks the odor temporarily. For proper deodorization, ozone treatment is needed. Professional fire restoration technicians use this deodorizing process, eliminating odor by breaking up each smoke molecule.
How to Wash Smoke-Damaged Clothes
Once your clothes and textiles are deodorized, you can clean them. Send dry clean only clothes to a dry cleaner that’s certified in handling smoke-damaged clothing. Wash polyester or cotton fabrics in warm water without bleach solutions. Wash bleach-safe fabrics in heavy detergent. Hand-wash your clothes for the first two to three washes to prevent soot oils from contaminating the next few loads of laundry. If odors persist, soak the items into a mixture of 4 to 6 tablespoons of trisodium phosphate, 1 cup of bleach, and 1 gallon of water. Let fabrics sit overnight, then remove, rinse, and hang them outside to dry.
If the Damage is Too Significant or Overwhelming
Replacing them may cost a lot of money, so it’s best to try to save textiles that haven’t been scorched or severely water-damaged. To properly restore smoke/soot-damaged clothing and fabrics, hiring a professional restoration company is the safest option. They use the proper cleaning solutions, equipment, and techniques to restore contents after a fire.
However, if you don’t plan on hiring a professional restorer, be sure to follow the tips above, to restore smoke-damaged clothing and fabrics. Be warned: don’t try to clean smoke-damaged textiles unless you know proper procedures, or you may cause further damage.
Remember, unless you have the time, tools, and experience necessary to restore smoke-damaged clothing and fabrics, it’s best to go with a professional company. You will be saving yourself a lot of trouble and money by hiring a company that knows how to handle smoke-damaged clothes and other personal property.
For professional fire damage restoration and smoke damage restoration, contact your local PuroClean of Greenwich | Stamford Office. Look us up on linkedin, facebook, Instagram, call us on 203.399.0001 or email at [email protected].