Cleaning your Nashville home after the fire and soot damage settles in

4/10/2015 (Permalink)

When the smoke clears and the soot settles, let someone else take care of the cleaning and restoration. After a fire occurs, the last things we want to face are the left over remains of our belongings covered in soot and fire damage. There isn’t always lost hope for remains left over from fire damage. Depending on the amount of damage done, some objects in the home can be restored with hard work and powerful machinery. The cleaning equipment available to restoration companies are far more powerful than the average vacuum sitting in your Nashville home. Trying to clean some materials with the wrong product or equipment could even lead to further damage.

According to the Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification, there are three common mistakes people make when attempting to tackle the cleaning on their own. The first mistake is using too much shampoo. Sometimes people think that the more shampoo, the better, but in some cases, this could just lead to more damage. The second mistake is using too much water when trying to clean the carpet or upholstery, causing water stains or excessive moisture. Last, but not least, the final mistake is not protecting the carpet from the furniture. Wooden furniture can stain the carpet from dyes and metal furniture can rust and stain the floor beneath it. It’s always important to keep the furniture separated from the carpet and cover the furniture immediately after cleaning to ensure they will not get damaged again.

Hiring a professional can help in many different ways, from the special equipment to the professional opinion for an insurance adjuster. Soot damage leaves a heavy residue that calls for heavy-duty equipment. Restoration companies have the tools to clean the damaged property most efficiently. Tools such as wet cleaning tools, rotary scrubbers, and extractors can inject steam and lift deep stains the first time around instead of having to clean the same surface multiple times. This also ensures that there won’t be too much soap or water leaving stains or residue. As the company cleans the belongings, they’re also able to gauge the amount of damage that has been done and what can be restored or needs replaced. Depending on the insurance that the victim carries, these damages may be covered. The restoration company is able to give proof of the damages done and gives a professional opinion for the claims adjuster to work with. Don’t let all of the weight sit on your shoulders when dealing with a catastrophe. SERVPRO is here to help with any fire or soot damage that hits home.

Source - http://www.iicrc.org/cleaning-smoke-damage-with-professional-a-77.html