4 Tips for Cleaning Smoke Damage in Orange County

10/3/2022 (Permalink)

Fires are devastating for the home. They don’t just cause the loss of items during the blaze, but the smoke can lead to damage and health problems afterwards. Even if the fire was elsewhere, you can experience smoke damage within your living space and you need to clean that out. Here are four tips for Orange County smoke damage cleaning.

Increase the Amount of Fresh Air Circulating

One of the best things you can do is get more fresh air into your home. You want to get rid of the smoke particles and toxins and replace with clean air. Open your windows and use fans to help circulate the new fresh air.

If you need to live in an area where the windows remain closed, invest in a dehumidifier and air purifier. Both of these will help to get rid of the particles. When you have a furnace running, ensure you clean it out daily to avoid the soot and smoke mixing together.

Opening windows and circulating the fresh air is also good for the cleaning process. This way you avoid breathing in the fumes from the cleaning products.

Get the Right Equipment

This isn’t just about the cleaning products. When cleaning smoke damage in Orange County, you need to make sure you dress appropriately. This is the time for overalls and safety goggles. It’s also worth investing in heavy duty gloves because of the harsh chemicals. Consider a mask for your nose and mouth to avoid breathing in the smoke and particles.

Tie back your hair and opt for old clothing if you don’t have overalls. Use items that you don’t mind getting damaged.

Protect Items without Damage

Use a cloth to protect any items that weren’t damaged with the smoke. This will help to prevent the soot getting into them. It’s worth putting a sheet down anyway. You’ll avoid transferring the soot around the rest of the home!

Now you can move onto removing the soot, starting with the loose soot on the walls and ceiling. Use a vacuum cleaner to get rid of most of it and a damp cloth for the trickier sections. Considering getting a chemical sponge to help pull out the chemicals from the walls and ceiling, reducing the toxin damage within the home.

Use Recommended Products

SERVPRO in Newport Beach only uses a select number of products to help with Orange County smoke damage cleaning. Make sure you only use those that have been tried and tested, ensuring that they work effectively and safely. While strong chemicals may do the job, they can leave toxic fumes in the house and cause some breathing problems.

If you are in doubt, hire a professional. This is the best way to ensure all the smoke is gone, there’s no damage within the dry wall and no mold growing anywhere.

Don’t put your family at risk for the sake of saving a bit of money. Your insurance company will usually cover you for cleaning smoke damage in Orange County, so use it to your advantage.