Content Cleaning Techniques for Fire-Damaged Homes: Salvaging Possessions After a Fire

A house fire is one of the most destructive disasters that a homeowner can go through. Not only can it lead to a total loss of the structure, but it can also destroy everything household belonging inside it. In worst cases, homeowners will be left to replace everything and start over.

However, not all house fires are a complete loss. Sometimes the fire is contained to a certain area or is extinguished before it burns everything to the ground. In these situations, homeowners may find themselves with many damaged belongings, but that doesn’t mean that they aren’t salvageable. 

Whether for memories or financial reasons, some homeowners wish to clean and restore their items. With the help of a professional content cleaning crew, more things can be saved, and the overall loss can be reduced. Check out this guide to learn more about how to salvage possessions after a fire with the best cleaning techniques.

Assess the Safety of the Situation

Though it might be tempting for homeowners to start the cleanup process on their own, it can be incredibly dangerous to do so. Not only is there a risk of the fire starting again, but there is also a risk of injury from the structural damage. 

When homeowners elect to hire a fire restoration company, they can trust that the contractors put safety first. They will only enter the home when it has been cleared safe to do so. Even then, they wear the proper protective equipment, such as gloves and respirators. With the right gear, they can enter the home and start the content cleaning process.

Sort or Discard Belongings

Once the contractors enter the home, they take their time going through all of the household items. They will work with the homeowner to discuss costs and sentimental value, and they will also use their experience to determine what items can be salvaged and what can’t. 

Anything that will be kept for content cleaning will then be sorted. The professionals can group items by the type of material and the method of cleaning they will require. 

In general, most content cleaning crews can save items that only suffer from soot or smoke damage. If the item was directly in the fire or damaged by excessive heat, it may have to be discarded.

Create an Inventory and Pack

Once the homeowners have made the final decision on what items will be thrown out, the contractors will start the process of creating an inventory, which can be used for the insurance claim. Not only will they keep track of which items were taken, but they will also note the condition and location of the items. The last bit of information will help them make sure everything is returned to its original place.

After everything is recorded, the contractors carefully pack the items into boxes. Bulky items that won’t fit in a box will be wrapped in plastic to keep them safe during transport to the cleaning facility. 

Clean the Affected Items with State-of-the-Art Equipment

Trained content cleaning crews know how to use the appropriate cleaning methods on different materials. They also know how to perform testing before applying any products to ensure there are no negative reactions.

While the exact cleaning techniques vary based on the size, material, and amount of damage, the following are just a few examples of methods that can be used:

• Dry Cleaning
• Freeze-Drying
• Industrial-Grade Washing
• Sanitizing
• Refinishing
• Ultrasonic Cleaning
• Soot Cleaning 
• Deodorizing

Store and Return Items When House is Restored

Finally, once everything has been cleaned and deodorized, the content cleaning specialists pack all of the items back up into clean boxes. They will then keep them stored in a safe and secure facility until the home is ready to receive them. Depending on how severe the fire damage was, this could take weeks or months, but homeowners can rest assured that their belongings are in good hands.

As soon as the house is back to its pre-loss condition, the content cleaning crew will bring the items back and unpack them. They make sure to put everything back in its place to minimize the amount of furniture moving done by the homeowners.

Contact ABC Environmental Contracting Services to Learn More About Content Cleaning

Customers who would like to learn more about the specific content cleaning services that ABC Environmental Contracting Services offers should reach out to the professionals right away.

They are available 24/7 for emergencies, so they are ready to help whenever a fire strikes.  Customers can also submit their online quote form to request pricing for less urgent matters.