Whenever there’s a fire, the first thing that people do is panic. However, keeping one’s cool and looking for the right kind of help will be the best thing to do. It is always judicious to call professionals for fire cleanup. However, certain tips can also help you to take the first actions:

Do and don’t on fire damage cleanup:

• Do not touch any damage material without wearing gloves
• Evaluate the area first and then the process to clean up the area
• Performing structural restoration if required with the help of an expert
• Keep the discarded material in a safe place

Steps to be followed to cleanup fire damage:

1. Getting permission from a fire marshal to re enter the place:

You are not allowed to enter a premise until you have received permission from the professionals. At what time you are allowed to enter the premise depends on the amount of severity of the fire and measures employed to put the fire out. Once you enter the premises it is necessary to assess the damage and see what is required for you to keep and what needs to be disposed off.

1. Allow fresh air to circulate:

As soon as possible, try to open the windows to allow the fresh air to come inside and also switch on the fans to increase the air circulation in the room. Contact your insurance company for the restoration work that need to be carried out. Sprinkle water above the dry materials before you touch it.

2. Cleaning smoke stain from walls and ceiling:

The area where there is smoke should be properly ventilated and you should always cover your nose to save your lungs and also make sure that the windows are properly opened and fans are being switched on.

3. Wearing safety gloves, goggles’ and helmets:

Before carrying out any work, the first step is to take care of your safety. Before going to any fire cleaning area you should wear gloves, goggles’ and helmet. In addition to this try to wear old and cotton clothes. The gloves will also protect you from the chemical substances used for cleaning. Keep a mat near your carpet as that will help you to avoid transfer of soot strains in it.

4. Remove strains with trisodium phosphate solution:

Popular cleaner named as trisodium phosphate solution is used for smoked damaged walls. With this if a proper cleaning solution is used, then cleaning will be done more effectively and within less time. It is better to use the solution twice or thrice for better results.

5. Looking for a commercial cleaning agent:

There are a variety of commercial cleaning agents used for walls and floors. But the best product which is to be used depends on the amount of the severity of the fire and its consequences. Here are few examples of this:

• Un-smoke degrease: It can remove the heaviest smoke damages
• Benefect atomic degreaser: A solvent free high performance botanical degreaser safe to use around people and pets
• Chemspec smoke: Specially formulated to remove soot and smoke from walls and hard surfaces

Attempt of removing the smoke odor from the walls:

After the wall is cleaned, the next thing is to deal with the smell of the wall as it absorbs smoke and leaks it back to the wall. Several household materials can also smell bad due to the smoke. If the smoke is severe then you should contact professionals who can help you out with this.

Clean smoke from carpets:

You can use a vacuum cleaner to remove the smoke from the carpets or sofa set or any such kind of material. After applying the cleaning agent it is very necessary that the item is properly cleaned as if it is not cleaned it will be harmful for usage.

It is also necessary to sanitize all your household cooking utensils before using otherwise it will be very dangerous. You can also use a bleach to remove smoke from dishes.

Avoid dry cleaning:

As dry cleaning will not help you to remove the smoke from the clothes properly, so it is preferred for cleaning. It is better to wash the cloth and then dry it rather than dry cleaning it.

Get in touch with professional Cleaning Agencies:

There are special cleaning agencies which will help you to clean the smoke if necessary. They work for 24 hours and they can complete the restoration work within a very short interval of time. The materials which can get affected due to the smoke should be removed first and then the cleaning process should be carried out. Before cleaning they make a detailed layout and the estimation required for the whole process.

They use proper methods for removing this smoke from your premises. They also help you to rearrange your house in a proper way. Quite naturally, once you have done the basics, make sure professionals are called for a completely professional work.