Cleaning Tips after a Kitchen Fire
Cleaning Tips after a Kitchen Fire
Almost half of all home fires start in the kitchen. If you have experienced a fire that was contained to the kitchen and are planning to do the clean-up on your own, here are some tips to help you with the process.
- Gather some protective gear. Because of the pervasive, greasy nature of soot, you should wear goggles, rubber gloves and a face mask to protect yourself from serious health risks.
- Get some fresh air. Open all windows and doors, and set up fans to help push the bad air out. Make sure that you are not running your HVAC system while you are cleaning – it will circulate the contaminated air through the ductwork and into the rest of your house. Also, be sure to change out the filters in your HVAC system.
- Clean surfaces thoroughly. You will need to clean surfaces more than once in order to remove all the soot. This will take patience, perseverance and good old-fashioned elbow grease! Even if you are planning to repaint a surface, you must clean it first or the soot will stain the new paint.
- Use the right cleaner for the job. Trying to remove soot with ordinary household cleaners can be frustrating. Try these specialized products instead.
- Industrial-strength TSP (trisodium phosphate) – When mixed with water, TSP is effective at removing sticky soot residue. Because this is a strong product, avoid using TSP on ceramic tile or chrome fixtures and be sure to wear gloves to protect your hands.
- Degreasers – These will cut through the soot film but are not as harsh as TSP. Be sure to check labels to be sure they are safe for the surfaces you are using them on.
- Dry soot sponges – Specially designed to work without water or liquid cleansers, these sponges are effective on all surfaces, including fabric. Be sure to completely rinse and dry the sponges between uses.
- Don’t just clean the surfaces – soot gets inside closed doors. Empty all drawers and cabinets, throwing away any packaged food – even what’s in the refrigerator. Apply the same cleaning steps you would to the outer surfaces to the insides. Don’t forget hardware and the back of your appliances.
- Freshen up. Once you have removed all of the soot residue, do a final once-over with an orange citrus cleaner. To absorb lingering odor, try setting out bowls of vinegar, sprinkling carpets with baking soda, and leaving open coffee containers inside of closed cupboards.
If you find that you are in over your head and just can’t seem to remove all of the smoke odor inside your home,
contact us for a free consultation. Our trained technicians utilize advanced equipment that can completely eliminate even the toughest and deepest of odors – 100% guaranteed!

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