Wet Cleaning vs. Dry Cleaning after Fire Damage in West Hills

1/20/2020 (Permalink)

Call SERVPRO for any Fire Damage remediation your home needs. We are available day and night.

Cleaning Methods For Your West Hills Home After a Fire Incident

After a house fire, one of the significant issues is often the cleanup. If not handled correctly, you can end up with a bigger mess and longer-lasting odors by using the incorrect methods to clean your home. Not only do your possessions (contents) such as your clothing require cleaning before you can wear them again, but you also need to clean the structure itself during the restoration process.

If your home experienced fire damage in West Hills, you might be overwhelmed with the process of getting your house back to its preloss condition. After everyone is safely out of the house, and it is secure by boarding or tarping any exposed areas, restoration specialists get to work cleaning the structure of your home. They may also remove some of your personal belongings for off-site care.

The structure is any part of the house that is permanent. This includes walls, ceilings, floors, doors, and windows are all part of the structure. Structural components include things that are not easily removed, such as bath and light fixtures, the heating and cooling system (HVAC), and cabinets. Cleaning the structure and its components pose unique challenges. The goal is to return the home to the preloss condition, which means removing the lasting effects of the fire damage, including removing smoke residues and stubborn odors.

The SERVPRO restoration team creates a plan, including methods of structural cleaning. After creating the plan, small areas of each building material or item get tested to ensure the correct method of cleaning. By testing, the team determines which materials are washable and which are non-washable. If a porous item is non-washable, using a water-based cleaning product may result in damaging or staining the item further, so they use a dry method such as dry sponge cleaning.

Technicians also examine the types of residues left by the fire to determine if a wet or dry clean is more appropriate. If there is an oil or grease residue from a kitchen fire, dry solvent cleaning is often the best choice even though water-based products may not damage the material. It is an essential part of the plan to determine the appropriate way to clean each material within the home.

For 24/7 assistance after a house fire, contact SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills at (818) 998-1500.

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