What is the Best Way to Clean Fire Damaged Possessions in San Francisco?

12/11/2019 (Permalink)

Not all is always lost after a fire. SERVPRO has the knowledge and equipment to clean and restore your fire damaged possessions.

San Francisco Fire Damage Contents Cleaning Overview 

Without a doubt, a San Francisco household fire brings your day to day life to a standstill. The residues left behind are unlike any conventional soiling. Quickly it becomes clear that you need professional help to respond to the crisis, but not only for the surfaces and fixtures that make up the structural components of your home. The same heat, flames, smoke, and soot that compromised your walls, floors, and ceilings also affected your furnishings, household goods, and personal possessions. 

Emphasis on Restoration 

When a blaze moves through the rooms of your home, everything is fair game as fodder for fire damage in San Francisco. Although the wet, sooty mess you view might seem destined for the landfill, it is much more cost-effective to restore contents as compared with discarding and replacing. The chances are good that your insurance company prefers exploring restoration options. As you consider what you fear lost, the possibility that we can return many prized possessions cleaned, dried, disinfected, and returned to function is an attractive outcome. 

Contents Cleaning Basics 

As SERVPRO evaluates the damage caused to contents by a home fire, we have six general cleaning options available to bring your items back to the preloss condition. 

Dry Cleaning 

Dry cleaning employs dry sponges, brushes, feather dusters, and cloths, which we use to remove loose, non-greasy light soiling like ash. Vacuuming is a dry cleaning method, as well. Dry cleaning can also be a pre-cleaning strategy to eliminate loose debris before deeper cleaning.  

Wet Cleaning 

Usually resulting in the items becoming completely saturated, wet cleaning uses water and selected cleaning products to loosen and rinse away soiling. Moderate to heavy residues are candidates for this method, and SERVPRO technicians might add agitation or an abrasive tool to dislodge tough soils. 

Spray and Wipe 

This option is a variant of wet cleaning, where we spray a cleaning solution on residues, followed by a wipe-down with a cloth. If an item cannot be soaked or saturated without damage, spray and wipe is a way to control the amount of fluid applied to protect the article while obtaining appropriate cleaning support.  

Foam Cleaning 

Used for upholstery or other materials that could bleed or shrink if immersed, the technique uses a brush or sponge to apply a foam that attracts the residues. As the foam lifts away, the debris comes along and can be discarded. 

Abrasive Cleaning 

Sometimes SERVPRO technicians recognize the need for an abrasive action to dislodge tightly adhered residues. We use cleaners with integral mild abrasives or apply cleaners with cloths, sponges, or brushes with abrasive properties, including steel wool or scrubbing pads. 

Immersion Cleaning 

Immersion cleaning is an option for articles that can withstand a cleaning product without ill effects. SERVPRO has portable tubs and basins for use on-site, and larger containers at our production facility. Ultrasonic cleaning is a type of immersion cleaning that uses sound waves to dislodge debris. 

SERVPRO of Belmont / San Carlos has a broad range of options available for contents cleaning after a home fire. Set up an evaluation of your cleaning needs by calling (650) 591-4137. 

More about San Francisco.