What to Dispose (and What to Keep) After Fire Damage

3/4/2020 (Permalink)

Damaged electronics such as a treadmill pictured above is an example of something that should be desposed after a fire.

Fires can be devastating to a home or business, potentially damaging everything in their wake.

If your home or business suffers a fire, you should definitely throw out anything that has been melted, burned, or otherwise visibly damaged by the flames, heat, and/or smoke.

However, sometimes, it’s difficult to tell what can be salvaged and what should simply be tossed. Here is a quick guide to help you start to make decisions as you cleanup from a fire.

Four items you should definitely throw away:

Food Exposed to Fire and Heat

• Any foods that come contact with the flames, smoke, high heat, or firefighting substances  (especially if the packaging was already opened).
• Foods stored in the refrigerator or freezer if the temperatures reached higher than 40 degrees Fahrenheit for longer than 2 hours.
• If smoke, soot, or fire entered the refrigerator/freezer, just stay on the safe side and toss everything.

Fabrics

• Any clothing, bedding, carpeting or other fabric that has sustained major burning should just be disposed.
• Anything charred or significantly burned.

Mattresses

Mattresses that have been stained or burned by fire should just be disposed as they may now be structurally unsafe and/or carry contaminants. 

Medicine and Cosmetics

• If prescription medicines have been affected by a fire, you should contact your doctor immediately.
• It’s best to replace them as you don’t want to risk becoming sicker from potential contamination.

Three examples of items that can often be salvaged after a fire.  

Hardwood

Luckily, hardwood floors can often be saved, unless there is extreme burning or charring.

You can often use an oil soap made especially for wood to clean off stains, and then sand and refinish your hardwood to restore it.

Glass

Glass, if it doesn’t melt, is often resilient to fires.

If your glass is simply stained, try cleaning it with white vinegar or dish soap. You can also try to soak it in vinegar and baking soda.

Metal

Metal may stain, but often can withstand the heat and flames.

To clean mental, use vinegar or dish soap and then try to gently sand and paint the metal.

Note: never try to keep items that may be melted, charred, or rendered structurally unsafe. 

If you need help trying to salvage and/or restore your property and belongings after a fire, our team of experts here at SERVPRO Hackensack / Little Ferry is close by and ready to help!  Whatever the size of your fire damage, we have the know-how, training, and tools to help you deal with it and move forward.