When a house catches fire, fire damage cleaning Melbourne is necessary. Fire damages are those effects that bring about burning or melting caused by heat, while smoke damage results from the dangers of smoke. Proper clean-up of smoke damage can prevent long-term damage while restoring the integrity of your home to its former state.
Vacuums Soot and Ash
Gently sweep the soot up with a smoke vacuum or powerful dry-vac. Do not track the soot further into the walls or floors. If you do not have a smoke vacuum, a regular vacuum with an upholstery attachment would work, but be not too rough to exacerbate things.
Cleaning Soot Prints from Walls
After sweeping the soot, start examining the walls for remaining loose soot particles. Initially, clean the bigger areas of soot prints. Now, using a dry-cleaning sponge, gently rub away the affected areas. Do not use any water or cleaning agents at this point. Continue cleaning until the sponge turns solid black. After this, cut off the dirty part of the sponge and keep on cleaning it with a new part of the sponge. Repeat this process until all the soot has been cleaned. After this, you can wipe down the walls using warm water and a mild cleaner or even a commercial soot cleaner.
Removing Smoke Stains from Walls
Once the soot is gone, clean the smoke damage with water, vinegar, or commercial cleaners. Scrub the area with a clean rag. Rinse the walls heavily with hot water to ensure any cleaner residues are gone. This helps to remove oil-soluble smoke particles.
Clean Windows and Glass
It can also be combined in equal parts by mixing white vinegar and water before pouring it into a spray bottle. Spray this mixture on the glass, allow it to stay for about five minutes, and wipe with a fresh cloth or paper towel. This helps with removing any residual smoke or nicotine, in particular damage done by cigarette smoke.
Clean the Ceiling
Cleaning the ceiling after fire damage Melbourne is challenging if soot or smoke has settled there. For high areas, use a ladder. Repeat the same steps in cleaning the walls: vacuum first, then use a dry-cleaning sponge, followed by a cleaning solution. To prevent missing any locations, work in small sections.
How to Clean Smoke-Damaged Floors
For hard floors, mix the gentle dish soap with warm water and clean the surface lightly. Do not soak it as it can cause the floor to get damaged due to water. For carpets, vacuum them properly to remove all soot particles, followed by shampooing them with a high-quality carpet cleaner. If that is not an option, hiring experts can clean the carpet and remove all smoke residues.
Damaged Furniture Cleaning
After one day of application on upholstery, vacuum it up and, if necessary, reapply the process. To expedite the process, removable covers can be hand cleaned in cold water and allowed to air dry outside. Even deodorizing sprays which are specifically designed for smoke damage fabrics can help to get the furniture smelling fresh once more.
If you have suffered fire damage Melbourne, you can reach out to the experts for restoration services. Smoke damage is usually pretty deep, but proper smoke damage cleaning will ensure no lasting effects.
Author Bio
Capital Restoration offers expert services for fire damage in Melbourne and other emergency restoration needs in Melbourne.