Fire Damage - How To Remove Soot and Smoke From Clothing
Fire creates two types of smoke damage-the visible soot and the invisible odor. Because each fire involves different elements (woods, plastics, etc.), providing one set of guidelines for removing soot and odor for all clothing is not possible. But these steps will get you started:
Before You Salvage
Consider hiring a
professional
fire restorer. They can provide helpful hints to prevent further damage,
determine which items can be refurbished, and estimate the cost of deodorizing
and cleaning your clothing and home.
Don't leave wet fabrics in place. Dry them as soon as possible. Hang fur and
leather goods separately at room temperature. Otherwise, hang wet clothing on a
clothesline in the open air and sunshine to dry thoroughly and help prevent
mildew.
Remove the Soot
Before you can deodorize or clean fire-damaged clothing, you must remove the
soot. Soot is usually oily and can easily stain clothing. A professional fire
restorer will use a heavy-duty vacuum to remove soot. You can use a regular
vacuum cleaner nozzle by holding it slightly off (or above) the surface of the
item you're treating.
Deodorize
If not properly done, smoke odor will "set" into fabric. Professional fire
restorers and some dry cleaners use an ozone treatment or "counteractants" that
break up the smoke molecules to eliminate the odor. Most household deodorizing
products will work only temporarily and may simply mask smoke odor. Some may
even cause further damage.
For proper deodorizing at home:
Dissolve one cup of dishwashing detergent into one gallon of warm water.
Completely submerge items and let them soak all night in your washing machine or
bathtub. Rinse with clear water and dry.
For items that can be bleached (spot test colored items): Mix 4 to 6 tablespoons
trisodium phosphate (available at local paint or hardware stores) with one cup
of household chlorine bleach and 1 gallon of water. Completely submerge items
and let them soak all night in a stationary tub. Rinse with clear water and dry.
For items that can't be bleached, try an Odor Eliminator as a presoak to help
remove the smoke smell. Completely submerge items and let them soak all night in
your washing machine or bathtub. Rinse with clear water and dry.
Clean
For washable clothing, sort fire-damaged clothing as you would any soiled
clothing-by recommended care method, color and degree of soil. The majority of
your clothing will probably be cottons, polyesters and polyester/cotton blends
which you can most effectively launder with a bleach alternative. Most garments
can be cleaned after one to five washings.
Take all dry-cleanable clothing to a professional dry cleaner with soot and
smoke removal experience. You may also want to consult them regarding any
garments that you were unable to treat effectively on your own.
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