A home fire can cause panic and create a lot of trauma and ordeal for everyone involved.
You may face restoration problems you have never faced before when you return to your home after the disaster has passed. Your home’s structural and operational integrity must be a priority. It would be best if you also assured that children, adults, and pets are well-taken care of during and after the fire.
Knowing how to get soot out of clothes and cleaning up smoke smells from fabrics is the most critical aspect of fire cleanup. Even a small fire can cause a lingering odor that is difficult to remove.
Fortunately, there are some do-it-yourself (DIY) procedures that you can try to remove soot from your clothes. But first, we need to understand what we are dealing with.
What is Soot
Soot is made up of chemicals, metals, and acids. It leaves a blackish residue and has an unpleasant odor. Soot can attach itself to surfaces and spread to other areas of the house during a fire. If the soot isn’t removed quickly, it can cause further damage to the property and its indoor air quality.
What are the Damaging Effects of Soot
Even a small fire can cause clothes to become stained or smell like smoke. Do note it should be a priority to know how to get the smoke smell out of clothes and remove soot from clothes immediately because letting it linger around can harm your health.
Here are some ways soot or ash can affect your home or business after a fire.
- Stains of soot and ash
- Odor caused by embedded soot
- Metal corrosion
- Toxic contaminants
- Eye and skin irritation
- Respiratory illnesses
How to Get Rid of Soot in your Clothes
Before washing smoke-damaged clothes with ash and soot stains in your dryer or washer, it’s vital that you first treat them. If you wash it immediately after a fire, you risk spreading soot through your clothing. Moreover, you should avoid using fabric conditioner on these clothes as they can worsen their odors.
If washing and cleaning your clothes that were severely damaged with soot and smoke would be a burden on you, it’s advisable to have them cleaned by professional fire restoration cleaners. This will ensure soot stain removal and safety of your items and the preservation of your health.
However, if only a few items were affected and the damage is not severe, you can use these steps to remove soot from your clothes after a fire.
- Get rid of as much soot from your clothes as you can. Go outside and shake off as much ash and soot. To remove the soot from clothing, you can use a handheld vacuum to clean it.
- Remove smoke odor. Seal items with baking soda overnight to seal them. You can try pre-soaking with a cup of distilled white vinegar with warm water. Then place the garment in the sink or washbasin for 30-60 minutes.
- Wash your clothes. When you successfully remove the soot and the smell. It is now time to wash them. You should review the garment care label guidelines to ensure that the item isn’t intended to be dry-cleaned only. Next you should ensure that soot oils are extracted by washing smoke-damaged clothes with heavy detergent at least two to three times.
- Dry your clothes. To ensure that it will eliminate smoke odors and soot, it would be best to air dry your clothes. Moreover, to reduce the risk of mold spores, ensure that items are completely dry and have been exposed to the sun.
How to Dry Clean Smoke and Soot Damaged Clothes
You might be afraid that dry cleaning smoke-damaged clothing will never eliminate the smoke odor and soot. Fortunately, it can be eliminated if you take them to a dry cleaner. However, if you want to try to do it yourself, it’s possible. Some dry-clean-only garments can be washed, but you can also use home dry-cleaning products sold in the supermarkets for best results. With proper odor-removal techniques, you can try it in the comforts of your home.
Step 1: Hang your clothes indoors.
Hang your dry cleaning smoke-damaged clothing in a small space such as a bathroom or laundry room. Place the clothes near three to four small bowls of white vinegar. Cover the room with a sheet of plastic and close the doors overnight.
Step 2: Hang to dry outdoors.
Hang your clothes outside in the sun, preferably in a sunny area. Leave the clothes outside for a few days. If you are concerned about the clothes fading from the sunlight, hang them in a shaded part.
Step 3:Dry it dry cleaning kit.
Dry the garment using a dry cleaning kit at home. Follow the instructions on the dryer Put the garment in a large bag with solvent paper, seal it and place it in the dryer. .
Step 4: Steam the clothes.
Use a handheld steamer to steam the clothes. Steaming can set stains, so use a dry-cleaning kit at home first.
Step 5: If it doesn’t work, opt for this last step.
If all else fails, you can wash cotton, linen, and wool by hand. Use cold water and a detergent formulated to eliminate strong odors, such as an oxygen bleach-containing detergent. If you are unsure whether you can wash an item, you can check the clothes care label attached to the clothes.
Conclusion
Although it may seem impossible to put the pieces back together after a fire, there are small steps that you can take. It is important to remember that clothes are an integral part of your identity. Therefore, it is crucial to take immediate steps to restore your clothes following a fire.
Nothing is Impossible to Get Rid of with Kelly’s Dry Cleaners.
Suppose you’re suffering from fire soot and smoke damage, especially with your clothing. Then knowing how to get soot out of your clothes must be your utmost concern. You might have tried doing it yourself but still failed. Let fire damage restoration in Farmington, NM, do the job for you. With our years of expertise in dealing with fire-damaged items, you won’t have to worry about your clothes. Reach out to us today and let our team do what we do best.
