Every fire leaves two problems: what burned, and where the smoke went. The second is usually bigger. Smoke travels on heat and air currents through a house in minutes, settling as soot on every horizontal surface, inside cabinets and closets, behind pictures, into textiles and insulation, and through the duct system into rooms the fire never touched. Cleaning it properly is the bulk of most fire restoration jobs.
Residue decides everything
Restoration follows the IICRC S700 standard for fire and smoke damage, which begins with identifying the type of residue, because each cleans differently. Dry smoke from fast, hot fires of wood and paper is powdery and lifts with dry methods. Wet smoke from smoldering plastics, foam and rubber is sticky and pungent and needs degreasers; wiped with water, it smears into the surface. Protein residue from kitchen fires is a nearly invisible, greasy film with a strong odor that discolors finishes. Fuel-oil soot from furnace puff-backs and fireplaces is oily and travels through the ducts. Most real fires produce a combination, and the crew tests surfaces room by room.
The sequence
Dry before wet, top before bottom, unaffected areas protected first. HEPA vacuuming and dry chemical sponges remove loose soot from ceilings, walls, trim and contents. Then wet cleaning with agents matched to the residue: alkaline cleaners for acidic soot, degreasers for wet and protein smoke, corrosion inhibitors on metals and fixtures. Surfaces that cannot be cleaned to standard, insulation, some drywall, carpet pad, come out and are listed. Clean surfaces that will be painted are sealed with an odor-blocking primer so smell does not bleed through the new finish. The HVAC system is cleaned and filters replaced. Odor is treated at the source, which has its own page.
Rooms the fire did not reach
Smoke penetration is usually house-wide and often reaches the attic and crawl space. Closets, drawers, cabinets, the inside of the dishwasher, the backs of pictures and the top of every door are checked. A good cleanup treats the house, not the room that burned.
Electronics, glass and metal
Soot corrodes circuit boards and etches glass and chrome quickly. Electronics are not powered on until inspected and are cleaned or sent for evaluation; glass, fixtures and appliances get corrosion inhibitors early. These are among the first items on the first day.
Testing the result
Cleaning is checked by sight, by white-glove wipe tests on representative surfaces and by smell after the house has been closed up. Where an insurer or owner wants it, third-party testing for residual particulate is arranged.
On the claim
Soot cleanup is billed by the square foot by cleaning method, with removals itemized, in an Xactimate estimate your adjuster can review line by line, and billed directly to your insurer on covered claims. Your deductible applies as your policy states.
