How to handle smoke and soot safely

Smoke travels farther than flames. The U.S. Fire Administration’s After the Fire guide notes that smoke can ruin things the fire never touched, and that soot and dirty water may contain things that could make you sick. So the way you clean matters as much as how fast you start.

Here is how we explain it to homeowners once the fire department has cleared the building. If it hasn’t, stay out, and call 911 for any fire, gas smell or emergency.

Is smoke and soot residue dangerous to breathe?

It can be. The EPA says the biggest health threat from smoke is fine particles, which get into your eyes and lungs and can make chronic heart and lung disease worse.

After a residential fire in the Bronx, New York City’s health department told residents that eye, nose and throat irritation during cleanup is common and usually short-term in healthy people. It also said lingering odors are a nuisance rather than a health risk. People with asthma, heart disease or COPD may see symptoms get worse, and anyone with shortness of breath or chest pain should see a doctor right away.

Who should stay out of the cleanup?

The EPA says people with heart or lung disease, older adults and pregnant women should not take part in ash cleanup, and children should stay away until the area is clean. CDC adds that children should not do any cleanup work. If you have heart or lung disease, talk with your doctor before using a respirator or working around ash.

EPA and CDC wrote that guidance for wildfire ash. The same precautions make sense for soot and ash inside a home after a house fire.

What protective gear do I need?

The EPA is specific that surgical masks and one-strap dust masks won’t protect your lungs, because they don’t seal to your face. It also warns that wet ash can cause skin irritation or chemical burns. Wash off any ash that gets on your skin or in your eyes or mouth as soon as you can.

How do I clean soot without spreading it?

1. Air the house out by opening windows and doors if the weather is dry, as the Red Cross advises.
2. Dampen before you wipe. NYC Health recommends gently wetting debris and dusty surfaces with soapy water from a spray bottle. The EPA says to mist hard surfaces, use as little water as you can, then wet mop.
3. Skip the broom and the leaf blower. The EPA advises against dry sweeping and dusting and says never to use a leaf blower.
4. Use a HEPA vacuum. AirNow’s ash fact sheet explains that household and shop vacuums can put ash back into the air.
5. Wash walls the Red Cross way. Use a mild soap or detergent and clean one small area at a time, working from the floor up. Rinse right away, wash ceilings last, and wait until everything is completely dry before repainting (Red Cross).
6. Handle strong cleaners carefully. The Red Cross notes that trisodium phosphate (TSP), a cleaning product it suggests for soot, is caustic. Read the label and keep it away from children and pets. Mixing household cleaning products can also create toxic fumes.
7. Bag the debris. Tie it securely in garbage bags.
8. Clean yourself before you leave. Wash your hands and face before eating, and change clothes and shoes before getting into your car or walking into a clean space.

What can I save, and what should I throw away?

• Throw out food, drinks and medicine exposed to heat, smoke or soot, the Red Cross says.
• Wash and keep clothing, bedding and drapes that can be thoroughly laundered, and clean hard items like glass, ceramics, wood and metal (EPA). Test any fabric before treating it, as the Red Cross advises.
• Ask about upholstered furniture. The EPA says lightly soiled pieces may be cleanable.
• Replace drywall and insulation soaked by fire hose water. The Red Cross says to consult a professional, because it can’t be dried and still keep its strength and resistance to mold.
• Discard anything that can’t be properly cleaned (NYC Health).

When residue covers a whole room or more, belongings can be moved out and cleaned separately while the house is restored. That is our contents pack-out and cleaning service.

How do I get rid of the smoke smell?

Start with the source. NYC Health says cleaning soft materials like rugs, clothes and fabric furniture helps remove smoke odor, and that the smell can take several weeks to fade. Opening windows an inch or two helps air the home out.

For the air itself, the EPA suggests a high-efficiency furnace filter such as MERV 13, or the highest rating your system can take, and a portable air cleaner sized for the room that does not produce ozone. Ask an HVAC technician which filter fits your system. The EPA mentions duct cleaning when particles blow out of the supply registers.

Be careful with ozone machines. The EPA says ozone can damage the lungs, is not effective at removing many odor-causing chemicals at safe levels, and is not approved by any federal agency for use in occupied spaces. When ozone is used in an empty building after a fire, EPA says no person or pet should be exposed.

Does an older Chicago home change the plan?

It can. Chicago has more than 80,000 bungalows, which WBEZ describes as homes built between 1910 and 1940. The EPA estimates that 87 percent of homes built before 1940 likely contain lead-based paint. If cleanup or repairs involve scraping, sanding or removing painted surfaces, EPA warns that work disturbing paint in older buildings can create large amounts of lead dust. For paid work that disturbs paint in pre-1978 housing where young children are routinely present, federal law requires lead-safe certified firms.

Asbestos is the other concern. You can’t tell whether a material contains asbestos by looking at it, and the EPA says not to dust, sweep or vacuum debris that may contain it. Repair or removal of damaged material should be done by a trained, accredited asbestos professional.

When to call a restoration company

Call us when soot covers more than a surface or two, when drywall or insulation is wet, when smoke has reached the furnace or ductwork, or when your home is old enough that lead paint or asbestos is possible. The IICRC S700 standard for fire and smoke damage restoration covers this kind of work, including HVAC systems and contents.

A person answers 24/7. We ask what happened and whether the fire department has cleared the building. Then we send a crew to assess the residue and start smoke and soot cleanup. We photograph and document every room and item for your insurance company.

If you smell gas, see smoke or have any emergency, leave and call 911 first. When everyone is safe, contact us.