Fire Damage Cleaning & Restoration

You may see a solution of mild soap and water suggested for cleaning up fires - this would be a mistake.

When any surface affected by soot is wetted, it will begin to smear, stain and damage that surface, especially if painted or fabric. As soot is a dry substance, the initial process is simplified as follows:

• HEPA Vacuum with a suitable Cat H vacuum cleaner - this is a vacuum cleaned with a highly efficient filter which prevents soot re-entering the environment with the airflow from the vacuum.

• Dry-wiping with a suitable media, either soot sponges or cloths.

• Wet-wiping, when all visible soot is removed, to clean the surface in preparation for painting

This is complemented by:

• Odour elimination.

• Air purification.

At Specialist Cleaning, we have all of the equipment, materials and solutions on hand to clean up after any fire.

The primary risk with cleaning up after fires are carcinogens (cancer-causing agents), being inhaled or otherwise absorbed into the body via mucous membranes. Of course, there are also building structure risks, and the inherent risk of causing further damage.

Our teams are equipped with the tools and knowledge to clean up fires safely, wearing the correct PPE, using the correct equipment and knowledge, with the correct control measures in place for smoke inhalation.

When a fire occurs in a property, temperatures can quickly rise - a roaring fire with plenty of building materials and belongings to burn could reach 815 degrees Celsius. To extinguish this, the fire service will pump copious amounts of water into the property, extinguishing it.

With the fire out, the damage is obvious - soot covered walls, ceilings and floors, fire-damaged belongings and blown out windows.

What isn’t always obvious is that whilst much of the water will have turned to steam, or been absorbed into damaged items that will inevitably be discarded, the building’s fabric (walls, doors, ceilings, floors) will hold large volumes of water. In as little as two days, moisture-laden building materials can begin to fail: crumbling plasterboard, bowing floors and blowing paint. What’s more, large quantities of mould, much of which will be unseen within walls and behind skirting boards, can begin to grow.

To counteract this, Specialist Cleaning don’t just focus on the cleaning aspect, but also the building drying. Our teams are equipped with specialised tools to track where moisture has built up, so that a plan can be put in place to dry the building after the fire.

We are specialists in cleaning after situations or events that may pose ongoing risk to you, your family or clients.

We complete risk assessments and method statements before every assignment. Using specialised cleaning solutions and equipment, we remove all traces of soot, and decontaminate the air.

Any items damaged beyond repair (e.g. where items are damaged by fire, or porous items are affected by smoke damage) are disposed of in accordance with Environment Agency guidance, and all waste produced whilst cleaning is removed.

We provide a 24/7 service, and can arrange to visit the affected property in hours, putting a plan and quotation in place, ready to start the work as soon as possible.