How To Clean Fire Damaged Walls

• How does fire damage walls?
• The dangers of fire damaged walls
• Why you should not clean fire damaged walls yourself
• You must bring in professional fire damage cleaners
• What you should do after a fire
• Get in touch

After a house fire, you will be left with a huge mess to clean up, from burnt and melted possessions to smoke damage. But removing the soot and ash left behind is not as easy as wiping down surfaces or airing out the property.

Here at ICE Cleaning, we offer emergency response fire damage cleaning services. Our fully qualified technicians can remove soot and ash, dispose of any waste, and neutralise lingering smoke odours. We have teams stationed across the country who are available day and night, 365 days a year.

Keep reading to find out how to remove fire and smoke damage from your walls.

How does fire damage walls?

The average house fire can burn at a temperature of 600°C. House fires can damage many building materials including concrete, brick, timber, and stone. The entire structure of your home could be compromised after a fire, including the walls, floors, and fixtures.

Walls can also get smoke damaged, and be coated in soot and ash during a fire. These tiny particles are carried by smoke and are very dangerous to be exposed to.

Ash and soot are acidic and react with and stain surfaces. They usually leave behind greasy, black and yellow streaks, and can even cause permanent damage to surfaces if not removed quickly. Fire might discolour paint and turn it yellow, as well.

The dangers of fire damaged walls

You may assume that after a fire has been extinguished your property is safe. But staying in a fire and smoke damaged property can put your health at risk.

Smoke particles are toxic and often consist of carbon monoxide, tar, soot, and other harmful chemicals. They can cause a range of problems including:

• Skin and eye irritation
• Carbon monoxide poisoning
• Respiratory problems
• Bronchitis and asthma
• Cancer

If your walls were compromised by fire damage, they could also collapse on top of you or other residents.

Why you should not clean fire damaged walls yourself

Being in a property with fire and smoke damage is hazardous. Cleaning it up yourself will bring you in much closer contact with the toxic particles and means you are more likely to inhale them.

You will require a range of specialist cleaning products like dry sponges and HEPA vacuums when cleaning smoke damaged walls, too. Without them, you cannot remove all traces of the soot and ash and could leave behind a dangerous environment.

Another challenge is cleaning the entire wall thoroughly. Depending on the size of the walls, you may require a ladder to reach all of it, and smoke damage can be concealed in crevices or behind furniture.

You must bring in professional fire damage cleaners

They will have the personal protective equipment (PPE) like face masks, gloves, and aprons to safely clean up all the soot and ash.

Professionals will also be trained in how to quickly and thoroughly clean your home, and know the best ways to clean smoke damaged walls. Their expertise can give you peace of mind that your property is safe again.

They can save you spending on expensive equipment, too, as they already have the specialist products and tools required to tackle soot and ash, and neutralise odours.

What you should do after a fire

Firstly, if you or another resident feels unwell, seek medical attention. Do not go enter the property if you have breathing problems, allergies, or asthma until the air quality is safe.

Should you live in rented accommodation, get in touch with your landlord. You can find out more about who is responsible for cleaning up fire damage in a rented property in this blog.

Then, contact your insurance company if you have insurance. Check that your policy covers your situation, start making a record of any damaged property and possessions, keep receipts of any work undertaken, and get quotes for any building works and redecoration.

Next, bring in professional fire damage cleaners, like ICE Cleaning’s technicians, to remove all the fire and smoke damage. There may be water damage from fire fighters extinguishing the fire, so you might need to contact specialist cleaners to dry out your home.

Don’t turn on your gas, electricity, or water supply until a qualified engineer has confirmed it is safe. You should also have any prescription medicines disposed of by a chemist, and any food and drink exposed to heat or smoke thrown out. You can find out more about what to do following a fire here.

Get in touch

Our fast, reliable technicians can quickly restore your property and prevent permanent damage to your home and possessions. In an emergency, they can be on site in a matter of hours.

Contact our team today on 0208 066 0360 or at enquiries@icecleaning.co.uk for a free site survey and no obligation quote for our fire cleaning services.