When in doubt, throw it out!

9/10/2019 (Permalink)

After you have a fire in your home, there are a few things that may seem salvageable that you should throw away and vice versa. Here is a list of hous

Non-Perishable Food

Depending on where the fire is in relation to your kitchen is a big factor. If you had a fire in a separate area of the home, there may be little to no damage. Extreme heat can also be a factor because canned food and other non-perishable items can go bad when they have contacted high temperatures. When it comes to food, you do not want to assume that anything is safe to eat. If ANY items have soot, fire extinguisher dust or heat, go ahead and consider the food contaminated and don’t eat it.

Perishable Food

If your refrigerator wasn’t affected in the fire, and has a good airtight seal, then your perishable foods may be safe to eat. If the refrigerator was damaged by the fire, everything that was inside it is NOT safe for consumption and should be discarded. If your fridge is left at room temperature for too long, the food inside will go bad. If the inside of the fridge smells smoky, throw everything in the fridge away.  

Makeup and Medicines

These items may or may not be affected depending on where the fire was located. Inspect these items for signs of heat, fire extinguisher dust, soot and any other contaminants. If you doubt whether or not to keep an item, toss it. Contaminated makeup is not safe for your skin and can cause breakouts. Contaminated medicine can be very dangerous and without having a way to test it, it should not be consumed.

Clothing and Textiles

If you have any cloth items that are burnt, obviously they can’t be restored to preloss condition and should be discarded. Other items that haven’t been burned might smell like smoke and can be salvaged. A simple wash in the laundry is typically not enough to remove smoke odor from your garments. SERVPRO has an ozone machine that we use to remove the smoky odors from your textiles. This can be used on anything from clothing, to bedding and curtains. The ozone machine is the best and most efficient way to make sure that the smoke odor is gone. Be sure to use strict judgment when determining children/babies items. When in doubt it, throw it out!

SERVPRO of Fayetteville/Springdale should be your first choice for any residential or commercial restoration needs. Our team of professionals is trained to assess the damage and potential threats, extract and contain the affected area, dry, and restore your property to preloss condition. 

SERVPRO of Fayetteville/Springdale is available 24/7 by calling 479-318-6774.

For more about SERVPRO of Fayetteville/Springdale, click here.