Wildfires can cause a lot of damage to your home even after it has escaped its raging flames. Smoke and ash can travel for long distances within no time unleashing destruction in unimaginable proportions.
California wildfires have for a long time been a thorn in the flesh of many homeowners owing to the high number of times the area experiences such disasters. As a result, professional house cleaning has become a necessity every time such incidences occur to help minimize risks. Experts use specialized equipment and skills to inspect, test, clean and restore your home to its pre-exposure condition.
The cleaning work can be categorized into two. Structural and content cleaning. When cleaning your house after a wildfire, the following tips are vital in ensuring a thorough job regardless of whether you are the one doing it or it is being done by a cleaning firm:
- Structural cleaning involves cleaning on ceilings, walls, exteriors, attics, cabinets, doors, odor control, windows, debris removal, and high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) air filtration. Areas such as open windows, ventilation system, and attic can let in a lot of smoke and dust. Failure to thoroughly clean these areas can leave your home with smoke residue and odor.
- hange air filters in air conditioning units to remove soot residue and ash since airborne particles trapped will mix with fresh air polluting the quality of air in your house after cleaning.
- Dilute and flush the dried residue using firefighting foam residue mixed with a little detergent to wash it from the surface and then rinse using clean water. You can after that blow the surface using pressure washing to get rid of fine particles which might have been left during scrubbing.
- Dilute ash and smoke around your home for it to be absorbed by the ground since it will continue emitting smoke odors and microparticles that mix with the air when they come in contact with the wind. You can use high-efficiency particulate air filters in your home to reduce the health impact of airborne particles from the smoke and ash.
- Content cleaning involves cleaning of fixtures and furniture, appliances, and carpet cleaning. Items in your house will also suffer from ash and smoke and require to be cleaned.
- ash all clothing to remove dust particles that might have been left on the garment.
- Disinfect and deodorize curtains carpets, mattresses, upholstery, and furniture using steam to restore their luster and get rid of the acrid smell of the smoke. You should avoid using odor masking sprays since they are only useful for a short time. Smoke and ash from wildfires can cause significant health and property damage. Seeking professional help when cleaning your home after a wildfire helps restore your property’s aesthetic appeal and make it conducive for living. Leaving professionals to clean your house after wildfires help you have peace of mind. Some of the damage is not visible through naked eyes but will get worse if left unattended when it happens. It saves you money and treasured memories in and outside your house.