What To Do About Your Smoke Damaged Furniture

2/18/2023 (Permalink)

After the fire has been extinguished and it is safe to go inside your home, it’s time to figure out what is salvageable. For most furniture, it is possible to restore them if they were not damaged too much by the fire, however, before trying to clean them off, be sure that your house has good ventilation by opening doors and windows. If the weather is decent, bringing the furniture outside to clean them off may be a better bet.

An important note is to remember to wear protective equipment such as face masks and gloves when cleaning the furniture, as there could be a lot of soot and smoke particles released during your cleaning process. If this is breathed in, it will affect your respiratory system. However, if you’re unsure of what to do, we recommend calling a fire restoration specialist like SERVPRO.

If you’re looking for some advice on what to do about your smoke damaged furniture, we’ve provided some information below that could help. In addition to this, we can help bring your pre-fire damaged home back to life with our skilled technicians and staff.

Leather Furniture

• When dealing with leather, the leather must not get too wet during the cleaning process and you have to be gentle as leather material can be scratched easily.
• Use the flat brush attachment to vacuum up the smoke and soot particles. Hold it above the surface instead of directly onto the leather furniture to prevent scratches.
• Gently wipe down and clean the furniture using a soft cloth and leather cleaner.
• Afterward, mix equal parts of vinegar and water to make a solution. Use a different cloth to wipe the furniture using the solution. Vinegar helps to deodorize the smoke smell.
• Wipe down the leather furniture using water. If the smoke smell persists, sprinkle baking soda onto the entire surface of the furniture and let it sit overnight.
• Vacuum the baking soda using the flat brush attachment the next day and repeat this process if necessary.

Wood Furniture

• Use the flat brush attachment to vacuum up the soot or you could also use a duster to do so.
• Afterward, use a dry chemical sponge to remove soot embedded in the grain. Wipe down the furniture and move the rag along the grain to prevent scratches.
• Let the furniture sit for a few minutes before wiping it with a damp cloth.
• After letting it dry, use a high-quality wood conditioner or polish to restore the wood finish on your furniture. Make sure to follow the instructions on the product used.

Fabric Covered Furniture

The fibers present in fabric furniture are very efficient in trapping smoke and soot particles. If left uncleaned, these particles could gradually be released and pollute the air.

• To clean fabric furniture, use the flat brush attachment to vacuum up the soot.
• Sprinkle baking soda into the entire surface of the furniture and let it sit for 24 hours.
• Vacuum up the baking soda and repeat this process.
• Remove any removable covers and wash them in cold water using a detergent that is specially designed to remove smoke odor and vinegar.
• Hang the covers outdoors to speed up the drying process and remove any odors.
• Lastly, you should spray the fabric furniture with a product designed to deodorize smoke-damaged fibers.

We hope these tips helped! If you need fire damage restoration for your home, reach out to SERVPRO of West Somerset County. We’re available 24/7 and consist of highly trained fire restoration technicians that are ready to help anytime, anywhere.

About SERVPRO Team Harvey
SERVPRO of Lower Manhattan is proudly owned by Lance and Jennifer Harvey - a husband and wife duo that owns three other SERVPRO locations, including SERVPRO of Lower Manhattan, SERVPRO of Hoboken/Union City, and SERVPRO of Aberdeen/Holmdel.

We understand the stress and worry that comes with a fire or water damage and the disruption it causes your home or business. Our goal is to help minimize the interruption to your life and quickly make it “like it never even happened.”