How Are Belongings Saved After a Fire?

Experiencing a house fire can be a traumatic experience. Although you want to salvage all your valuables, you may need to throw away several items. Even a minor kitchen fire can cause significant smoke and soot damage. 

Continue reading to learn more about how house fires can be destructive. 

Accept What You Can’t Control

After a fire, some people can retrieve some of their undamaged belongings. Typically, you can make arrangements with your city’s fire department and your home or apartment’s management. Unfortunately, that’s not always the case because you may not be able to enter the building if there was extreme damage. 

Although you understandably want to save all your valuables, it’s best if you manage your expectations. In today’s blog, we will explore which items you should either salvage or throw away. 

Items You Can Salvage After a Fire

The easiest items you can save after a fire are hard, non-porous ones. As a rule of thumb, you should never keep burnt, charred, melted, or unsafe belongings. Here are a few items you may be able to save after a fire:

• Metal: Although metals are prone to staining, they can usually withstand major fire damage. Fortunately, you can clean your metal items with vinegar and dish soap. Sand and paint your metals afterward to keep them looking new.
• Glass: Glass is typically resilient to fires. Even if it’s stained, you can get away with cleaning them using a mix of dish soap and vinegar. Alternatively, you can soak your glass belongings in a bowl of white vinegar mixed with baking soda to restore their shine.
• Hardwood floors: Unless there’s extreme charring or burn marks, you can almost always salvage wooden floors after a fire. Clean your floors with oil soap and sand them as necessary.