Salvage Hints

Check with your insurance company before starting.

Blowing Rock Fire Department does its utmost to secure your property after a fire. We remove as much water and debris as possible and try to salvage undamaged property. We also use tarps and plastic to cover ventilation openings in the roof, broken windows and to cover furniture.

Smoke and toxic particles need to be removed for anything taken out of a fire. Below are some hints to help clean some items. There is professional fire, smoke and water damage companies that may be a good source of cleaning and restoration of your personal belongings. Look under Fire or Water in your local yellow pages. Dehumidifiers work well to remove the water from within a house's walls, floor, ceiling and furnishings. You will need more than one to cope with a reasonable amount of water.

Photographs

Photographs are one of the most important belongings. With care, photographs not burned, can be preserved from smoke and water damage if you follow these steps.

• Do not try to peel apart photographs that have stuck together.
• Soak the photos in clear, clean water and rinse carefully and thoroughly
• Let stuck photographs separate on their own.
• After each photo separates dry it on a counter top with good ventilation or hang up with small clips. Do not rub or touch the photos while wet. If the photos are allowed to stay damp they can mold.
• If you have numerous wet photos, place them in a Ziploc bag and freeze them. Thaw the pictures and wash them a few at a time.

Clothing

Some clothing can be salvaged from smoke damage. The following formula will often work for clothing that can be bleached:

• 4-6 teaspoons trisodium phosphate (can be purchased in paint stores)
• 1 cup Lysol or any household chlorine bleach
• 1 gallon warm water

Mix well, add clothes, and rinse with clean water, dry well.

To remove mildew, wash the fresh stain with soap and water. Then rinse and dry in the sun. If the stain isn't gone, use lemon juice and salt, or a diluted solution of household chlorine bleach.

Leather

For smoke and water damaged leather goods, wipe with a damp cloth, then with a dry cloth. Pack purses and shoes with newspapers to retain their shape. Dry leather away from heat and sun. Clean with saddle soap. You can use steel wool or a suede brush on suede. Rinse leather and suede jackets in cold water and hang to dry.

An effective way to remove mildew from clothing is to wash the fresh stain with soap and warm water, rinse, and then dry in the sun. If the stain has not disappeared, use lemon juice and salt or a diluted solution of household chlorine bleach.

Cooking Utensils

Cookware and table settings should be washed with soapy water, rinsed and then polished with a fine-powdered cleaner.

Electrical Appliances

Electrical appliances exposed to water or steam should not be used until you have a service representative check them. If the fire department turned off your power during the fire, call the city or county building inspector prior to calling the electric company. Often a licensed electrician must make repairs before service can be restored

Rugs and Carpets

Rugs and carpets should be allowed to dry thoroughly. Throw rugs can be cleaned by vacuuming and shampooing. Rugs should be dried as quickly as possible - lay them flat and expose them to a circulation of a fan that will speed the drying. ‘

Curtains

Some heavy smoke odor and discoloration may be removed from sheets, pillowcases and towels by presoaking in warm suds for several hours, or dry cleaning first to loosen heavy oil-based soot.

Smoke-damaged fabrics laundered by using liquid detergent and the combination of powder laundry detergent and bleach are most effective in removing smoke damage.

Walls, Floors and Furniture

Use a mild soap or detergent to remove soot and smoke from walls, furniture and floors. Be sure to rinse your walls and furniture with clear warm water and dry thoroughly after washing them.

Wash a small area of wall at one time, working from the floor up. Then rinse the wall with clear water immediately. Ceilings should be washed last. If the weather allows, open windows and use a fan to circulate air.

Wood Furniture

Wet wood can decay and mold, so clean off debris and dry thoroughly. Open doors and windows for good ventilation. Turn on your furnace or air conditioner, if necessary. Do not dry your furniture in the sun. The wood will warp and twist out of shape. If mold forms, wipe the wood with a cloth soaked in a mixture of borax dissolved in hot water.

Remove drawers and let them dry thoroughly so there will be no sticking when you replace them.

Scrub wood furniture or fixtures with a stiff brush and a cleaning solution.

To remove white spots or film, rub the wood surface with a cloth soaked in a solution of 1/2-cup household ammonia and 1/2 cup water. Then wipe the surface dry and polish with wax or rub the surface with a cloth soaked in a solution of 1/2-cup turpentine and 1/2 cup linseed oil. Be careful - turpentine is combustible. Please remember, oily rags can start fires by spontaneous combustion. You do not want another fire. Put all used rags in an airtight metal container like a paint can and place outside away from your home.

You can also rub the wood surface with a fine grade steel wool pad dripped in liquid polishing wax, clean the area with a soft cloth and then buff.

Books

Place wet books on end with pages separated. Then pile books and press to prevent the pages from crinkling. Alternating drying and pressing will help prevent mildew until the books are thoroughly dry. A fan will help them dry. If your books are very damp, sprinkle cornstarch between the pages, leave for several hours, then brush off.

Money

Handle burned or damaged money as little as possible. Attempt to encase each bill or portion of a bill in plastic wrap for preservation. If half or more of the money is still intact you can take the remainder to your regional Federal Reserve Bank for replacement. Ask your bank for the nearest one.

Mutilated or melted coins can be taken to your regional Federal Reserve Bank.

If your U.S. Savings Bonds have been destroyed or mutilated, you must obtain Department of Treasury Form PD F 1048 (I) from your bank or www.ustreas.gov