What to Throw Away After Smoke Damage?

4 min read

Dealing with smoke damage after a fire can be incredibly distressing and overwhelming for all involved. Figuring out how to pick up the pieces can be difficult, especially when you’re unsure where to start.

Eventually, you have to salvage your belongings and decide what to throw away after smoke damage affects some of these items. This is usually an immense task, so we recommend leaving the job to professional restoration technicians as they restore your property. However, to help you handle the situation in the most effective way, here’s a list of items we recommend disposing of.

Which Items Should You Dispose Of After a Fire?

While some items are unaffected during a fire or need minimal repairs and cleaning, there are some items that are non-negotiably disposed of. Restoration technicians know the best practices for cleaning smoke damage, but here is a list of what to throw away regardless of its condition.

1. Food and Beverages

The high heat and chemicals released during a fire can alter the composition of canned goods, sealed containers, and items covered in plastic, making them unsafe to consume. Perishable food like produce can absorb smoke particles and become contaminated. Additionally, if your property has lost power for an extended period, we recommend disposing of everything in the refrigerators and freezers.

2. Medicine and Cosmetics

Smoke particles can contaminate your cosmetics, while the fire’s heat can alter your products’ composition. This could lead to adverse reactions or, at the very least, no longer have potent ingredients that make them effective. It’s best to discard all of these and have them replaced.

3. Fabric-Based Materials

Consider disposing of linens, clothing, carpets, rugs, upholstered furniture, and other fabrics, especially if they’ve had direct exposure to fire and smoke damage. Even if they don’t have any fire damage, they can absorb smoke odors and require specialized cleaning to remove them effectively. For your health and safety, it’s best to replace these.

4. Plastic-Based Items

Plastic items exposed to high temperatures can release toxic substances and melt. In addition to its unpleasant odor, it also tends to absorb smoke and soot. Although it looks physically unharmed, we recommend throwing plastic items and items with plastic packaging.

5. Toys and Baby Items

For your baby or young child’s health and safety, it’s best to discard any of their belongings with fabrics or plastics, including their toys, car seats, strollers, and clothes. These are all either porous or can absorb harmful substances from the smoke and soot. To guarantee your child’s safety, it’s best to dispose of everything and replace these.

6. Electronics

If your electronics were directly exposed to fire and smoke, it’s more practical to dispose of them. The smoke and heat exposure can lead to irreparable damage that can cause the devices to short circuit. Additionally, disposing of affected electronics reduces the risk of electric shock, injuries, or fires.

7. Documents and Paper-Based Items

Due to smoke absorption, paper items, such as books, magazines, and photographs, can be challenging to salvage. It’s best to dispose of these items unless they hold sentimental or significant value. Your bank or local government office can easily replace documents such as birth certificates, bank statements, and other records. Additionally, some documents are considered invalid when damaged.

How Can Restoration Technicians Help With Salvaging?

After a fire, restoration technicians can help bring your property back to its pre-damaged state. They know the best practices to get the job done, such as how to clean smoke damage or how to clean fire smoke off walls.

However, did you know that some restoration companies handle salvaging your belongings? Fires are devastating, and having to sift through the remaining debris can be an emotionally challenging task. Instead of determining whether or not to throw away your belongings, your restoration technicians can handle the task for you.

Trust Restoration 1 of Hartford County To Salvage Your Belongings

Deciding what to throw away after smoke damage can be incredibly challenging and emotional. However, prioritizing your safety and well-being should always be at the forefront of your decision-making. In this case, leaving the salvage operations to your professional restoration company is the safest option.

At Restoration 1 of Hartford County, we prioritize your health, safety, and well-being by handling the daunting task of sorting your belongings for you. We’re ready to take on the bulk of restoring your property so that you can focus on the more important aspects of picking up the pieces after this devastating disaster.

Call Restoration 1 of Hartford County at (860) 606-3916 to schedule our services.