Call Us Today
(973) 835-4150

Our Family Serving Your Family For Over 50 Years

Avoid the health hazards of chemical soot removers with these tips

After a house fire – even a small one – you’ll be keen to remove the soot as soon as possible. Quite right, too, because soot is a health hazard. Soot particles are particularly hazardous to:

  • Pregnant women
  • People suffering from respiratory conditions
  • People with heart problems
  • Children
  • Older people with health issues

To clean soot effectively, you’ll need to know what the best soot cleaner is to use after a house fire. There are many chemical soot removers that will help you do a good job, and get rid of the soot before it does even more damage to your furniture, fixtures and fittings.

However, whichever chemical soot remover you use there is a health risk. It goes with the territory – chemicals and health don’t often combine well. So, what is the healthiest soot remover?

Is the healthiest soot remover in your laundry room?

Perhaps surprisingly, you are likely to find a healthy soot remover in your laundry room. Washing soda is a safe alternative to chemicals and solvents, and an excellent cleaning compound on lighter soot deposits. However, you should avoid using it on painted surfaces and aluminium, and only clean surfaces that are not easily damaged, such as stone, glass, and unpainted wood.

How do you use washing soda to remove soot?

As you would when using chemical cleaners, you should wear protective gear (goggles, face mask, gloves, etc.) and cover all unaffected surfaces.

Mix ½ a cup of washing soda into a gallon of warm water. Gently wash the surface, and rinse.

For harsher soot deposits, use more washing soda and less water. Add the water very slowly to the soda, mixing into a paste. Spread the paste on the affected area and leave it overnight, spraying it with water to prevent it from drying. Leave the paste overnight, and rinse in the morning.

Washing soda is a healthy soot remover, but not the healthiest

While washing soda is a healthy alternative to chemical soot removers, it is not the healthiest and certainly not the best. Washing soda has its limitations. There are many surfaces on which it shouldn’t be used, and it is only suitable for lighter soot deposits.

You will need to revert to specific chemicals and solvents to remove soot from different materials, and which soot remover also depends upon the type of soot you are dealing with.

The healthiest soot remover is experience combined with professional equipment and cleaning tactics. Methods needed to remove soot after a fire may include mechanical cleaning as well as chemical cleaning.

If you are the victim of a fire in NJ, contact Porter’s Cleaning. We’ll be happy to provide an estimate for the clean-up, and to discuss what chemicals and methods will be needed. We’ll make sure we do the job with the minimum of disruption and the maximum consideration to your health.

Error: Please complete all required fields!
loading... please wait.

We will never spam or share your email with 3rd parties, promise!

 

Comments

Comments RSS Feed Subscribe to our Comments RSS Feed
Comment Us!
The text to enter in the texbox below is: bM9Hn4
 
Your Comment:
 

Contact us today for a free estimate for carpet cleaning, mold removal, fire or flood restoration.

Call Us Today
(973) 835-4150