Soot on Your Belongings: What FEMA Says to Do and Not Do

The instinct is to start wiping. FEMA says that is the thing to resist.

FEMA says soot’s very fine particles stick to everything and every touch grinds it further into the item, and that soot and ash are abrasive and can scratch. The longer soot stays on an item, the harder it is to remove. Items exposed to both heat and water are even more fragile (FEMA).

FEMA says fire professionals only recommend salvaging cherished items that can be removed safely, without sifting through ashes, and that you should never try to salvage belongings at the expense of your own safety. It lists particulates, exposed asbestos, lead-containing building materials and chemical residues among the risks, and says mold may also be an issue where water was used and should not be inhaled (FEMA).

For protection it advises disposable nitrile or latex gloves, safety goggles, a long-sleeved shirt, long pants, sturdy shoes or boots, and an N95 mask or face covering (FEMA). Wait for the fire department to say the building is safe first; see what to do first after a fire.

• Lift carefully. Avoid weakened areas, for example by supporting ceramics from the base rather than the handles (FEMA).
• Wear gloves. The greasy residue in soot can be permanently fixed to absorbent surfaces by skin oils (FEMA).
• Go easy on blistered or lifting surfaces, such as paintings or photographs. Avoid placing pressure on them (FEMA).
• Support and store. Slide a sheet, board or plastic beneath fragile items to carry them, and use supportive boxes or plastic containers until you can get further advice (FEMA).
• Heat makes things brittle. Glass, ceramic and metal can become very brittle, and fabrics may look intact but fall apart (FEMA).

• No water and no cleaning solution. FEMA says water will drive soot and ash further into the surface until they are impossible to remove (FEMA).
• Vacuum first, as soon as possible. Use the lowest setting, or add smaller plastic tubes to reduce suction. FEMA prefers a vacuum with a HEPA filter (FEMA).
• Never vacuum wet or damp items. Wait until they are dry (FEMA).
• No brush, and no nozzle contact. Do not let the nozzle touch the surface (FEMA).
• Vacuum before opening. Vacuum all exposed surfaces before opening folded items such as textiles or books (FEMA).
• Soot sponges. For extra residue, FEMA says dry cleaning sponges can be used carefully on items robust enough for them (FEMA).

FEMA says shelved books may be charred on the outside but intact inside, so vacuum the edges before opening them, and not to worry if some charred bits come off. It says photograph album pages may be stuck together, and not to open them by force but to take them to a conservator for advice (FEMA).

FEMA says that if a precious item is badly damaged, a conservator may be able to help, and points to the American Institute for Conservation’s directory of peer-reviewed conservators, and to the National Heritage Responders, volunteer experts who offer advice by email (FEMA).

FEMA advises taking photographs of damaged items for insurance purposes and calling your insurance agent as soon as possible to file a claim (FEMA).

H&H Environmental has operated since 2005 and provides fire and smoke services including soot cleanup, contents cleaning, and contents storage. See fire and smoke services. This guide does not describe how those services are done and does not promise that any item can be cleaned. We work directly with your insurance carrier and provide documentation and direct billing for covered losses. Whether a loss is covered depends on your policy and the cause of the damage.

If mold is a concern, see mold services: on a New York mold project, H&H performs either the mold assessment or the mold remediation — never both on the same project.

H&H is based in Saugerties, in Ulster County, and focuses on eight New York counties. Call and tell us where the property is and what was affected, and we will confirm availability.