Cleaning Hardwood Floors of Commercial Buildings After A Fire in the Rose Hill/Fort Hunt Area

6/4/2021 (Permalink)

A fire is never fun or particularly "easy" to deal with, however a fire in a commercial building can often come with their own specific sets of obstacles. Today we'll be examining how a damage restoration company would approach a commercial building damage job, and give you some insight as to why you should probably call a professional even if the damage doesn't seem severe.

Water Damage Assessment

Many people don't realize this, but after a fire, smoke and fire damages aren't the only forms of damage a commercial building will sustain. Because of the use of fire hoses to put out the fire, water damage is EXTREMELY common after a commercial building fire.

A professional damage restoration company will need to assess the water damage first to address any immediate damage. If the building and its contents aren't professionally dried out in the first 24-48 hours after a fire the building runs the risk of developing mold.

Fire/Smoke Damage Assessment

After the initial water damage, the restoration professionals with asses the extent of the fire and smoke damage. In this case we're looking specifically at hardwood floors so the specialists will be looking for burned or scorched wood flooring that will likely need to be replaced.

Some wood floors will be able to be salvaged by being sanded down if the burn isn't too deep or if the damage is primarily smoke or soot stained.

Cleaning Hardwood Floors

While the damage restoration professionals will be using specialized equipment to quickly restore and repair the fire damaged flooring, if you're interested in learning how to do it yourself read the following instructions:

Combine 1/2 cup of vinegar with 1 gallon of warm water and use a soft cloth to rub the floors in a circular motion. After applying the solution, use a dry, soft cloth to immediately dry the floor. After the floor has been cleaned allow it to dry out completely and apply a layer of wax as recommended for your specific type of hardwood flooring.

Depending on the extent of the damage, cleaning it yourself can take hours, and without years of professional expertise, you'll likely spend time trying to clean flooring that's too damaged to be cleaned.

This is why it is important to call a professional fire and smoke damage restoration company after a commercial building fire!

If you have suffered through a commercial building fire, please give SERVPRO of Rose Hill/Fort Hunt a call at (703) 665-7420.