3 Things to Toss After a House Fire

10/7/2019 (Permalink)

Personal products that have come in close contact with a house fire should be disposed of

3 Things to Toss After a House Fire

After a house fire in Weedville, AZ, home owners may struggle with the process of cleaning-up and discarding ruined belongings. While some damaged items hold sentimental value, others are of material worth. Although it may feel wasteful to dispose of these common household items, the following three things should always go in the throw away pile during the fire restoration process.

1. Consumables

Food exposed to a house fire is more than likely to be contaminated. Whether stored in a pantry or in the refrigerator, fire pollution can usually find its way through sealed packaging and appliance doors. Common fire contaminants that make your food inedible might include these:

• Unsafe temperatures
  
• Smoke exposure
  
• Water permeation
  
• Contact with fire retardants
  
  

2. Medicines and Makeup

During a severe house fire, high heat can come in contact with everyday items around your home. As you clean out debris and damaged goods, think twice about saving anything in your medicine cabinet. If the heat from the fire came in contact with medications in your home, their chemical composition may have been compromised. Likewise, makeup can be melted or exposed to toxic fumes during a house fire. This makes them unsafe for contact with your skin. While it may feel like a big loss to throw out all of your toiletries, your safety is more important and should not be risked.

3. Other Cosmetics

While you may not want to hear it, most cosmetics that have come in close contact with a house fire should be disposed of. Cosmetic packaging is often made of plastic. When fire damage melts or singes packaging, it can make the products themselves unsafe to use. Throw away any items that have ash, soot, or firefighting chemicals on the packaging including the following:

• Lotions
  
• Shampoos
  
• Perfumes
  
• Toothpaste
  
• Mouthwash
  
  

As you take-on the fire restoration process, keep safety at the forefront of your clean-up efforts. Always throw away these three items to ensure that safety continues to be a priority.