It’s all a blur. 

You ran home on your lunch break to throw together a pot of chili for tonight’s supper. You were sure you’d turned off the stove before heading out the door — but the stench of burned chili arresting your senses when you arrived back home told a different story.

Now you’re faced with sticky, stinky soot covering every surface of your kitchen. Where do you even start to clean up the mess?

A kitchen fire can cause enormous damage, and it may feel like you’ll never get your kitchen and home back to their original state. 

But there’s hope. 

We dig into how to recover from a home kitchen fire, including who you can call to get the clean-up job done right.

 

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Table of Contents

 

How To Recover From a Home Kitchen Fire: 3 Important Steps To Take

 

#1: Take Precautions

The best way to deal with home kitchen fire recovery is to keep it from happening in the first place. 

Here are a few tips to help you avoid a home kitchen fire:  

  • Install a smoke detector in your kitchen.
  • Stay in the kitchen when you’re cooking.
  • Keep an eye on cooking food to make sure it doesn’t start to burn or boil over
  • Use the right-sized pot or pan for the burner.
  • Don’t overload your electrical outlets by plugging too many appliances into one outlet. And be cautious of using extension cords in the kitchen.
  • Keep flammable materials away from the stove. Items such as potholders, paper towels, curtains, oven mitts, and plastic containers can easily catch on fire. 
  • Keep your oven and stove free from a build-up of grease and oil.
  • Don’t store things like dish soap or cooking oil near the stove.

 

#2: Assess the Damage

While you may want to jump in and begin to clean up immediately following a home kitchen fire, it is not advisable. 

Instead, before cleaning or even moving anything in your kitchen, follow these steps:

  1. Call your insurance company right away. They will be able to send an agent out to assess the damage and help you file your claim ASAP.
  2. Take pictures of the damage. Capturing every detail of what happened and creating a list of everything that was damaged in the fire will help to support any insurance claims you make. 

 

#3: Attack the Cleaning

Cleaning up the aftermath of a kitchen fire is a messy job. Most cooking fires are high in odor and low in visual impact, the protein or fat that has burned is aerosolized into tiny particles and spread through the home. In most cases, there is no noticeable visual impact but the odor can be unbearable. Even though you cannot see the impact it is important to clean the impacted surfaces with the appropriate cleaning products. Please remember, these particles can be dangerous to your lungs, eyes, and skin, so protecting yourself from contamination is an absolute must. 

Your insurance company or adjuster may try to send over someone they have a program arrangement with. This may or may not be the right company for the job, insurance companies often negotiate pricing with various contractors and in return assign claims to them on a rotating basis. Make sure to vet the contractor that will be cleaning up your home prior to signing a work authorization. Check out their reviews, and ask them questions about the process and products they will be using. Remember, you are allowed to hire the contractor of your choosing.

Recovery from a home kitchen fire also involves cleaning the air. You will need to open your windows and create a strong cross current to push the odors out. It is also important that you do not run your air conditioner, since that will only send the contaminated air particles throughout the ductwork of your home and allow them to attach to fabrics and other surfaces.

Once the walls, ceilings, floors, and cabinets have been scrubbed some areas may  need to be primed and repainted.

In some cases, depending on the level of fire damage, you also may need to hire a contractor to do any needed structural restoration.

 

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Leave the Clean-Up to the Professionals

Facing the job of a home kitchen fire cleanup by yourself is a daunting project. 

Let the professional team at Pure Environmental make your life easier! Our PurAyr™ technology allows us to quickly oxidize and neutralize the air and surface contaminants left behind by a kitchen fire. And it even eliminates the smokey odors.

Call Pure Environmental today for your free estimate.

 

What Professional Clean-Up After a Kitchen Fire Includes

Professionals are specially trained in kitchen fire clean-up and have the skills it takes to:

  • Know which items are salvageable and what needs to be replaced.
  • Deep clean the insides and outsides of your cabinets and appliances. They also have access to and training to use any needed industrial-strength chemicals.
  • Clean walls and ceilings (particularly in the kitchen and dining areas), take apart and clean can lights 
  • If needed, remove and replace damaged materials like cabinets, flooring, and sheetrock.
  • Clean the HVAC system
  • Clean carpets and upholstery
  • Thoroughly clean the air to remove all traces of hazardous chemicals and treat contents and surfaces to neutralize the odors that have permeated the home.

 

Why It’s Recommended To Hire a Professional for a Kitchen Fire Restoration

If you hope to get your kitchen and home back to the way they were before the fire, you will want to leave the cleanup and restoration to the professionals. 

Not only does a kitchen fire leave a sticky, smelly mess, but it also releases dangerous chemicals as it burns things that are toxic. 

Cleaning up from a kitchen fire on your own means you will come in contact with dangerous substances that require you to use special protection. 

Hiring a professional helps keep you safe. 

Cleaning up can also be a lengthy process and, in the end, the process of trying to clean it yourself might only make things worse.

 

how to recover from kitchen fires

Most cooking fires are low visual impact but have a tremendous amount of odor and require very specialized cleaning.

 

Understanding the Key Personnel in a Kitchen Fire Recovery

When you’re trying to recover from a home kitchen fire, you will need to know who the key people are in the clean-up process and their roles, including the:

  • Insurance adjuster — In theory, insurance adjusters specialize in assessing the fire damage and providing you with an estimate that lets you know what is covered under your policy. They can also advise you on the best person or company to call for each stage of fire clean-up and restoration. Some insurance companies are more interested in the bottom line and not in putting your home back to pre-loss conditions.  Make sure to do your research and hire the contractor that is right for you.
  • Restoration Contractor — Professional restoration contractors and cleaners are a critical component of cleansing your home from grease, dangerous chemicals, and odors and are the expert when it comes to replacing and repairing the aftermath of a home kitchen fire.
  • Homeowner — As the homeowner, you are in charge of maintaining the required documentation, contacting your insurance company, and choosing who will do your fire clean-up and restoration. You will want to stay involved and updated to make sure things are done to your satisfaction.

 

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FAQs About How to Recover From a Home Kitchen Fire

 

What Can You Salvage From a House Fire?

When trying to decide what to save following a home kitchen fire, every situation is different. It’s best to let professionals evaluate your kitchen and home. 

If the damage is minor, many items can likely be reused. Someone professionally trained in fire restoration will be able to look over the extent of damage and let you know what is safe to keep and what should be replaced.  

During the process, it is important to remember what your insurance company is willing to cover.

Be sure to know your policy and get the professional opinion of cleaners/restorers before agreeing to terms with your insurance company.

 

Is It Safe To Use Dishes After a House Fire?

Yes, it is safe to continue using your dishes after a kitchen fire as long as they are free of chips or cracks. 

Dishes can usually be cleaned with a thorough scrubbing of soap and water.

 

Can I Clean Up After a House Fire Myself?

You can, but depending on the extent of the damage, it may not be recommended. 

The road to recovery from a home kitchen fire is often a messy journey and most kitchen fires involve much more than just a simple light cleaning. 

Do-it-yourself home kitchen fire clean-up can also be a safety concern due to potentially dangerous chemical exposure from the residue of the fire. Add to that the strong chemicals needed to properly clean the affected surfaces. 

You likely will not be able to do the job nearly as thoroughly as the professionals or have access to cleaning products the professionals use.

 

How Can You Get Rid of the Odors After a Kitchen Fire?

Smoke comes with fire — and sometimes the smoke, soot, and stink can cause as much damage as the fire itself.

There are some things you may be able to do on your own to get rid of odors, like:

  • Opening all windows and outside doors.
  • Setting up fans in opposite corners of your kitchen to generate a strong crosscurrent of air to help push the odors out. 

But the most effective way to get rid of the odors from a home kitchen fire is to call in the professionals.

 

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Pure Environmental: Using PurAyr™ Technology in our Fire Restoration Services

Pure Environmental specializes in disaster restoration services — including recovery from a home kitchen fire.

We know that putting your life back together after a kitchen fire is a challenging process for everyone involved. 

Our PurAyr™ technology destroys the airborne and embedded contaminants left behind by the fire and removes smoke odors that may be embedded in furniture and furnishings

The equipment we use is unsurpassed in its ability to break down and neutralize embedded and airborne contaminants, so your kitchen can be back up and running as soon as possible.

Our PurAyr™ process:

  • Provides dependable results
  • Won’t blanch or harm fabrics or electronics; and
  • Is not harmful to the environment

Contact Pure Environmental today to learn more and get your free estimate!

 

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