When the flames die down, the next, quieter and seemingly harmless phase of structural destruction begins. Smoke and soot get everywhere — even into places untouched by fire. They get absorbed into everything — textiles, furniture, appliances, even walls and wallpaper.
Do you, as a homeowner, know which items can be restored and which are dangerous to keep? Most people clearly do not realize that some objects become not only dirty or unusable but also toxic.
Through our practice, we’ve worked with hundreds of fire insurance claims, heard many stories, and observed how each case developed. The most generalized and useful information is summarized in this material.
Why Smoke Damage Is More Dangerous Than It Looks
The unpleasant, sharp, acrid smell is not the worst thing about smoke. It is a cocktail of toxic chemicals: benzene, formaldehyde, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Soot particles are microscopic, so they easily penetrate porous surfaces and enter ventilation systems.
Complete fire and smoke damage restoration requires far more effort than cleaning up typical household messes. If you do not conduct professional cleaning, the consequences can include:
- Respiratory illnesses (asthma, bronchitis).
- Skin and eye irritation.
- A persistent odor that lingers for years.
- Corrosion of metals due to the acidity of soot.
- Mold growth when mixed with moisture if residential or commercial fire damage wasn’t addressed comprehensively.
Because of soot’s invisible toxicity, DIY cleaning is ineffective. Only specialized smoke/fire restoration can fully neutralize the danger.
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Items You MUST Throw Away After Smoke Damage
Your safety — and your family’s — is the priority. Even if an item looks intact, chemical contamination makes it unsafe to use. We do not recommend taking risks with the following categories:
1. Food & Beverages (including sealed items)
Smoke penetrates cardboard, plastic, and even screw-on lids. Soot toxicity makes food unsafe. Canned goods in metal containers may also be damaged by high heat, causing spoilage. The rule is simple: if you have doubts — throw it out.
2. Medications, Vitamins, Supplements
High heat and chemical exposure alter the composition of medications, making them ineffective or even poisonous. They must be disposed of, even if the packaging looks undamaged.
3. Cosmetics, Lotions, Personal Care Items
Porous packaging (cardboard boxes, tubes) absorbs toxins. Applying contaminated products to your skin is dangerous due to risks of chemical burns or allergies.
4. Baby Products (bottles, formula, toys, wipes)
Children are extremely vulnerable to toxins. Plastic bottles, pacifiers, soft toys, and baby formula immediately fall into the discard category. Even the smallest risk is unjustified.
5. Porous Items Exposed to Heavy Smoke
This includes pillows, blankets, mattresses, stuffed toys, and fabric footwear. Soot penetrates deep into fibers, and fully deodorizing them is nearly impossible. Keeping them means breathing toxins every night — and that’s not a risk you want.
6. Burned Plastics & Melted Synthetics
When heated, these materials release carcinogenic fumes. Their structural integrity is also compromised, making them unsafe to use.
7. Charred or Heat-Affected Electronics
Even if a device turns on, hidden corrosion on internal components from acidic smoke creates a high risk of short-circuiting and another fire.
Items That Can SOMETIMES Be Saved (With Professional Cleaning)
But you should know: not all items are a total loss. Some of them can be restored — but this requires the work of specialists in fire damage restoration services.
1. Clothing & Textiles
Regular washing won’t help. Specialized dry cleaning with ozone treatment or hydroxyl processing is needed to neutralize odor and break down soot molecules.
2. Upholstered Furniture (case-by-case)
This depends on the situation. If smoke exposure was minor, professional deep cleaning can save the piece. But if saturation is heavy, replacing it is safer and cheaper.
3. Wood Furniture
4. Glass, Metal, and Non-Porous Surfaces
These materials are the easiest to clean. The main thing is to remove the soot quickly to prevent acidic corrosion of the metal.
5. Electronics (if not heat damaged)
If the equipment was not exposed to fire, a certified technician can fully clean the internal components from soot.
Items That Are Usually Salvageable
There are categories of items that have the highest chances of full restoration. This is because they:
- are made of non-porous, chemically resistant materials;
- can withstand the aggressive cleaning required in fire and water damage restoration.
So, which items are we talking about?
- Kitchenware. Pots, plates, and utensils are safe after deep disinfection and repeated washing because their surfaces (glass, metal) do not absorb toxins.
- Ceramics and porcelain. Figurines, vases, and dishes are easily cleaned of soot because they have a hard glazed surface.
- Hard plastic. Children’s toys or casings of small appliances (if the appliance itself wasn’t heat-damaged) are usable. However, only if they were not deformed by high temperatures.
- Jewelry. Usually requires professional ultrasonic cleaning, but the metal and stones do not absorb smoke.
- Solid hardwood flooring. Can be saved because smoke typically does not penetrate deeply. However, sanding and refinishing may still be necessary.
If we summarize, non-porous materials and glazed-surface items are the most resistant to smoke contamination. Still, restoring them requires thorough fire damage cleanup — surface soot toxins do not disappear on their own.
Don’t Rush Into Throwing Items Away — Insurance Implications
Rushing is the worst enemy of financial compensation. Insurers will be happy if you remove the evidence of toxicity and damage. This way, you lose thousands of dollars, while they save money.
The claims examiner will not take your word for it. If you throw away a damaged item before it is documented, you destroy key evidence and lose money.
To protect your personal property restoration claim:
- Do not throw anything away before documenting it.
- Create a detailed home contents inventory.
- Save receipts for replacing discarded items.
Home and business public adjusters handle all of this. So if you prefer, you can always delegate these tasks to professionals.
How to Properly Document Smoke-Damaged Items for Insurance
Success in a fire insurance claim directly depends on the quality of the evidence you provide. As public adjusters, we specialize in completing full contents valuation while following key rules — described below.
Photo Documentation Rules
Take clear photos of each item showing the extent of smoke and soot damage. Start with general room shots, then move to close-ups of the brand, model, and — importantly — serial numbers of damaged appliances.
If possible, save removed barcodes, labels, or even receipts — these verify the value and age of the item.
Creating an Inventory List
It’s not enough to simply write “old refrigerator.” You must create a list the insurance company cannot dispute. It must include:
- Item name.
- Brand and model (for example, “Samsung RF28… refrigerator”).
- Approximate purchase date and price.
- Item age (for depreciation calculations).
A high-quality, detailed list greatly increases your chances of receiving compensation that covers the replacement cost value.
Strategic Lists
As a policyholder, you must show the insurance adjuster that you clearly understand the required scope of business/personal property restoration. To do this, divide all damaged items into two lists:
- Salvage (can be saved).
- Non-Salvage (approved for disposal).
And remember: never rely solely on the inventory prepared by insurance claim adjusters (they often miss small items that collectively cost thousands of dollars).
How to Properly Document Smoke-Damaged Items for Insurance
Smoke damage is one of the most underestimated types of loss, where the insurance company has the most opportunities for manipulation. In particular, its representatives try in every possible way to undervalue the cost of professional cleaning by:
- classifying hopelessly ruined items as “those that can be restored”;
- ignoring long-lasting odors or the need to assess toxicity;
- denying replacement of porous items (mattresses, pillows) that cannot be fully cleaned.
Countering these crafty tactics and ensuring safe and complete fire and smoke damage restoration is much easier with professional support. As your independent adjusters, we accompany the entire claim process and also:
- Document the full scope of work.
- Dispute lowballed insurance offers and obtain a fair evaluation.
- Ensure proper classification of damaged items (if toxicity levels are extreme, we insist on replacement).
- Prepare and submit a detailed Proof of Loss.
We have many years of experience handling fire insurance claim cases. We work as local public adjusters in California, Illinois, and Wisconsin, and additionally perform restoration work in Illinois.
Final Thoughts
Smoke is a deceptive enemy. But your safety must come first. If you know which items to discard immediately and understand how to manage your coverage, you will avoid unnecessary stress. And proper work by public claim adjusters will save you money.
If you have doubts about your smoke damage evaluation, call the On-Site Adjusting team at (866) 861-4992 or (866) 933-0404, or fill out our contact form.
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