Before

After

Damage to your contents

Soot damage is quite common after a fire. Soot is a black powdery or flaky substance that forms through incomplete combustion. Fine soot particles can cling to surfaces such as walls and ceilings, as well as building contents. Soot can be difficult, sometimes impossible to remove.

There are usually two types of soot: dry and oily. A quick test to determine which type of soot you’re faced with is to simply run your finger across a soot-covered surface. If it smears, the soot is oily.

Oily soot is generally cleaned with degreasing agents. Dry soot can be cleaned with dry cleaning sponges. Sometimes soot will be dry in one room, but oily in another. It all depends on the types of materials that burned.

SERVPRO carries several products specifically designed for the removal of soot from a variety of surfaces. In some instances, due to the severity of the soot damage or the nature of the item with the damage, it may not be possible to remove the sooty residue and the item will have to be discarded.