Cleaning Upholstery and Mattresses After A Fire
Any piece of upholstered furniture heavily coated with
soot should be cleaned by a professional service. If
attempting to clean at home, vacuum the surface to remove
spotty deposits of soot; then sponge with a turkish towel
dipped in cleaning fluid. These and other solvents are
very flammable. Work outdoors if possible or in well-
ventilated rooms with open windows. Be absolutely sure
there is no flame or spark anywhere in the area where it
could ignite vapors from solvents--no flame, pilot light,
spark, no smoking. Discard cloths in tightly closed metal
can, in trash. You don't want to start another fire!
Also avoid breathing vapors wile working. Read label
on solvent and follow directions! The solvent will loosen
oily soil so it can be wiped off with a dry cloth.
If the upholstery is washable, the next step is to
"shampoo" the entire surface with "dry"suds made by
beating a handful of dampened detergent to make thick
lather with no extra moisture to soak into the fabric. Or
use upholstery shampoo. Use this dense lather on a sponge
or soft brush to lightly scrub one section, and scrape
the soiled suds off with a spatula or knife. Repeat with
clean suds, then wipe that section with a clean damp
cloth. Continue shampooing and rinsing until all the
upholstery is clean.
Wind a strip of clean cloth around a ruler, dip it
into "dry" suds, and use it to wash between the seat and
the arms or back of a chair or sofa. Wrap a clean damp
cloth around the ruler to rinse those crevices the same
way. Use only clean suds, clean water, and clean cloths.
If a professional steam extraction service is hired to
clean carpet, have them also clean upholstery and extract
water.
For quick drying, open window, and turn on an
electric fan. If windows are closed, turn on air
conditioner if you have one, and also at same time use
dehumidifier in the room with upholstered furniture to
pull out the water.
Clean mattresses and foundations as for upholstery
starting with dry cleaning solvent to reduce smoke odor
but observe all the cautions and warning listed for use
of these products. Before washing, let the solvent dry
for a day or longer. Observe caution in using cleaning
fluid. Read the label carefully and follow precautions
suggested.