Fire & smoke · Updated October 2026

After a House Fire: What to Clean and What to Throw Away

After a house fire, don’t go back inside until the fire department says it’s safe, and don’t turn utilities back on yourself. Throw away food, drinks, and medicine that were exposed to heat, smoke, or soot, but photograph and list everything else before you discard it, because your insurer will need that record. Soot is greasy, spreads easily, and can permanently stain or corrode surfaces, so cleanup should start soon and carefully, often with professional help.

First: safety and re-entry

The U.S. Fire Administration’s After the Fire guide is clear: do not enter your damaged home unless the fire department says it is safe. Even then, it warns that floors and walls may not be as safe as they look, and that soot and dirty water may contain things that could make you sick.

Before and during your first walk-through, the American Red Cross advises:

1. Check the outside first. Look for downed power lines, damaged gas lines, foundation cracks, or missing support beams.
2. Leave immediately if you smell gas or hear hissing. Get well away, then call the fire department.
3. Watch for sagging ceilings and floors. A sagging ceiling usually means it’s holding water and may fall. A sagging floor could collapse under you.
4. Check for smoke and embers throughout the home, including the attic.
5. Use a flashlight, never candles or any open flame.
6. Leave children with a relative or friend for the first inspection.

Wear protective gear. FEMA recommends disposable nitrile or latex gloves, safety goggles, long sleeves, long pants, sturdy shoes or boots, and an N95 mask, and notes that fire-damaged areas can contain asbestos, lead, and chemical residues.

If anything seems unsafe at any point, get out and call 911.

Utilities: leave them to the professionals

Firefighters will check that water, electricity, and gas are safe, and have them shut off or disconnected if not. Ready.gov puts it plainly: do not try to reconnect utilities yourself.

If you see sparks, frayed wires, or smell hot insulation, the Red Cross says to shut off power at the main breaker or fuse box, but never by stepping or standing in water. If breakers have tripped, don’t reset them. Call an electrician. If you have a propane or heating oil tank, turn off the valves and have a professional check the system before using it again.

Secure the property

Firefighters often break windows or cut holes in roofs and walls to fight a fire, according to USFA. USFA also recommends:

• Calling your insurance company right away. Ask what to do first and what you should do to keep the home safe until repairs begin.
• Letting the police department know the home will be vacant.
• Boarding up windows and doors if needed so no one can get in.
• Contacting your landlord or mortgage lender about the fire.

The Red Cross suggests making temporary repairs such as covering holes. Save receipts for all of it.

What to throw away: food, medicine, and personal care items

Food

USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) says that saving food from a fire is generally not a good idea. Food can be ruined by heat, smoke fumes, and firefighting chemicals:

• Heat: Cans and jars may look fine, but heat can activate spoilage bacteria, and extreme heat can split or rupture containers.
• Smoke fumes: Throw out food in permeable packaging such as cardboard or plastic wrap, plus raw foods stored outside the refrigerator, like potatoes or fruit. Refrigerator and freezer seals aren’t airtight, so fumes can get inside.
• Firefighting chemicals: These cannot be washed off food. Discard exposed food, including produce and anything in cardboard or screw-top jars and bottles.

FSIS says canned goods and cookware exposed to chemicals can be decontaminated. Wash them in a strong detergent solution, then soak them for 15 minutes in a bleach solution (1 tablespoon of unscented liquid chlorine bleach per gallon of water). The Red Cross adds that frozen food can be used if it still has ice crystals on it. If it doesn’t, discard it.

Medicine

The FDA warns that high temperatures from a fire can reduce or destroy the effectiveness of medicines, and that medicines exposed to contaminated water can become unsafe. The Red Cross advises throwing away medicine exposed to heat, smoke, or soot. Call your pharmacist or doctor about replacements, especially for medicines you can’t go without.

Cosmetics and toiletries

There’s no separate federal checklist for cosmetics after a fire. A sensible approach is to treat them like food and medicine: replace anything heated, soaked, or coated in soot, and photograph it first.

Why soot needs quick, careful attention

Soot is more than a stain. Washington’s insurance regulator notes that smoke contains acidic compounds that etch, pit, and tarnish metal and cause glass and other surfaces to yellow over time. Los Angeles County Public Health warns that acidic soot may activate with moisture in the air and cause permanent staining on plastics and white painted surfaces.

Soot also spreads easily. FEMA notes that soot’s fine particles stick to everything, and every touch grinds them further into an item. LA County advises:

• Don’t touch things during your first inspection, so you don’t transfer soot from item to item.
• Use a dry chemical sponge on porous surfaces like painted walls before any wet cleaning.
• Vacuum sooty fabrics with the nozzle held slightly above the surface. Don’t use an upright vacuum or brush attachments.
• Don’t use electrical appliances that were near the fire.

Keep the HVAC system off

Smoke particles circulate through heating and air conditioning ducts, spreading soot and odors throughout the home. Don’t run your heating or cooling system until it has been inspected and, if needed, cleaned. Ask your insurer to include the HVAC system in its inspection.

For small areas of light soot, the Red Cross suggests a mild soap or detergent, washing walls one small area at a time from the floor up, and doing ceilings last. It also notes that drywall and insulation soaked by fire hoses usually need to be replaced, so consult a professional.

Document everything for insurance

Your inventory is the foundation of your claim. The Red Cross and Ready.gov recommend:

1. Photograph or video the damage where it occurred, before cleaning.
2. List damaged or lost items with receipts if you have them.
3. Keep damaged items until the adjuster has visited when possible. Don’t throw away anything you plan to claim without talking to your adjuster first.
4. Save every receipt for lodging, meals, repairs, and supplies. USFA notes you may also need them to show losses on your tax return.

Policies vary. Washington’s insurance regulator says standard homeowner and renter policies typically cover sudden and accidental smoke damage, usually under the same coverage as fire. Many also pay for temporary living costs if the home is unlivable. Read your policy and ask your insurer what applies to you. This isn’t legal advice.

What restoration professionals do

The Red Cross notes that smoke odor and soot are difficult to remove and the work may be best handled by professional fire restorers. LA County lists methods for heavy residue that require professionals, such as soda blasting, dry ice blasting, and steam power washing. A restoration contractor typically:

• Secures and boards up the structure.
• Removes soot from walls, ceilings, and contents using methods matched to each surface.
• Removes water left by firefighting and dries the structure to limit mold.
• Treats lingering smoke odor, including in ducts and hidden spaces.
• Documents the work for your insurance claim.

USFA suggests asking your insurer whether you or the insurer will pay for cleaning, and getting a written estimate.

Where to get help

• Red Cross and other relief groups can help with food, clothing, medicine, and a place to stay (USFA).
• USFA’s free After the Fire guide covers the first 24 hours, insurance, and replacing documents and damaged money.
• For questions about specific foods, FSIS lists the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 1-888-674-6854.

If you need help with soot, smoke, and water cleanup, Restore Your Property can connect you with a licensed, certified local restoration contractor 24/7 at (855) 919-8808. The contractors in the network offer no-obligation estimates and work with every major insurance carrier.