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Decontamination in five steps<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The order is crucial. Dust first, then wash, and finally deodorise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
1. Secure the area and remove any damaged material<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Start by cordoning off the area and assessing the extent of the damage. Remove burnt, charred, loose or melted materials that cannot be cleaned safely. These may include building components, fixtures and fittings, insulation, plastic, textiles or other materials that continue to emit odours or contaminants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Make a note of what you\u2019re discarding before you carry on. The aim is to remove anything that can\u2019t be saved, so that you don\u2019t waste time and cleaning products on materials that will still give off a smell.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
2. Clean with a dry cloth before using water<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Remove loose soot before wet cleaning. Use a dry chemical cloth and an H-class industrial vacuum cleaner. Work from top to bottom, so that any soot that comes loose does not fall onto surfaces that have already been cleaned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Do not use water on loose soot. This can cause the soot to become smeared into the surface, making it much more difficult to remove. And do not blow the soot away with compressed air or a blast of air \u2013 the aim is to collect the soot, not to scatter it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
3. Heat the room and materials in a controlled manner<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Once the dry cleaning has been carried out, the room and materials can be heated prior to wet treatment, where the method requires it. Maintain a stable temperature of approximately 25 to 30 \u00b0C in the room. Warm surfaces allow the chemicals to work more effectively, whilst cold surfaces often result in poorer results.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Always heat the room and the materials, not the chemicals. Switch off the fan heater before spraying or fogging \u2013 this reduces the risk and gives you better control during application.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
4. Choose a detergent<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Choose a cleaning product based on the type of soot and fire damage you are dealing with, and use one product at a time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Use Smoke Clean for soot and fire damage, particularly following fires involving vegetable fats and oils. Dilute at a ratio of 1:6 to 1:30. Use Proff Nautilus for soot and fire damage where mineral oil or heavy soiling is part of the damage. Dilute at a ratio of 1:100 to 1:20.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Always test on a small area first, particularly on painted, varnished, colour-sensitive or bleach-sensitive surfaces. Apply, work in and rinse as required. Do not allow the mixture to dry on the surface.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
5. Odour removal after cleaning<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Once the surfaces have been cleaned, odour removal can begin. Use ProffOx undiluted or diluted 1:2 on water-resistant surfaces. The product must not be used on textiles. For deeper odours in porous materials, use ProffOx S \u2013 the strongest variant, which is used as a ready-to-use solution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Odour removal should always be carried out after cleaning. If soot and fire debris are still present on the surface, the odour will often return. Assess the result once the area is completely dry and has been well ventilated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Why \u2018dry before wet\u2019 \u2013 and \u2018hot before chemistry\u2019?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
One of the most common mistakes when dealing with soot damage is to start using water too early. Loose soot can often be removed using a dry chemical cloth and an H-class vacuum cleaner. If you use water first, the soot can be rubbed into the surface. This makes it harder to remove and increases the risk of streaks and discolouration. Work from top to bottom to prevent soot from falling onto areas that have already been cleaned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Temperature also affects the effectiveness of the cleaning process. When rooms and materials are at around 25 to 30 \u00b0C, the chemicals work more effectively. Colder surfaces can reduce effectiveness and make it harder to remove soot, grease and fire residues. At the same time, you should never heat the chemicals directly \u2013 warm up the room and the surfaces, and switch off the fan heater before spraying or fogging.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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The products in the method<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The method utilises products with different functions: Smoke Clean for soot from vegetable fat and oil fires; Proff Nautilus for soot, fire damage and dirt where mineral oil is part of the problem; ProffOx for odour removal on water-resistant surfaces; and ProffOx S for deeper odours in porous materials. Chemical wipes and an H-class industrial vacuum cleaner are used for dry cleaning prior to the application of water and chemicals, and a fan heater is used for controlled heating.<\/p>\n\n\n\n