OT Dorm Fire - Question About Recovering

[Eyes On The Prize]

Wednesday afternoon a dorm room down the hall from me caught fire. Thankfully no one was injured and everyone made it out fine. The fire was contained to the one suite but there was smoke damage throughout my entire floor. So much damage, that my floor (3rd) is not able to live there for the rest of the semester and the entire building is closed for at least two weeks while they clean the lower floors. So they're are a lot of displaced students at my school right now...

At the time of the alarm no one knew it was real, we all thought it was a prank, mainly because it was the first day of classes for the spring semester. And because of that we never shut our bedroom doors or common room doors which allowed the smoke got into our room.

We were only allowed in for ten minutes for the first time yesterday to grab what we needed and to get out. But there is soot everywhere throughout the third floor. My stuff really isn't gone, there's obviously things I need to replace, but most of my stuff just smells really badly. I don't want to throw this stuff out and buy everything new if I can salvage it and wash it.

So my question is this - do any of you know how to wash things affected by smoke and soot? The school has told us that washing your clothes with white vinegar and detergent will get the smell out. So far it's pretty much worked with the few clothes I could grab yesterday. But I'm wondering about the other stuff. Our computers, fridges, electronics. How should we go about cleaning them? What about books and backpacks and purses? Even my cheer bows I have hung up on my wall? Does anyone have any idea or any experience? I really am trying to avoid buying new everything and my friends and I will cherish any tips you might have... Thanks!

 

[Just-a-Mom]

I don't have any secret tips really, but a lot of the smell will eventually go away on its own. We had a ton of smoke damage about 2 years ago, and my bedroom got the worst of it (my room shares a connecting wall with the home that burned completely down. Thank God the fire wall spared us!) I just washed everything that could be washed and cleaned everything (furniture and electronics' surfaces) with citrus scented cleaners (lemon pledge, Orange surface cleaner, etc.) Then I spread everything else (like books) on my bed and opened the window all the way (winter, so I did this while I wasn't home) and let the stuff air out with fresh air. A little Lysol spray and Febreeze and everything was good as new.

After about 2 weeks the smell was completely gone and you couldn't tell it happened at all. I did have to do some again when they came to finish tearing that house down, because it kicked it all back up.

Glad everyone is ok. Good luck!

 

[ErinS]

My family had a house fire a little over a year ago. We lost half the house (kitchen, garage, den, half of living room) but everything in the bedrooms was spared but had really bad smoke damage. WE personally didn't clean anything. The insurance company paid for every single shoe, shirt, short, skirt, dress, jacket, picture, electronic, blanket, book...anything that survived etc to be cleaned individually by a restoration company and it took a month or two. It was not something we could have (or should have) had to do ourselves. The clothing I had on my body, that I'd worn to work that day...and had on when I rushed home when I learned about the fire...and wore inside the house when they let us in to get stuff... Yeah my mom washed it, but the insurance people ended up coming and getting those clothes to clean as well.

Basically what I'm trying to say is, you need to find whomever at your university and find out what kind of insurance covered your items in the dorm...because you're going to need to have it cleaned professionally.

 

[Eyes On The Prize]

Thanks! And yeah I would love to air out my things right now but it's the middle of winter in NY here and there's a cold front coming in next week. Our luck, right? Lol but I'll definitely get some Febreeze and cleaning stuff today.

The best feeling though, when we got to go up to collect our essentials yesterday was that my frog was alive and well after sitting in smoke and not having food for almost 3 days. So far everyones pets have made it through, even a hamster (which were not supposed to have) haha

 

[Eyes On The Prize]

My family had a house fire a little over a year ago. We lost half the house (kitchen, garage, den, half of living room) but everything in the bedrooms was spared but had really bad smoke damage. WE personally didn't clean anything. The insurance company paid for every single shoe, shirt, short, skirt, dress, jacket, picture, electronic, blanket, book...anything that survived etc to be cleaned individually by a restoration company and it took a month or two. It was not something we could have (or should have) had to do ourselves. The clothing I had on my body, that I'd worn to work that day...and had on when I rushed home when I learned about the fire...and wore inside the house when they let us in to get stuff... Yeah my mom washed it, but the insurance people ended up coming and getting those clothes to clean as well.

Basically what I'm trying to say is, you need to find whomever at your university and find out what kind of insurance covered your items in the dorm...because you're going to need to have it cleaned professionally.

Our school tells us that they have no insurance for us (they're probably lying...) and that we have to act through our own insurance that our parents have. Luckily my parents can use some of their insurance to cover what I need but it won't be a lot. My computer is pretty much gone and I need my computer. I'm a computer art and computer science major so like, I actually NEED it lol.

I definitely need a dry cleaners for my jackets and pretty much my clothes thy were in my closet. But i didnt even think of a restoration company, thanks!!

 

[ErinS]

Our school tells us that they have no insurance for us (they're probably lying...) and that we have to act through our own insurance that our parents have. Luckily my parents can use some of their insurance to cover what I need but it won't be a lot. My computer is pretty much gone and I need my computer. I'm a computer art and computer science major so like, I actually NEED it lol.

I definitely need a dry cleaners for my jackets and pretty much my clothes thy were in my closet. But i didnt even think of a restoration company, thanks!!

....Hm. I haven't lived in a dorm for years now, but something about that doesn't seem quite right.

However, in the future, ALWAYS HAVE YOUR OWN RENTERS insurance. I don't know if you can get rental coverage in a dorm, but I would suggest finding out...just in case something like this happens again.

And my computer died in our house fire. Hard drive melted... but insurance just cut me a check for a new one

 

[CheerBank]

Are you at Oneonta? I heard they had a dorm fire a few days ago. How scary and I am glad everyone is okay. I hope everyone takes this as a lesson not to ignore the fire alarms. I know we always tried to when I was at school only because a fire alarm, usually at night, meant that someone pulled it because the RA or campus police were coming to break up a party and it gave people time to scatter.

 

[cheerkidzmom]

Its true about the insurance. Dorms are basically apartments. My DH works for a college not affiliated with this post. All students are encouraged to have renters or even dorm insurance.

 

[Just-a-Mom]

Ours was in January in Chicago so it was cold (about 10 degrees out) but that's how badly I wanted the smell out - open for one day and my stuff was fine. As for insurance I'm betting a dorm is like an apartment and that their insurance is only going to pay for what was already there before you moved in. Most places you live in that you don't own aren't going to cover your belongings - you'd have to have your own insurance for that. So I don't think they're lying.

I misunderstood your original question. Yes, if you can afford one, a restoration company is the way to go. I thought you were asking as a broke college student how to fix it as best you could by yourself. We did ours ourselves because the damage was primarily to the house next door and we didn't want to file a claim. I'm relatively poor, so I did it myself. It was a ton of work, but my stuff was good as new when I was done. You should definitely use what your parents' insurance will cover for the computer first. And I agree with HeresAThought - call the insurance company and find out what kind of renters coverage you can get for a dorm for the future.

 

[Eyes On The Prize]

CheerBank yes, I am at Oneonta lol Matteson 312 was my dorm. I didn't know anyone here knew Oneonta

But i guess I'm asking more how to clean my stuff myself. The schools insurance statements have been rather difficult to understand since they keep changing it but the latest was "use your parents insurance". But you all have given me lots of knowledge through your posts, Thank you all so much

 

[CheerBank]

CheerBank yes, I am at Oneonta lol Matteson 312 was my dorm. I didn't know anyone here knew Oneonta

Two friends's daughters go there but they are juniors and live off campus. My whole family went to SUNY schools so we know Oneonta

 

[Cheer Dad]

Good luck with this Eyes On The Prize. Maybe your parents insurance agent can contact the school directly to learn who their policy holder is get a copy of it for review. It may be possible for your insurance company to go back after the school to recover costs.

 

[ssccxnce]

See if you can find some smoke or even animal deodorizers they're in circular containers and its basically a block that absorbs the smoke smell my mothers friend used on after some incidents caused by her ex husband and they worked extremely well and her clothes bags and shoes no longer smelled of smoke

 

[notyourcheermom]

CheerBank yes, I am at Oneonta lol Matteson 312 was my dorm. I didn't know anyone here knew Oneonta

But i guess I'm asking more how to clean my stuff myself. The schools insurance statements have been rather difficult to understand since they keep changing it but the latest was "use your parents insurance". But you all have given me lots of knowledge through your posts, Thank you all so much

Found this in relation to Plattsbgurgh state, but they are in New York, too, and it's more than likely in relation to state statutes and the same would apply at your school.

**Hoping I could find you something more helpful, but looks like the parent insurance thing is it. But agree with white vinegar and febreeze, fresh air. Check Pinterest, too, you'd be surprised what you can find on there. OdoBan can be diluted, too, and buy a big gallon size at Sam's for under 10 bucks or so.

What about Insurance?

The college does not take responsibility for losses suffered on campus because of fire, theft, water damage or other cause. It is therefore, advisable that all students who will reside on campus, check the extent of their current home insurance or seek coverage through a special policy. (A student policy will be mailed to you with your housing assignment.) The risk of having personal property in a college residence hall is borne entirely by the student and not the college or university. STUDENTS SHOULD KEEP THEIR ROOM AND SUITE DOORS LOCKED AT ALL TIMES.

 

[notyourcheermom]

Magic Erasers. Microfiber cloths that you can keep ringing out the sooty dust in water with Odoban or vinegar in. Wear gloves. Don't want the microfiber wet wet, just damp enough to pick up the smell and dust.