Fabric restoration
Fabric restoration is the process of refurbishing fabric items after they have been affected by fire, smoke, water, or mold. Restoration specialists use technologies and procedures to restore fabric-related items to their pre-loss condition. These processes are specifically designed and tailored to address the challenges posed by particular types of damage. In addition to concerns with an item's appearance, considerations such as smell and structural integrity are taken into account. The smells associated with fire and water-related disasters are often dealt with by subjecting the item(s) to ozone treatments that break down the foreign particles that cause the odor.
Common uses
Items commonly encountered by restoration cleaners include, but are not limited to:
- Cushions/pillows
- Shoes/boots
- Belts/suspenders
- Purses/bags
- Flags
- Wedding gowns
- Rugs
- Leather and suede garments
- Fur garments
- Stuffed animals
- Dolls
- Blinds/shades
- Decorative valances
- Tapestries
- Linens
- Bedding
- Drapes and curtains
Fire damage
In addition to the damage caused by the actual flames of a fire and the intense heat that can affect portions of the structure not directly exposed to the flames, household fires usually contain numerous noxious chemicals that can saturate items within the structure, as well as the structure itself. This odor is unpleasant for anyone, but especially unbearable for those recently affected by a fire, as it often immediately triggers powerful recollections of the tragedy.
That is why it is important to remove all odor-causing particles from clothing and other fabric items retrieved from a smoke- and fire-damaged building. An important distinction between fabric restoration specialists and retail cleaners is that while the latter may charge for cleaning attempts regardless of success, some restoration specialists only charge if they successfully restore items to their pre-loss condition or better.
Water damage
In addition to the obvious harm caused to dry-clean-only garments and textiles by immersion, even fabric items intended for machine washing can be damaged by floods. Damage can include fading or alteration of colors within an item, dye transfer (bleeding) between items, and the distortion of fabric causing it to become rough and/or twisted.
The key to successful restoration after a flood is prompt action. The longer items are submerged, the greater the chance that damage will render them non-restorable.
History
While the concept of laundering clothes has existed for centuries and dry cleaning for hundreds of years, the concept of cleaners specializing in the cleaning and restoration of items affected by fire, smoke, water, and mold is a relatively recent development. In the United States, such companies have been around for approximately 20 years.
Over that lifespan, the industry has made significant advancements in technology and techniques to effectively and efficiently restore victims' items to their pre-loss condition.
Most restoration cleaners' business comes either from an insurance company or a restoration contractor, but victims of fire or flood can also contact them directly.
The services offered by a restoration cleaner are almost always covered by a homeowner's insurance policy.
References
- "Textiles" (PDF). Caring for Cultural Material. reCollections, Australia. 1998.
External links
This article "Fabric restoration" is from Wikipedia. The list of its authors can be seen in its historical. Articles copied from Draft Namespace on Wikipedia could be seen on the Draft Namespace of Wikipedia and not main one.
