Content Cleaning
The cleaning, deodorization, and restoration of personal property items damaged by fire, water, or mold. Often performed at a restoration facility after a pack-out rather than on site, using specialized equipment and techniques.
Content cleaning is the restoration of personal property damaged by fire, water, mold, or smoke. Done well, it recovers items that would otherwise be total losses, saving both the owner's memories and the carrier's claim cost.
Pack-Out Before Cleaning
Most content cleaning involves moving contents off site to a restoration facility where they can be cleaned in controlled conditions. The pack-out phase inventories every item, photographs it, notes pre-existing damage, and packs it into cataloged crates. The inventory becomes the source of truth for what was removed, what was salvaged, and what will be returned.
Cleaning Methods by Item Type
Different materials require different methods. Hard goods (porcelain, metal, glass) are often cleaned ultrasonically in heated solution baths. Soft goods (textiles, clothing) are cleaned with processes specific to the fabric and the nature of the damage. Electronics are treated through electronics recovery programs that address circuit boards, motors, and connected components. Documents and photographs have their own specialized recovery. Each method is matched to the item.
Deodorization and Return
After cleaning, items pass through deodorization using ozone, hydroxyl, or thermal fogging depending on the item type. Items are then staged for return when the structure is ready to receive them. A proper content cleaning closeout includes the inventory, photographs of cleaned condition, and a list of items declared non-salvageable for claim settlement.
Frequently asked questions
Contents are inventoried, photographed, and packed into cataloged crates at the loss site, then transported to a restoration facility. At the facility, items are cleaned using methods appropriate to each material type — ultrasonic baths for hard goods, textile cleaning for soft goods, electronics recovery for electronic items, deodorization chambers for odor removal. Cleaned items are staged for return once the structure is ready.
No. Items with deeply absorbed smoke odor in porous materials (foam, older upholstery), or items with significant physical damage, may not be salvageable. Content cleaning companies determine salvage status during intake. Non-salvageable items go on a total-loss inventory for claim settlement.
Content restoration is covered under the personal property portion of a standard homeowners policy, subject to coverage limits and policy conditions. The contractor invoices the claim directly or works through a carrier-approved inventory and cleaning process. Pre-loss photos and receipts help establish the value of items being cleaned or replaced.
No credit card required