Hold the vacuum cleaner nozzle slightly above the surface of the upholstery, drapes, or carpet and move it back and forth across the item. Soot is oily and stains very easily so it will need to be removed as soon as possible, before any further cleaning or deodorizing occurs. Do not use vacuum attachments or an upright vacuum. The brushes tend to force soot further into fabrics and will make them much more difficult to clean. An upright vacuum will ground the soot into the fabric or carpet. After the soot is removed from the surface of any furniture and textiles, you will want to deodorize these items. While professional assistance is recommended to make sure that the smoke odor is completely removed from these items, it is possible to attempt to deodorize them yourself using at-home methods.  Dissolve 1 cup of dishwashing detergent in 1 gallon of warm water. Completely submerge all items (including furniture covers, curtains, etc.) and let them soak overnight in a washing machine or bathtub. Drain them and launder as usual the next day. For items that can be bleached, mix 4-6 tablespoons TSP with 1 cup Lysol or household bleach and 1 gallon of water. Add textile items, rinse with clear water, and dry. For especially stubborn odors, call a professional who will do an ozone treatment. This deodorizing treatment actually breaks up the smoke molecules to eliminate the order. This can be done by a professional fire restorer with an ozone generator.  Talk to a local dry cleaner about using counteractants. Tell them that there has been smoke damage, and they can use these chemicals to remove odors from your textiles and clothing. After deodorizing, you will want to thoroughly clean all textiles. Take anything that is non-washable (including most draperies) to a dry cleaner for traditional dry cleaning. Wash any machine-washable items in warm water using your normal liquid detergent. Several washings may be needed to get these items as clean as possible. After your carpets are fully dry, professional cleaning (which may need to be done twice, once after the fire to remove the soot and once after the rest of the restoration processes have taken place in the house) will help to make them as clean as possible. In some cases, you will need to remove the carpet because of mildew or mold on the floorboards underneath. It is highly recommended that you leave the carpet cleaning to the professionals to fully deodorize and rid your carpets of smoke damage.

Summary: Remove soot from textiles with a vacuum cleaner. Deodorize household textiles. Clean household textiles thoroughly. Have carpets cleaned professionally.


If you're creating archives of your data, or don't want someone else overwriting what you've put on the disc, use a DVD-R or DVD-R DL (Dual Layer). If you want to be able to rewrite and edit the content on the disc, use a DVD-RW. Most modern operating systems allow you to burn data DVDs directly from your file explorer without any additional software. Opening the blank disc will allow you to add files and folders.  In Windows 7 and later, you'll be prompted to select whether you want to use the disc like a USB drive, or like a traditional finished DVD. Selecting "Like a USB flash drive" will allow you to rewrite the disc, even if it isn't a rewriteable disc, but it will only work in Windows. Selecting "With a CD/DVD player" will make the disc act like a traditional disc that will need to be finalized and can only be used once.  If you are using OS X, the blank disc will appear on your desktop. Double-click it to open it in the Finder. You won't lose the original copies of the files. You can fit about to 4.38 GB worth of data onto a single blank DVD-R. The status bar at the bottom of the window will display how much space you have left. Once you're finished adding files, you can finalize your disc and eject it so that you can use it on other computers. The process is a little different depending on your operating system and settings.  If you selected "Like a USB flash drive" in Windows, just eject your disc after you're finished adding files and the disc will be made ready to use on other Windows computers. This may take a minute or so. If you selected "With a CD/DVD player" in Windows, click the "Finish burning" button to finalize the disc. This may take a few minutes. If you're using OS X, click the Burn button next to the disc name in the left sidebar.

Summary: Insert a blank DVD into your DVD burner. Open the DVD in your computer's file explorer. Drag files and folders into the blank disc's window. Burn the disc.


Get in the habit of rinsing your razor blades after each use. This will keep skin and hair particles, soap scum and other debris from building up in the first place.   Consistent cleaning will go a long way in extending a razor’s lifespan, even if it’s of the disposable variety. Once a week or so, disinfect your razor by soaking it in rubbing alcohol. The best way to store loose razor blades is in an enclosed case or similar container that shuts securely. If you use the razor to shave, you can rest it on a separate base or stand or position it upright in a cup to allow water to drain out of it. Keep the blade ventilated until it's dry, then put it away where it won't become damaged or cause an accident.  Don’t leave your razor sitting on the edge of the sink or on the alcove in a dingy shower, where they’ll be in direct contact with soap scum and bacteria. These places also tend to be more humid, which increases the likelihood of rusty blades.
Summary: Clean the razor regularly. Keep your razor in a clean, dry environment.