Help! I have Burned kitchen cabinets!

I had a kitchen fire this Saturday. I was frying some potatoes and forgot to turn off the grease. By the time I realized it the room was in pretty bad shape. My insurance deductible is $5,000, and I live on a pension.

Can someone give me instructions for idiot to fix them? exactly what I will need. The cabinets are pretty burnt, the paint on the walls is bubbled. The ceiling is ceiling tiles. The soot has spread across the house to the bathroom and I am afraid it may be in my clothes. Any help would be great!

I am very sorry to hear this happened to you. You are asking for a few things in your "question" so I will do my best to answer a few. If you are on a fixed income you may wish to try a re-use store or perhaps the habitat for humanity restore. You may be able to replace some of the burnt items relatively inexpensively. You can also try just replacing the cabinet doors as opposed to replacing the whole cupboard. People will often throw out cabinets when they remodel so perhaps keep an eye in your neighbourhood for someone who is doing a renovation and ask if you can have the doors or even the cabinets that are being removed. If you want to try painting them, you will definitely have to sand them first. To get rid of the smoke smell try mixing a teaspoon of dish soap with a quarter cup of vinegar and a gallon of water. Use a clean rag and rinse often. This will help get rid of any soot and smoke smell. from hard surfaces like walls, tables, floors etc. To get rid of smoke smell from clothes add 1 cup of vinegar and 1 cup of baking soda with your regular laundry detergent and wash in hot water. (if clothes can be washed in hot water as some materials can't - if this case follow label directions). If smoke smell is not gone after wash, do not dry them but repeat the cycle until the smoke smell is gone. I wish you the best of luck and hope this has helped.

Are you physically able to pull down cabinets, scrape walls and scrub/repaint the ceiling? It's a pretty big job. Have you checked with a church in the area? Ours has a group that helps repair houses for older and disabled folks. Senior Center, Council on Aging, Habitat for Humanity, even the fire dept you called......places like that may know of resources that can help. Best of luck to you.

Try getting a small portable sander, $20.00 Walmart and sanding off the paint. It may be better underneath than you think. If so you can repaint after being sure to put Kilz on first.

Sorry this happened to you. I love fried potatoes but have learned to depend on the microwave a little more.

Dawn diswashing detergent is great for oily soot. Just be sure to keep a close eye on you washing machine. Treat the clothes first, rub in the soap, soak and wash.

God Bless

I am so sorry to hear of your troubles! If you are on a fixed income, perhaps there is a church nearby with youth that might be willing to help, or a school. If replacing the entire cabinet is cost prohibitive, then just replacing the doors is a good option. Habitat for humanity usually has a store where you might be able to find something. You could paint the cabinet, but you would have to strip any remaining pain on the doors and then sand it and repaint it. If you are not physically able to do this, that is where a church or school might be able to assist.

I would definitely take the clothing to a laundromat . Use a cup of vinegar per load, gets the smell out.

Sorry this happened to you . Good luck !

Ask for help. This is a big job, not just confined to the corner where the stove is. I am sure all your kitchen is gonna have to be washed down, inside cupboards and out, including the items inside them. Then all the walls, ceiling & floor areas.

A company who deals with this would strip the whole kitchen out cuz it is cheaper and easier to effectively clean up and repair the damage and to look for further (unseen) damage and to make sure the smell is gone.

Ask for help. Check local churches, United Way offices, Lions Clubs, etc.

Thank you all for your concern and suggestions. It breaks my heart to go into the kitchen. I know I have to do something. I am physically able (59 years old) but I am terrified of ladders and stools. I am willing to do as much as possible but I think you are all right and I need help.

The flames were high and I was just seconds from not having a house at all.

Thank you all

This is really sad to know that you had so much loss due to the fire. Renovating the kitchen is a really big task, seek help from your insurance provider and view here to get suggestions on the insurance coverage. The homeowners insurance coverage differs according to your deductible, but you can get some assistance from the insurance claim.