To clean after an electrical fire use a mild soap or detergent or mix 4 to 6 tablespoons of tri sodium phosphate and 1 cup of household cleaner or bleach to a gallon of warm water.
Then use the solution to mop floors and scrub areas where the smoke reached such as walls, floors and ceilings.
You can also use an upholstery cleaner to clean furniture if it's not too smoked damaged.
After an electrical fire you should disconnect the power and once the electrical fire is put out you should open windows and doors to get the smoke smell out of the house.
Then you may need to clean around the area where the fire is or was or clean up after the fire if not too much damage was done.
Don't turn the power back on until the cause of the electrical fire is fixed.
During an electrical fire you should if possible turn off the power and use an electrical fire rated fire extinguisher or baking soda to put the fire out if possible.
If not possible then get out of the house or building and get your family out as well and call 911.
If you can't safely extinguish the fire, or if flames have already spread to other areas of your home, call the fire department immediately.
Electrical fires are not very likely to occur as long as you don't overload electrical outlets, use frayed electrical cords, don't use space heaters on extension cords and ensure your electrical system is updated and in good condition.
However nearly 50,000 home fires a year are caused by electrical issues which result in as many as 500 deaths and around $1.4 billion dollars in property damage.
Home electrical fires are caused by faulty electrical outlets, frayed or chewed or damaged electrical cords, faulty wiring, loose wiring connections, bad electrical outlets, faulty appliances, overloaded electrical outlets and circuits, old wiring, space heaters and electrical system defects and appliance malfunctions.
Faulty wiring and overloaded electrical outlets or using electric space heaters with extension cords are the most common cause of electrical fires in homes.
Electrical fire smoke is toxic and breathing in the burning fumes of the electrical fire can lead to lung disease, lung cancer, breathing issues and even death if breathed in for too long.
The smell of electrical fire is harmful especially if breathed in too long and can lead to toxic particles entering the lungs and make breathing difficult and can cause severe respiratory issues like asthma and bronchitis.
You can even die from smoke inhalation which is how some people die in house fires when they cannot get out and sometimes when they are rescued they may still die as a result of smoke inhalation.
Electrical fires smell like burning rubber or burning plastic as the insulation surrounding the wire inside the walls or cords start to heat up and melt which releases the strong unpleasant burning rubber or plastic smell.
If the wood starts to burn then burning wood can also often be smelt as well.
The fire extinguisher that is for electrical fires is a Type C fire extinguisher which is used for electrical fires such as in wiring, fuse boxes, energized electrical equipment and other electrical sources.
Salt or even baking soda can and does put out electrical fires and other fires as they are excellent materials to put out flames and also help prevent the fire from igniting again.
Throw a handful of salt or baking soda onto the fire and keep a safe distance from the flames until they have been completely extinguished.
Baking soda can be used to put out an electrical fire or a fire extinguisher rated for electrical fires.
You can often smother a small electrical fire once the electricity has been shut off but it's best use some baking soda or a fire extinguisher rated for electrical fires.
Baking soda can help to smother the electrical fire but you should not use water on the electrical fire unless the electricity has been shut off.
Firefighters put out electrical fires by first cutting off the power source and then using water to extinguish the electrical fire.
In some cases the firefighters may use fire fighting foam or other agents to extinguish the electrical fire.
If you're experiencing an electrical fire you should get out of the house or building and if possible cut the power to the house.
Call 911 to get the fire department out if you cannot put the fire out yourself.
Water should never be used to put out an electrical fire when the electricity is still going through the wires, and instead, a fire extinguisher rated for electrical fires or baking soda should be used to smother the flames.
It's also essential to turn off the power source and avoid touching the appliance or machine to prevent electric shock.
Sodium bicarbonate is one agent in Class C fire extinguishers, which are the recommended extinguishers for electrical fires.
These types of fire extinguishers are developed using chemicals that will not conduct electricity, meaning they can still be used even if the power is not shut off.
You should never throw water on an electrical fire because water conducts electricity and you could be electrocuted.
If you don't have a fire extinguisher, you can use baking soda to extinguish an electrical fire.
Electric fires often cause a smell like burning rubber or burning plastic as the plastic insulation surrounding copper wires inside walls start to heat up and melt which releases the strong unpleasant chemical odors.
And if the electrical fire progresses you may even smell wood burning.
If you think there's an electrical fire call 911 and get out of the house and if possible shut the power off to the house which can stop an electrical fire from happening if it has not began to burn the walls yet.