Without our realizing it, spring cleaning is also a fire safety activity. All of those boxes, stacks of paper, old clothes, and other useless clutter can become a dangerous place with potential for a fire to start. Most of the debris that accumulates over the winter months isn’t just unsightly, it’s also flammable.
Are there any old rags you can get rid of? This is a good time to start a fresh shoe shine rag or new furniture polishing cloth. What about those cloths that were used to wipe up fuel spills from the snow blower or snowmobile. Get rid of them! It doesn’t have to be very warm in your garage or storage area for a pile of oily rags to heat up all by themselves and start a fire.
In the attic or basement are probably boxes of things we’ve outgrown or don’t ever use. Maybe a charitable organization could make good use of some of these items. If you can’t bear to part with some items, consider renting space at a mini- warehouse or self-storage facility. At the very least, straighten things up and be sure everything is at least three feet from heat sources such as water heaters and furnaces.
The Roselle Fire Department will be happy to assist you in making your home fire safe. Simply call us at (630) 671-2842.