A small kitchen fire filled my apartment with smoke. My sneakers weren’t burned, but they all smell like a campfire. The adjuster offered to pay for professional cleaning ($20/pair). I know that washing a Jordan 1 ruins the cardboard lasting board and the materials. I claimed a total loss. We went to war.
Key Takeaways
- Smoke is “Physical Damage”: You don’t need burn marks. Smoke particles embedded in glue and fabric constitute physical damage.
- The “Cleaning” Lowball: Insurers always try to clean first. You must prove that cleaning would further damage the item (e.g., water on suede, chemicals on vintage glue).
- Ozone Machines: Restoration companies use Ozone generators. Warning: High concentrations of ozone can degrade rubber and crumble foam midsoles.
- Diminished Value: Even if cleaned, a “smoked” collection has lower resale value. You are entitled to the difference.
The “Why” (The Trap): The “Duty to Repair”
The policy says the insurer has the right to “repair or replace.” They will always choose the cheaper option (Repair/Clean).
The Trap: They send it to a generic textile cleaner who throws your Travis Scotts in a washing machine.
The Investigation (I Called Restoration Pros)
I called a specialized sneaker restorer vs. a generic restoration company (Servpro type).
- Generic Cleaner: “We fog the room and wash the clothes.” (Disaster for sneakers).
- Sneaker Restorer: “We use hand cleaning and gentle ozone. But for 100 pairs, it’s expensive ($50/pair).”
Step-by-Step Action Plan
- Refuse Bulk Cleaning: Do not let the disaster crew take your shoes. Keep custody.
- Get a Specialist Quote: Get a quote from a reputable sneaker restoration shop (e.g., Reshoevn8r or a local expert). Submit that price (e.g., $5,000 for the collection) to the adjuster.
- The “Material Safety” Letter: Write a letter: “These items are made of sensitive materials (suede, nubuck, vintage foam). Standard textile cleaning will destroy them. Therefore, they are a total loss unless a specialist is used.”
- Accept the “Total Loss” Payout: If the cleaning cost is high, the adjuster might just cut the check for the value of the shoes to avoid the hassle.
FAQ
Q: Can I keep the shoes if they pay me a total loss?
A: Usually, you have to buy them back. The insurer “buys” the damaged items. You can often buy them back for “salvage value” (pennies) and then clean them yourself for “beaters.”
[IMAGE: Photo of a specialized Ozone chamber for sneakers vs. a washing machine.]