Firefighters work in environments filled with smoke, heat, chemicals, and the byproducts of burning materials. Their protective gear is built to help them do that work. But after the fire is out, contaminants can remain on and within the equipment they wear.
That makes turnout gear cleaning an important part of firefighter health and safety, not simply a matter of keeping equipment looking presentable.
For fire chiefs, health and safety officers, and personal protective equipment (PPE) officers, the challenge is establishing a gear-care program that follows applicable standards, protects equipment, and accounts for the different exposures firefighters encounter.
Routine cleaning is essential. Advanced decontamination may also have a role, depending on the equipment, contamination, available technology, and department’s needs. Understanding how these approaches differ helps departments make better decisions about protecting their people.
Why firefighter turnout gear cleaning matters
A firefighter’s protective equipment can encounter a wide range of hazardous substances during an emergency response. These include chemicals produced by combustion, particulates from smoke, and contaminants released as building materials break down.
Some substances can remain on protective clothing after the incident. Contaminated gear can then transfer material to a firefighter’s skin, other equipment, vehicles, or areas inside the station.
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) addressed this concern in guidance published in 2026, explaining how contaminants on firefighter gear can contribute to continued exposure after the emergency itself has ended. The guidance discusses cleaning, handling, bagging, and storing contaminated gear as parts of reducing that exposure. Read NIOSH’s guidance on contaminated firefighter gear.
The broader health concern deserves attention, too. A NIOSH study of nearly 30,000 career firefighters from Chicago, Philadelphia, and San Francisco found 9% more cancer diagnoses and 14% more cancer-related deaths than expected based on U.S. population rates. Those findings describe the study population and do not establish that any single exposure or cleaning method determines an individual’s cancer risk. Read the NIOSH research summary.
Cleaning gear is one part of a broader effort to manage occupational exposure. It does not eliminate every hazard firefighters face, but it addresses a practical question departments can act on: what happens to contaminated equipment after a call?
What counts as firefighter turnout gear?
Turnout gear, sometimes called bunker gear, is the protective clothing firefighters wear during structural firefighting. A typical ensemble includes:
- Protective coat and pants
- Helmet
- Protective hood
- Structural firefighting gloves
- Boots
- Other ensemble components specified for the firefighter’s role and equipment configuration
Some departments also manage wildland firefighting clothing, specialized protective equipment, and other gear that encounters hazardous substances during emergency responses.
Not every component can be cleaned in the same way. Materials, construction, manufacturer instructions, and the type of contamination all affect the appropriate process.
That is why a department’s gear-care program should address the full ensemble rather than treating a coat-and-pants wash as the complete answer.
The main approaches to turnout gear cleaning
Departments have several ways to address contaminated PPE. The right approach depends on the equipment, the exposure, and the service being performed.
1. On-scene gross decontamination
Gross decontamination is the initial effort to remove visible contamination after an incident. Depending on the department’s procedures and circumstances, this can include rinsing or brushing debris from gear and taking steps to prevent contamination from spreading.
The objective is to reduce contamination before it travels back to the station, apparatus, or firefighter’s home.
This initial step does not replace thorough cleaning. It is part of a larger process that should continue after the incident.
2. Routine washing
Routine washing removes soil and contamination through an appropriate laundering process. Departments commonly use dedicated gear washers or extractors designed for protective clothing.
The equipment, detergent, cycle, water conditions, and handling procedures matter. Protective garments must be cleaned according to applicable standards and manufacturer instructions, not simply placed in any available washing machine.
Routine washing is an essential part of PPE care. It should remain a core element of a department’s program even when other cleaning technologies are available.
3. Advanced cleaning and decontamination
Advanced cleaning uses specialized processes intended to address contamination beyond what a department’s routine procedures may adequately handle.
One option is liquid carbon dioxide (CO₂) decontamination, which uses pressurized liquid CO₂ as the cleaning medium. Depending on the system and validated process, it can provide an additional approach to treating contaminants associated with firefighting.
Performance varies by process and contaminant. Departments should review relevant testing, equipment qualifications, and service capabilities before selecting a provider.
For a closer look at the distinction, see turnout gear cleaning vs. decontamination and how liquid CO₂ decontamination works.
How should departments clean turnout gear?
A reliable gear-care program starts with written procedures, clear responsibilities, and consistent follow-through. The details should reflect the department’s equipment, exposure profile, available resources, and applicable requirements.
Follow the applicable standard and manufacturer instructions
The National Fire Protection Association’s (NFPA) 2025 edition of NFPA 1850, Standard on Selection, Care, and Maintenance of Protective Ensembles for Structural and Proximity Firefighting and Open-Circuit Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA), consolidates the previous NFPA 1851 and NFPA 1852 standards.
It addresses the selection, care, and maintenance of covered protective ensembles and breathing apparatus. Departments should consult the applicable edition, their equipment manufacturers, and qualified PPE personnel when establishing cleaning procedures.
The standard’s requirements depend on the equipment and the specific procedure. A department should not assume that a particular cleaning technology, vendor, or service automatically satisfies every applicable requirement. Review NFPA 1850.
Establish a clear process after every incident
Firefighters should know what to do with contaminated gear before they return to the station. Department procedures should address the initial removal of contamination, safe handling, transportation, cleaning, and storage.
The goal is to avoid carrying unnecessary contamination into vehicles, living areas, or other shared spaces.
Departments should also identify who is responsible for arranging cleaning, documenting service, and returning equipment to use when appropriate.
Use equipment designed for protective clothing
Ordinary household laundry equipment is not a substitute for a properly managed PPE-cleaning process.
Departments should use the equipment and procedures appropriate for their garments, following manufacturer instructions and applicable standards. This includes using suitable cleaning agents and avoiding cycles or methods that could damage protective materials.
The same principle applies to drying, inspection, and storage. A garment that looks clean is not necessarily ready for service if it has not completed the required care and inspection process.
Track cleaning and inspection history
A gear-care record helps departments understand what has happened to each garment and when additional attention may be needed.
Useful information may include:
- Firefighter or equipment identification
- Incident or exposure notes, where relevant
- Cleaning dates and methods
- Inspection findings
- Repairs and maintenance
- Equipment status and return-to-service decisions
Consistent records also help PPE officers identify gaps, plan service schedules, and explain equipment-care decisions to department leadership.
How often should firefighter turnout gear be cleaned?
There is no single interval that adequately addresses every exposure and every type of equipment.
Departments should distinguish between routine care after an incident, scheduled advanced cleaning, and inspection or maintenance requirements. The appropriate frequency depends on applicable standards, the equipment manufacturer’s instructions, contamination, and department procedures.
Visible contamination should not be ignored simply because a scheduled cleaning is not yet due. Likewise, the absence of visible soot does not prove that gear is free of hazardous substances.
NFPA requirements should guide the department’s written program, with additional attention to exposures that may warrant earlier cleaning or specialized service.
For a more detailed discussion of intervals, see how often firefighter PPE should be cleaned.
What conventional washing can and cannot tell you
Routine washing plays a critical role in firefighter PPE care, but cleaning performance depends on the contaminants involved, the garment, and the process used.
A garment may look clean after washing without every contaminant being removed. Some substances can be difficult to remove from protective materials, and different cleaning processes may perform differently against different contaminants.
This is one reason researchers have studied ways to evaluate cleaning performance rather than relying on appearance alone. The NFPA’s Fire Protection Research Foundation has supported research into contamination on turnout clothing and methods for validating cleaning procedures. Explore the foundation’s PPE cleaning research.
The practical takeaway is not that conventional washing is ineffective. It is that departments should understand what their cleaning procedures are designed to accomplish and where additional treatment may be appropriate.
When should a department consider advanced decontamination?
Advanced decontamination may be worth evaluating when a department wants another option for addressing contaminants that can remain in protective gear.
The decision should account for several factors.
The type of exposure
Structural fires, wildland fires, vehicle fires, and other incidents can expose equipment to different mixtures of contaminants. A department should consider its actual operating environment rather than assume that every firefighter encounters the same substances or needs identical service.
The equipment being treated
Protective garments and accessories differ in construction and materials. Departments should verify that a proposed process is appropriate for the equipment being serviced and that its use aligns with applicable requirements.
The evidence behind the process
Ask providers what testing supports their performance claims, which contaminants were evaluated, and what the results mean for the particular service being offered.
Results from one machine or process should not automatically be applied to every liquid CO₂ system. The same caution applies to claims about conventional washing.
Provider qualifications and logistics
Consider equipment certification, service procedures, inspection capabilities, turnaround time, transportation, and reporting. A cleaning option is useful only if a department can access it and integrate it into its gear-care program.
For more information about this technology, Cool Clean provides an overview of liquid CO₂ systems for firefighter PPE. Emergency Technical Decon also publishes information about its testing and decontamination services. Departments should evaluate the specific process and supporting evidence, not rely on a general technology label alone.
The budget problem: better gear care needs to be accessible
For some departments, the challenge is not deciding whether firefighter PPE deserves proper care. It is finding the resources to provide that care consistently.
Smaller, rural, volunteer, and combination departments may face different financial and logistical constraints from larger agencies. That does not mean every volunteer department lacks funding. It means departments need solutions that account for their actual resources and circumstances.
Advanced decontamination services can introduce additional costs for treatment, transportation, and coordination. Even when a department recognizes a potential benefit, those expenses may compete with staffing, equipment replacement, training, and other operational priorities.
This is where The Afterburn Foundation comes in.
Afterburn is an access and funding organization. It helps qualifying fire departments access advanced PPE decontamination when cost stands in the way, connecting documented department need with philanthropic funding and qualified independent service providers.
Its annual sponsorship model is built around a straightforward unit:
$500. One firefighter. One year.
A $500 sponsorship provides one firefighter with one year of funded access to qualifying advanced PPE decontamination services. The standard annual model is designed around two advanced CO₂ decontamination cycles and one annual advanced inspection, while allowing the funded services to vary according to actual need.
Sponsorship funds are pooled within the program, so the services provided can account for differences in equipment, exposure, geography, and logistics. The sponsorship is not a promise that every firefighter receives an identical set of services.
If your department is interested in advanced decontamination but cost is a barrier, you can apply for funding through Afterburn.
Building a practical turnout gear cleaning program
A strong program is more than a washer, a service contract, or a calendar reminder. It is a repeatable process that connects incident response, safe handling, cleaning, inspection, recordkeeping, and equipment readiness.
For department leaders, the most useful starting points are straightforward:
- Review your written PPE-care procedures against current applicable standards and manufacturer instructions.
- Confirm that firefighters understand how to handle and transport contaminated gear after an incident.
- Establish who is responsible for cleaning, inspection, maintenance, and documentation.
- Review whether your current process addresses the types of contamination your department encounters.
- Evaluate advanced decontamination options when appropriate, using evidence and provider qualifications to guide the decision.
- Identify financial or logistical barriers that prevent your department from accessing the services it needs.
The objective is not to choose a particular technology for every department. It is to make informed decisions about gear care and ensure that cost does not automatically rule out an otherwise appropriate option.
Firefighters should not have to carry unnecessary contamination home simply because a department lacks a workable process. Better gear care begins with clear procedures, informed decisions, and access to the right services.
Frequently asked questions about firefighter turnout gear cleaning
How often should firefighter turnout gear be washed?
Cleaning frequency depends on the exposure, equipment, applicable NFPA requirements, manufacturer instructions, and department procedures. Departments should address contamination after incidents as needed rather than relying exclusively on a fixed calendar.
Does washing turnout gear remove all contaminants?
Not necessarily. Cleaning performance varies with the contaminant, garment, and process. Gear can look clean without every contaminant being removed, which is why cleaning methods and their supporting evidence matter.
What is the difference between turnout gear cleaning and decontamination?
Cleaning generally refers to removing soil and contamination through an established care process. Decontamination focuses on reducing contamination to an appropriate degree through a defined process. The terms can overlap, so departments should examine what a particular service actually does and what its testing demonstrates.
What is liquid CO₂ decontamination for firefighter gear?
It is a specialized cleaning process that uses pressurized liquid carbon dioxide to treat protective equipment. Its performance depends on the system and process used. Departments should evaluate relevant testing, equipment qualifications, and applicable standards before choosing a provider.
Can a fire department get help paying for advanced PPE decontamination?
Yes. The Afterburn Foundation helps qualifying fire departments access advanced PPE decontamination when cost stands in the way. Departments can submit an application to have their needs evaluated for potential financial assistance.
Better decontamination shouldn’t depend on your department’s budget.
Afterburn helps qualifying fire departments access advanced PPE decontamination when cost stands in the way.
Help another department get access: Sponsor a Firefighter
