The prevention of water damage in most areas of your home is fairly easy, it just usually takes a bit of diligence on your part to make sure that the rest of your household helps you in this task. Preventing this damage from occurring is typically much, much easier to accomplish and cheaper than having to repair the damage after it has happened. Whether it is the discoloration of drywall from steam, damaged floorboards due to cracked tiles, or replacing vanities because of leaks under the sink, the cost of actually preventing this damage from happening usually hovers around zero. Since the bathroom is one of the most valuable areas of your home, you should do what you can to safeguard it.
Keeping an eye on the water junctions in your bathroom is something you will definitely want to do to protect the investment that is your bathroom. These junctions are the shower, bath tub, sink, and the toilet.
The steam that comes off of the bath tub and shower can cause damage to the upper walls and ceiling, so installing an exhaust fan to get rid of this excess moisture buildup is a pretty good idea. Any room in your home that has moisture buildup like this should have an exhaust vent so the vapor does not become absorbed by the ceiling.
Tile that has missing grout or tile that is cracked should be replaced as soon as possible, because this allows water underneath it and will cause damage to the floor boards. This can eventually become so bad that the floor underneath has to be replaced, so replacing a few individual tiles or filling in missing areas of grout is much easier than doing that level of repair.
Look for signs of moisture on the walls of your bathroom, since this could mean that there is a leak in the plumbing in the wall.
Even though you may not see these every day, keep a watch on the plumbing that is underneath your bathroom sink. Having leaks in these pipes can cause the bottom of a vanity to rot and need replacing or if the pipes are not hidden by a cabinet, you will have visible standing water on the bathroom floor.
You should also do what you can to make sure that the toilet does not get stopped up with excess toilet paper, feminine napkins, or other things that do not belong there. Toddlers are notorious for putting items in the toilet like toy cars, so purchasing a lid lock may be a good idea if you have any of these in your home on a regular basis.
Showing posts with label flood. Show all posts
Showing posts with label flood. Show all posts
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
What to Throw Out After a Flood
After a flood has made its way through your home, you are going to be doing a lot of wondering about what you need to try and repair and what needs to be just thrown away. There are a number of items in your house that are going to be better off thrown out instead of you trying to repair them or refurbish them in any way.
One thing that is going to need to be definitely thrown away is food. Any foods in your home will need to be thrown out, including everything in the refrigerator and in the cabinets, even if they did not come into contact with the water directly. If the home was under water for more than 48 hours, the humidity in the home will have gotten so high that it is likely that they have started to mold or at the very least, have become contaminated.
Items such as bedding that is full of padding, like pillows, will most likely need to be thrown out. These thick items are difficult to disinfect entirely and dry out. Not only bacteria have likely contaminated these items, but sewage and other chemicals, as well. Trying to clean these items is probably going to be more trouble than it is worth in the long run and simply purchasing new bedding may be more efficient.
Children’s toys that are porous such as stuffed animals will need to be thrown out. Items contaminated with sewage and chemicals like this or have been contaminated with mold will need to be thrown away because getting them completely safe to be played with again is very difficult. The padding inside these items soaking up soil, sewage, and other chemicals is what makes them so difficult to clean. Plastic toys can be disinfected with cleaners such as Lysol or bleach.
Wooden furniture may become molded if the flood water and the chemicals that it may contain penetrate the finish. These will need to be disinfected and refinished after the flood is over.
Upholstered furniture will usually need to be thrown out if it has been sitting in flood water for more than 24 hours. Soil and sewage will penetrate the outer fabric after a while and be extremely difficult to clean. Much like carpet padding, it will need to be thrown out. Upholstered furniture can be re-upholstered, but this usually comes at a great expense and it is often much easier to just buy a new couch or chair.
One thing that is going to need to be definitely thrown away is food. Any foods in your home will need to be thrown out, including everything in the refrigerator and in the cabinets, even if they did not come into contact with the water directly. If the home was under water for more than 48 hours, the humidity in the home will have gotten so high that it is likely that they have started to mold or at the very least, have become contaminated.
Items such as bedding that is full of padding, like pillows, will most likely need to be thrown out. These thick items are difficult to disinfect entirely and dry out. Not only bacteria have likely contaminated these items, but sewage and other chemicals, as well. Trying to clean these items is probably going to be more trouble than it is worth in the long run and simply purchasing new bedding may be more efficient.
Children’s toys that are porous such as stuffed animals will need to be thrown out. Items contaminated with sewage and chemicals like this or have been contaminated with mold will need to be thrown away because getting them completely safe to be played with again is very difficult. The padding inside these items soaking up soil, sewage, and other chemicals is what makes them so difficult to clean. Plastic toys can be disinfected with cleaners such as Lysol or bleach.
Wooden furniture may become molded if the flood water and the chemicals that it may contain penetrate the finish. These will need to be disinfected and refinished after the flood is over.
Upholstered furniture will usually need to be thrown out if it has been sitting in flood water for more than 24 hours. Soil and sewage will penetrate the outer fabric after a while and be extremely difficult to clean. Much like carpet padding, it will need to be thrown out. Upholstered furniture can be re-upholstered, but this usually comes at a great expense and it is often much easier to just buy a new couch or chair.
Bathroom Humidity and Mold Problems
A relaxing bath or shower can be just what you need after a long day at work, but when you look up and around you and you see mold starting to grow on the walls, the relaxation usually gets ruined by the worry about that mold problem. It shows itself as a splotchy growth on the drywall and it usually moves slowly from one end of the room to the other. If left untreated, it will eventually cover the rest of your bathroom and then you really will not have much of a good time bathing.
Most of the time drywall that becomes contaminated needs to be taken out and thrown away, unless the growth is very new and superficial. If it is old growth and is found to be embedded into the wall, then the drywall cannot be cleaned, since it is such a porous surface. This is unfortunate, because tearing out drywall and replacing it can cost quite a bit, especially if you have to hire someone else to do it for you.
A lot of people seem to like installing carpet in their bathrooms, but what they may not realize is just what a very bad idea this is. Water and mold go hand in hand and once carpet gets wet and is allowed to stay that way on a continuing basis as it will be in a bathroom, it eventually begins to mold. When carpet gets moldy, the unfortunate fact about this, as with drywall, is that it usually has to be thrown out. Carpet can be cleaned, but the padding underneath it cannot and if mold continues to grow on the padding, any new carpet that you put over it will also be contaminated and so will the old carpet if you attempted to clean it.
Try to keep the humidity in the bathroom down by installing an exhaust vent to let steam and moisture out of the house. Also keep wet items of clothing and towels washed as often as possible and avoid letting them stay on the floor, especially a carpeted one.
Keep an eye on your toilet and make sure that it is flushing properly and that the members of your house are not putting too much toilet paper in it. Feminine napkins can sometimes be put into toilets, but this is usually only recommended for homes that are connected to city sewer systems. Homes with septic tanks tend to have a harder time with feminine napkins being put in the toilet and can stop up the whole system, particularly if the pipes are old and corr
Most of the time drywall that becomes contaminated needs to be taken out and thrown away, unless the growth is very new and superficial. If it is old growth and is found to be embedded into the wall, then the drywall cannot be cleaned, since it is such a porous surface. This is unfortunate, because tearing out drywall and replacing it can cost quite a bit, especially if you have to hire someone else to do it for you.
A lot of people seem to like installing carpet in their bathrooms, but what they may not realize is just what a very bad idea this is. Water and mold go hand in hand and once carpet gets wet and is allowed to stay that way on a continuing basis as it will be in a bathroom, it eventually begins to mold. When carpet gets moldy, the unfortunate fact about this, as with drywall, is that it usually has to be thrown out. Carpet can be cleaned, but the padding underneath it cannot and if mold continues to grow on the padding, any new carpet that you put over it will also be contaminated and so will the old carpet if you attempted to clean it.
Try to keep the humidity in the bathroom down by installing an exhaust vent to let steam and moisture out of the house. Also keep wet items of clothing and towels washed as often as possible and avoid letting them stay on the floor, especially a carpeted one.
Keep an eye on your toilet and make sure that it is flushing properly and that the members of your house are not putting too much toilet paper in it. Feminine napkins can sometimes be put into toilets, but this is usually only recommended for homes that are connected to city sewer systems. Homes with septic tanks tend to have a harder time with feminine napkins being put in the toilet and can stop up the whole system, particularly if the pipes are old and corr
How To Drain Water From Your Yard
Standing water in the yard is a very unattractive feature of a person’s property not only due to its aesthetically displeasing characteristic, but also because of the potential water damage that it can cause to the property if there is enough of it in the right area. The owner’s first instinct to fix this problem is to try and plant things in the area where the water tends to build up, but this will not typically work. Any plants that are put in an area that floods from time to time will drown and die. Getting rid of the standing water on your property is not too difficult most of the time, since the problem usually lies simply with the elevation of the part of the yard that is affected the most.
If it is a problem with the elevation of the flooded area, then all you really need to do is add soil to that area and make it level with the rest of your yard. This will keep the flooding at bay as long as the water builds up as a result of heavy rain. Plant some grass over it both to hide the soil and to keep it in place.
Installing a drainage system is also an option, but you need to contact your local building commission and be certain that you will be allowed to build a drainage system. Building permits can be tricky and you need to make sure that your building project is on the up and up before you start working on anything.
Digging a French drain is not very difficult to do. Dig a little ditch in your yard and lay a piece of PVC pipe down inside it. Cover it up with gravel and this will direct the water anywhere you want it to, like a city sewer or ditch. When you dig it, you need to be sure that the highest point of the pipe is in the area that you want to drain and that the lowest point is where you want the water to drain to. You need to make the pipe slant downhill 6 inches for every 100 feet. To keep soil from getting in the pipe, you should install a strainer over the end. A simple sink strainer capped over the end could work for this or a piece of wire mesh. A strainer at the lower end is not needed.
If it is a problem with the elevation of the flooded area, then all you really need to do is add soil to that area and make it level with the rest of your yard. This will keep the flooding at bay as long as the water builds up as a result of heavy rain. Plant some grass over it both to hide the soil and to keep it in place.
Installing a drainage system is also an option, but you need to contact your local building commission and be certain that you will be allowed to build a drainage system. Building permits can be tricky and you need to make sure that your building project is on the up and up before you start working on anything.
Digging a French drain is not very difficult to do. Dig a little ditch in your yard and lay a piece of PVC pipe down inside it. Cover it up with gravel and this will direct the water anywhere you want it to, like a city sewer or ditch. When you dig it, you need to be sure that the highest point of the pipe is in the area that you want to drain and that the lowest point is where you want the water to drain to. You need to make the pipe slant downhill 6 inches for every 100 feet. To keep soil from getting in the pipe, you should install a strainer over the end. A simple sink strainer capped over the end could work for this or a piece of wire mesh. A strainer at the lower end is not needed.
How to Sanitize Your Water
“Water, water everywhere and not a drop to drink” is a saying that most of us are familiar with and unfortunately for those of us who live in hurricane and tropical storm prone areas, there may be some real truth to it. The amount of water that is clean and sanitary to drink during these storms is very limited if you do not have enough water saved up in advance.
You need to keep plenty of clean bottled water on hand during hurricane season and doing this is not very difficult. Save milk jugs and store tap water in them. Try to keep them in an area of your home that is high up, so you are sure that flood waters will not contaminate them. Keep around at least one gallon of water for each person staying with you during the storm for every day you expect the storm to last and then some. Running out of clean water is not something you want to do.
Boiling tap water is an option if you have electricity. If not, a small gas powered generator can do the trick if you are without power for a significant period and can really be a life saver. Filter the water first through a cloth to get any sediment that may have gotten into the local water supply out before you let it set for a while. Put the clear water into a pot and boil for about ten minutes or so. This should give you clean water to drink or bathe in. You should never drink water from your faucet during a hurricane or flood, because of the risk of the local water supply being contaminated with sea water or sewage. Flood water or sea water also cannot be boiled to the point of being safe to drink, since it may be contaminated with more biohazards and chemicals than boiling can get rid of.
A couple of drops of bleach in a gallon of water can also sanitize it, but you should not use scented bleach for this. Allow the water to set for about 30 minutes or longer before drinking it. Do not be alarmed about this idea, since bleach has been used in water supplies for years to sanitize the water that we drink.
Water purification tablets are also available for purchase at most outdoor or camping supply stores. These can be used in the place of heat or bleach in sanitizing water.
You need to keep plenty of clean bottled water on hand during hurricane season and doing this is not very difficult. Save milk jugs and store tap water in them. Try to keep them in an area of your home that is high up, so you are sure that flood waters will not contaminate them. Keep around at least one gallon of water for each person staying with you during the storm for every day you expect the storm to last and then some. Running out of clean water is not something you want to do.
Boiling tap water is an option if you have electricity. If not, a small gas powered generator can do the trick if you are without power for a significant period and can really be a life saver. Filter the water first through a cloth to get any sediment that may have gotten into the local water supply out before you let it set for a while. Put the clear water into a pot and boil for about ten minutes or so. This should give you clean water to drink or bathe in. You should never drink water from your faucet during a hurricane or flood, because of the risk of the local water supply being contaminated with sea water or sewage. Flood water or sea water also cannot be boiled to the point of being safe to drink, since it may be contaminated with more biohazards and chemicals than boiling can get rid of.
A couple of drops of bleach in a gallon of water can also sanitize it, but you should not use scented bleach for this. Allow the water to set for about 30 minutes or longer before drinking it. Do not be alarmed about this idea, since bleach has been used in water supplies for years to sanitize the water that we drink.
Water purification tablets are also available for purchase at most outdoor or camping supply stores. These can be used in the place of heat or bleach in sanitizing water.
Mold Allergy Issues
Allergies plague millions of people the world over, whether the kind of allergy is related to food, pet dander, grasses, mold, or certain chemicals. The symptoms are usually the most prevalent during the spring, summer, and early fall and are caused by seasonal molds and plants. Molds simply lie dormant during the winter time and are unable to continue growing if they are exposed to freezing temperatures. Once spring comes back, mold spore levels in the outdoors skyrocket, wreaking havoc on those of us who happen to be allergic to certain varieties.
The allergy symptoms associated with mold are typically about the same as the allergy symptoms that are caused by almost anything else. Depending upon the severity of the allergy of the person affected, the symptoms can range from a simple runny nose all the way to a serious reaction requiring hospitalization. Children, the elderly, and anyone with a weakened immune system needs to be careful when it comes to just how much of their allergen that they come into contact with. Allergy symptoms related to mold can also seemingly be made worse by eating foods that have been processed containing mold. This can include cheeses made with mold like gorgonzola or blue cheese or just simple funguses like mushrooms. Beer and bread have also been known to worsen these reactions, since they are made with yeast, which is a fungus.
While the majority of molds in the world do not cause allergic reactions, there are a few genii that do. Most allergic reactions are caused by molds in Penicillium, Cladosporium, and Alternaria. Even though Penicillin is named after the genus Penicillium, there are molds in this genus that can cause allergic reactions just like the others.
Try to keep an eye on the mold spore reports that occur on your local news stations regularly, usually every morning, noon, and every evening. If you have children or elderly members of your family that are allergic to mold spores or have any other kind of allergy, you need to be careful about taking them out of the home during times of high spore or pollen counts. A mistake can be deadly if they are exposed to their allergen for a long period of time. If you have any doubts as to whether you should take them outside during these times, the best bet is to have them stay home.
The allergy symptoms associated with mold are typically about the same as the allergy symptoms that are caused by almost anything else. Depending upon the severity of the allergy of the person affected, the symptoms can range from a simple runny nose all the way to a serious reaction requiring hospitalization. Children, the elderly, and anyone with a weakened immune system needs to be careful when it comes to just how much of their allergen that they come into contact with. Allergy symptoms related to mold can also seemingly be made worse by eating foods that have been processed containing mold. This can include cheeses made with mold like gorgonzola or blue cheese or just simple funguses like mushrooms. Beer and bread have also been known to worsen these reactions, since they are made with yeast, which is a fungus.
While the majority of molds in the world do not cause allergic reactions, there are a few genii that do. Most allergic reactions are caused by molds in Penicillium, Cladosporium, and Alternaria. Even though Penicillin is named after the genus Penicillium, there are molds in this genus that can cause allergic reactions just like the others.
Try to keep an eye on the mold spore reports that occur on your local news stations regularly, usually every morning, noon, and every evening. If you have children or elderly members of your family that are allergic to mold spores or have any other kind of allergy, you need to be careful about taking them out of the home during times of high spore or pollen counts. A mistake can be deadly if they are exposed to their allergen for a long period of time. If you have any doubts as to whether you should take them outside during these times, the best bet is to have them stay home.
Water Sanitation Options
The most important thing that you need to have plenty of on hand during a hurricane or tropical storm is simply clean water. Clean water may be more difficult to obtain during these times than you might think, so you need to try and have plenty of it stocked up beforehand if you live in an area that is prone to having these serious storms. If you happen to run out before the storm is completely over, though, there are a few things that you can do to make sure that you have enough to last you.
For every person that will be with you during the storm, you should be saving at least one gallon for them per day for use.
An electricity generator that is powered by gas might be a good thing to have around, as well, since electricity tends to go out during hurricanes and tropical storms, affecting your ability to boil water for drinking. You can boil water on your stove for about 10 minutes or so and make it safe to drink as long as you filter out any sediment that might be in it first. Do not drink flood water, since this will likely have more in it than you can get rid of by simply boiling it.
If you do not have electricity, using chlorinated bleach to sanitize water is also a good idea. You only have to use a couple of drops for each gallon of water you want to sanitize. Be aware that you should only use regular chlorinated bleach for this process. Do not use lemon or any other scented bleach.
When you filter water out of your tap for boiling, you should pour this through a clean (white, if possible) cloth and let the water set until it is no longer cloudy. Do not under any circumstances drink water straight out of the tap after the storm has hit, since your water treatment plant could be contaminated. Do not drink water out of the tap that has not been boiled until your local government says that your tap water is safe to drink.
If you do not have electricity or bleach, then using some water purification tablets to sanitize your water is also an option. Purchase some of these at an outdoor supply store where hiking and camping supplies are.
For every person that will be with you during the storm, you should be saving at least one gallon for them per day for use.
An electricity generator that is powered by gas might be a good thing to have around, as well, since electricity tends to go out during hurricanes and tropical storms, affecting your ability to boil water for drinking. You can boil water on your stove for about 10 minutes or so and make it safe to drink as long as you filter out any sediment that might be in it first. Do not drink flood water, since this will likely have more in it than you can get rid of by simply boiling it.
If you do not have electricity, using chlorinated bleach to sanitize water is also a good idea. You only have to use a couple of drops for each gallon of water you want to sanitize. Be aware that you should only use regular chlorinated bleach for this process. Do not use lemon or any other scented bleach.
When you filter water out of your tap for boiling, you should pour this through a clean (white, if possible) cloth and let the water set until it is no longer cloudy. Do not under any circumstances drink water straight out of the tap after the storm has hit, since your water treatment plant could be contaminated. Do not drink water out of the tap that has not been boiled until your local government says that your tap water is safe to drink.
If you do not have electricity or bleach, then using some water purification tablets to sanitize your water is also an option. Purchase some of these at an outdoor supply store where hiking and camping supplies are.
Water Sanitation Using Heat and Bleach
When you are having to sit a hurricane out in your home or other building, the most important thing that you need to have plenty of is clean water. Hurricanes are often something that we can prepare for in the United States, since we can typically see them coming, but failing to pay attention to the weather reports during hurricane season does happen to some of us.
You should have on hand about a gallon of clean water for every person staying with you. This will be used up in a day’s time, so having one gallon for every person for every day you expect the storm to last plus a few is a good idea.
Having a gas powered electricity generator is something else that you might want to have on hand, especially if you might not have enough water. If the electricity goes out and you run out of water, you will not be able to boil any water to make sure that it is sanitary before you drink it. During storms like this you should never assume that the tap water is alright to drink. Local water treatment plants could be contaminated with all kinds of things during this inclement weather and you should never drink it until the storm clears and your local government okays it.
Boiling water is the best way to sanitize it if you have no other means of doing so, such as a high quality water filter. Bring the water to a boil and keep it like this for about 5 to 10 minutes. Covering the boiling pot of water should shorten the time necessary to get the water boiling and will help you save fuel.
Liquid Clorox bleach can also be used to sanitize water. It can be used to purity tap water and make it safe for you to drink. This will kill any bacteria and microorganisms living in it and the process is fairly simple.
Any water should be let to stand in a container until any debris or sediment settles to the bottom. The clear water should be poured into another container, leaving the water still containing sediment in the bottom of the first one. You only need to use a couple of drops of bleach per quart of water.
As a backup for boiling and bleach, you can also purchase water purification tablets at most outdoor supply stores. People who go camping or hiking often take these with them in case they need them, but you can also benefit from keeping a few on hand.
You should have on hand about a gallon of clean water for every person staying with you. This will be used up in a day’s time, so having one gallon for every person for every day you expect the storm to last plus a few is a good idea.
Having a gas powered electricity generator is something else that you might want to have on hand, especially if you might not have enough water. If the electricity goes out and you run out of water, you will not be able to boil any water to make sure that it is sanitary before you drink it. During storms like this you should never assume that the tap water is alright to drink. Local water treatment plants could be contaminated with all kinds of things during this inclement weather and you should never drink it until the storm clears and your local government okays it.
Boiling water is the best way to sanitize it if you have no other means of doing so, such as a high quality water filter. Bring the water to a boil and keep it like this for about 5 to 10 minutes. Covering the boiling pot of water should shorten the time necessary to get the water boiling and will help you save fuel.
Liquid Clorox bleach can also be used to sanitize water. It can be used to purity tap water and make it safe for you to drink. This will kill any bacteria and microorganisms living in it and the process is fairly simple.
Any water should be let to stand in a container until any debris or sediment settles to the bottom. The clear water should be poured into another container, leaving the water still containing sediment in the bottom of the first one. You only need to use a couple of drops of bleach per quart of water.
As a backup for boiling and bleach, you can also purchase water purification tablets at most outdoor supply stores. People who go camping or hiking often take these with them in case they need them, but you can also benefit from keeping a few on hand.
Which Flooded Items Can I Save?
You may not be very sure what you can save after a flood wreaks havoc on the interior and exterior of your home, but there are some definite things that you can save and things that you will have to throw away.
Certain items that have been soaked in dirty flood water for many hours will probably not be salvageable. Wooden shutters, aluminum, wooden blinds, things made of vinyl, and etcetera can usually not be saved. Metal items will corrode and wooden items tend to warp over time, since it is porous and soaks up water easily.
Any pillows that were in the flood water need to be thrown out, since it will be hard to get rid of all the dirt from the material. It will also be difficult to completely disinfect them.
When you purchase a disinfectant, you should make sure that it is approved by the EPA and that it has a registration number somewhere on the label. This will assure you that the cleaner meets the EPA’s requirements. Having the correct disinfectant for the task at hand is also important. Some disinfectants are only effective on hard surfaces.
Before you begin washing your clothing and other fabrics, you should make sure that the water is safe to use and it not contaminated. If the tap water is safe to drink, it is safe to wash your clothes in. You also might want to make an effort to sanitize your washing machine before you use it. You can do this by running some detergent and bleach through the washer using the most water it can handle.
You can use a water hose to get rid of mud and dirt that is still on the floors of your home and on the furniture. Dried mud and dirt can be scraped and shaken off of most textiles.
When you are dealing with water damaged furniture, you have only a few options. If flood water reached the fabric, it may be stained and if they were in the water for more than a few hours, the silt and dirt that was in the water probably got through both the fabric and the padding. Unfortunately, padding will retain water and allow mold to grow. The majority of the time, your best bet will be to simply discard the upholstered furniture altogether. Restoring this furniture will mean stripping everything down to the frame.
If water gets through the finish on some wood items, it will mildew and the joints in the wooden frame of the item may also become loose.
Mattresses or box springs can be saved if they have come into contact with only a minimum of clean flood water (such as broken water pipes), but mattresses that have been come into contact with dirty flood waters cannot be due to the biological and chemical hazards that exist in them. You should not use a mattress that has a musty odor after it dries, since this means that mold is present. Have this item sanitized by a professional.
Certain items that have been soaked in dirty flood water for many hours will probably not be salvageable. Wooden shutters, aluminum, wooden blinds, things made of vinyl, and etcetera can usually not be saved. Metal items will corrode and wooden items tend to warp over time, since it is porous and soaks up water easily.
Any pillows that were in the flood water need to be thrown out, since it will be hard to get rid of all the dirt from the material. It will also be difficult to completely disinfect them.
When you purchase a disinfectant, you should make sure that it is approved by the EPA and that it has a registration number somewhere on the label. This will assure you that the cleaner meets the EPA’s requirements. Having the correct disinfectant for the task at hand is also important. Some disinfectants are only effective on hard surfaces.
Before you begin washing your clothing and other fabrics, you should make sure that the water is safe to use and it not contaminated. If the tap water is safe to drink, it is safe to wash your clothes in. You also might want to make an effort to sanitize your washing machine before you use it. You can do this by running some detergent and bleach through the washer using the most water it can handle.
You can use a water hose to get rid of mud and dirt that is still on the floors of your home and on the furniture. Dried mud and dirt can be scraped and shaken off of most textiles.
When you are dealing with water damaged furniture, you have only a few options. If flood water reached the fabric, it may be stained and if they were in the water for more than a few hours, the silt and dirt that was in the water probably got through both the fabric and the padding. Unfortunately, padding will retain water and allow mold to grow. The majority of the time, your best bet will be to simply discard the upholstered furniture altogether. Restoring this furniture will mean stripping everything down to the frame.
If water gets through the finish on some wood items, it will mildew and the joints in the wooden frame of the item may also become loose.
Mattresses or box springs can be saved if they have come into contact with only a minimum of clean flood water (such as broken water pipes), but mattresses that have been come into contact with dirty flood waters cannot be due to the biological and chemical hazards that exist in them. You should not use a mattress that has a musty odor after it dries, since this means that mold is present. Have this item sanitized by a professional.
Which Flooded Items You Can Salvage
After your home has been flooded, you might walk around it after the waters have receded and wonder to yourself just what you need to try to save and what you need to get rid of pretty quickly, since you know that contaminated items left in the home can infect everything else.
One of the first things that you need to know is that porous items, especially those that have a lot of padding, will need to be thrown away. This is because they need to be completely dried out so that mold does not start to grow in them and because these items can be difficult to disinfect, since padding makes it difficult for the disinfectant to get through the entire depth of it. This means that any bed or décor pillows will need to be thrown out, as well as any stuffed animals that you have for your children.
It will also be very hard to save upholstered furniture. The dirt, silt, and chemicals often found in flood waters will get past the outer fabric fairly easily if the item is in the water for more than a couple of hours and the padding inside will soak up quite a bit of it.
Saving your curtains and other fabric items that are exposed like this depends on how much damage was done to them. The dyes in the fabric may have bled or it may have become stained from being left in the water for so long.
Items like table cloths and towels can be saved if they are washed a few times in enough disinfectant, but even items that have not come into contact with the flood water can become molded after a few days if they are left in the house, due to the high humidity.
Any electric blankets that you may have that were exposed to the flood water will need to be completely thrown away. These items could possibly have wiring damage and can malfunction if you try to use them. They are in no way safe to continue using after being submerged in water.
Blankets can be washed, but you will need to do this a few times in hot water. Chlorine bleach can sanitize these items, but you will need to be careful what you use it on, since the dyes may run on some items. Try to find a laundry detergent that disinfects, as well. Borax detergent can be helpful in killing mold.
Wooden items that have had their finishes breached by flood waters may be contaminated and will need to be disinfected thoroughly.
One of the first things that you need to know is that porous items, especially those that have a lot of padding, will need to be thrown away. This is because they need to be completely dried out so that mold does not start to grow in them and because these items can be difficult to disinfect, since padding makes it difficult for the disinfectant to get through the entire depth of it. This means that any bed or décor pillows will need to be thrown out, as well as any stuffed animals that you have for your children.
It will also be very hard to save upholstered furniture. The dirt, silt, and chemicals often found in flood waters will get past the outer fabric fairly easily if the item is in the water for more than a couple of hours and the padding inside will soak up quite a bit of it.
Saving your curtains and other fabric items that are exposed like this depends on how much damage was done to them. The dyes in the fabric may have bled or it may have become stained from being left in the water for so long.
Items like table cloths and towels can be saved if they are washed a few times in enough disinfectant, but even items that have not come into contact with the flood water can become molded after a few days if they are left in the house, due to the high humidity.
Any electric blankets that you may have that were exposed to the flood water will need to be completely thrown away. These items could possibly have wiring damage and can malfunction if you try to use them. They are in no way safe to continue using after being submerged in water.
Blankets can be washed, but you will need to do this a few times in hot water. Chlorine bleach can sanitize these items, but you will need to be careful what you use it on, since the dyes may run on some items. Try to find a laundry detergent that disinfects, as well. Borax detergent can be helpful in killing mold.
Wooden items that have had their finishes breached by flood waters may be contaminated and will need to be disinfected thoroughly.
Which Flooded Items You Can Salvage
After your home has been flooded, you might walk around it after the waters have receded and wonder to yourself just what you need to try to save and what you need to get rid of pretty quickly, since you know that contaminated items left in the home can infect everything else.
One of the first things that you need to know is that porous items, especially those that have a lot of padding, will need to be thrown away. This is because they need to be completely dried out so that mold does not start to grow in them and because these items can be difficult to disinfect, since padding makes it difficult for the disinfectant to get through the entire depth of it. This means that any bed or décor pillows will need to be thrown out, as well as any stuffed animals that you have for your children.
It will also be very hard to save upholstered furniture. The dirt, silt, and chemicals often found in flood waters will get past the outer fabric fairly easily if the item is in the water for more than a couple of hours and the padding inside will soak up quite a bit of it.
Saving your curtains and other fabric items that are exposed like this depends on how much damage was done to them. The dyes in the fabric may have bled or it may have become stained from being left in the water for so long.
Items like table cloths and towels can be saved if they are washed a few times in enough disinfectant, but even items that have not come into contact with the flood water can become molded after a few days if they are left in the house, due to the high humidity.
Any electric blankets that you may have that were exposed to the flood water will need to be completely thrown away. These items could possibly have wiring damage and can malfunction if you try to use them. They are in no way safe to continue using after being submerged in water.
Blankets can be washed, but you will need to do this a few times in hot water. Chlorine bleach can sanitize these items, but you will need to be careful what you use it on, since the dyes may run on some items. Try to find a laundry detergent that disinfects, as well. Borax detergent can be helpful in killing mold.
Wooden items that have had their finishes breached by flood waters may be contaminated and will need to be disinfected thoroughly.
One of the first things that you need to know is that porous items, especially those that have a lot of padding, will need to be thrown away. This is because they need to be completely dried out so that mold does not start to grow in them and because these items can be difficult to disinfect, since padding makes it difficult for the disinfectant to get through the entire depth of it. This means that any bed or décor pillows will need to be thrown out, as well as any stuffed animals that you have for your children.
It will also be very hard to save upholstered furniture. The dirt, silt, and chemicals often found in flood waters will get past the outer fabric fairly easily if the item is in the water for more than a couple of hours and the padding inside will soak up quite a bit of it.
Saving your curtains and other fabric items that are exposed like this depends on how much damage was done to them. The dyes in the fabric may have bled or it may have become stained from being left in the water for so long.
Items like table cloths and towels can be saved if they are washed a few times in enough disinfectant, but even items that have not come into contact with the flood water can become molded after a few days if they are left in the house, due to the high humidity.
Any electric blankets that you may have that were exposed to the flood water will need to be completely thrown away. These items could possibly have wiring damage and can malfunction if you try to use them. They are in no way safe to continue using after being submerged in water.
Blankets can be washed, but you will need to do this a few times in hot water. Chlorine bleach can sanitize these items, but you will need to be careful what you use it on, since the dyes may run on some items. Try to find a laundry detergent that disinfects, as well. Borax detergent can be helpful in killing mold.
Wooden items that have had their finishes breached by flood waters may be contaminated and will need to be disinfected thoroughly.
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