Water damage is something that no one wants to happen in their home, but there may be times that it does occur. That is why it is vital for everyone to know the dos and don'ts for water damage cleanup.
Knowing the do's and don'ts will help you know exactly what needs to be done to get it done right. It will also allow you to understand why putting off the cleanup can turn out to be a huge mistake.
Let's start with the dos for cleanup.
1. Consider the temperature outside and if it is above 60 degrees, then use a dehumidifier to help clean up the water.
2. Start the cleanup by mopping up as much water as you possibly can using a mop or a dry cloth, depending on how much water there is.
3. If water gets onto any of your wood furniture, slowly dry them instead of letting them sit in direct sunlight to dry. The sun can cause damage to the wood.
Slowly drying the wood without using any heat will help prevent the wood from warping and becoming deformed.
4. Use fans to help circulate the air and to speed up the drying process.
5. Get rid of any rugs that has been too damaged by the water to be cleaned or repaired easily. If you can clean them, then be sure to take care of this right away.
Be sure you wash the rugs thoroughly using hot water and then get them really dry before placing them back. Only put them back after all of the water has been cleaned up.
6. Large furniture needs to be dried or cleaned thoroughly right away or you could end up with mold problems. This will make it unsafe for your family to breathe the air in your home.
If you don't want to do the drying or cleaning yourself of your large furniture, then you can hire professionals to handle it for you.
Now you need to know the don'ts, which are below:
1. Don't use an ordinary household vacuum to clean up water. You will need to have an industrial wet or dry vacuum to use instead to get the job done right.
2. Don't ever use electrical appliances, even if you are wearing rubber boots while you are standing on wet carpet or floors.
3. Be sure to turn off the electric switch in your home before starting the cleanup. This will ensure your safety when you are doing cleanup in any room of the home that has water in it.
4. Don't lift or try and replace carpet that is glued down. Lifting it incorrectly can cause the carpet to shrink and that is why it should be handled by a professional.
Now that you know the dos and don'ts for water damage cleanup, you can be sure the job is done right. You may want to hire water restoration experts to do it for you, if you don't feel comfortable doing the cleanup yourself. Either way you decide to do it, just be sure that it is done immediately or other problems can occur that you don't need or want.