How To Care For Your Belongings After Water Damage

3/14/2023 (Permalink)

Water damage can leave you feeling hopeless, give SERVPRO a call today!

Water damage can be devastating to your belongings and home. When flood waters recede, you might find yourself with some musty furniture, a mildewed carpet, damaged books, or even worse: mold. But there's no need to panic—there are plenty of ways to restore your belongings after they've been exposed to water.

Dispose of items that are ruined

It is not an easy task to complete, but it is important to sort through all of your affected belongings and determine if the belongings are ruined or not. Once you have determined what items are ruined, it's time to dispose of them.

Disposing of items that have been damaged by water can be a challenge. To avoid mold growth or further damage, you need to keep the affected belongings isolated from other items until they are properly cleaned and dried. The best way to do this is by putting the ruined items in plastic bags--you can even seal them with tape if needed--and storing them in a dry place with good ventilation until they can be taken away for disposal.

Air-drying

If your items are wet after a loss, try air-drying your belongings indoors. Open windows to create a natural airflow or use fans to circulate the air throughout your home. You can also dry items in a garage or other dry areas if necessary.

Air drying is usually safe for most materials, but there are still some things you should avoid doing while they're drying:

• Don't expose wet clothing or bedding directly to heat sources like radiators or heaters until they're completely dry.
• Avoid hanging up wet clothes on hooks; instead lay them flat on a surface like carpeting so they don't stretch out of shape as they dry.

Gently clean

If your belongings have been affected by a water loss, there is no surprise that the items might be dirty. The first thing to do is to gently clean the affected items with a cloth or a soft brush. Don't use a pressure washer, steam cleaner, or harsh chemicals. This can cause more damage and make it harder for you to get your belongings back in good condition.

If you have books, albums, or photos that have been damaged, do not attempt to clean them with a soft brush or cloth, this could cause more damage. Instead, allow restoration professionals, such as SERVPRO of Lake Conroe, to clean and repair those items for you!

Call a restoration professional for help

If your belongings have minor water damage, it might be possible to clean the items on your own. If the damage is more severe, don't try to clean them yourself. The best way to restore those belongings is with the help of a professional restoration company. They can help you with drying out items, cleaning them, and disposing of those that cannot be saved. Water damage restoration companies use advanced technology to clean, sanitize, and restore your damaged belongings as much as possible so that it looks like new again!

There are things you can do to avoid further harm to your belongings.

If you have water damage in your home, there are things you can do to avoid further harm to your belongings. If possible, remove all wet items from the area and place them in a safe place. You may want to consider hiring professionals who specialize in drying out homes after a flood or storm has occurred.

If you don't have the time or tools for this process yourself, call a restoration company for content restoration services.

We hope that this guide has helped you understand the process of restoring your belongings after a water damage incident. Water damage can be devastating, but with the right knowledge and tools, you can make sure it doesn't ruin your life!