Learning To Clean Quicker

There are a lot of different types of weather events and disasters that result from them, more frequently across the United States recently with Derechos, tornadoes, and hurricanes. When you experience a serious weather event that results in flooding, it can leave your home needing quite a bit of work from moisture damage and mold growth. Here are some recommendations to help you as you clean up your home after a flood event disaster in your area.

Take Care of Flood Waters

One of the first things you need to handle when you have floodwater in your home is to clean out the water. If you need to wait for the floodwaters to recede, this can take several days, which means you will certainly be dealing with mold growth. However, if you can pump out the standing water and pull up the floor saturation with a shop vacuum or extractor, do so as soon as possible to start drying out your home interior.

Use Mold Prevention and Clean-Up

Place fans through your home to help circulate the air as and after you pull up the excess water. This will help prevent mold growth if there is not already mildew or mold present. You can also see some good results with the use of a home dehumidifier to remove moisture from the air in your home, which will help in its drying-out. 

It is also important to remove and discard wet materials in your home that you won't be able to dry out or clean. This includes drywall, batting insulation, carpeting, padding, and upholstered furniture and mattresses. Wash clothing, bedding, and other fabric items on the hottest water setting and dry them in a hot dryer to clean and disinfect the linens. Because these items are porous they trap and hold in toxic floodwaters that contain chemicals and raw sewage after the outside flooding. 

Wipe off solid surfaces that contain mold using a bleach and water solution. The CDC recommends combining one cup of bleach into one gallon of water for the proper mixture to clean and disinfect against mold and mildew growth. You should also open windows and doors inside your home as you clean up the mold damage because the bleach fumes can fill the air and be dangerous to breathe. Opening doors and windows also helps to air out your home of mold spores and reduce the moisture inside your home. Always consult with someone that specializes in mold remediation in your area to be safe.