What is Safe to Salvage After a Flood?
No matter the scale of the flood, water entering your home and ruining your things is devastating no matter what. The first thing you want to do after this happens to you is rush inside and save all of your belongings. Proceed with caution and prioritize safety. Consult with building professionals if necessary to eliminate hazards such as electrocution or structural collapse. Once you are back in, you must determine which of your belongings is safe to salvage and which items must be tossed. Here, we will go over what is safe to keep from a flood and what must be discarded for your safety.
Food
Any piece of food that has been affected by floodwaters must be discarded immediately. If the flood caused an extended power outage, you might need to throw away any meat, poultry, dairy, and perishable items from your refrigerator. Monitor your freezer contents as well. They may spoil over time due to a power outage.
While on the topic of food, if there are any porous utensils that you use to make food affected by the water, make sure to toss those. Metal and ceramic utensils can be washed thoroughly and need to be thoroughly sanitized.
Upholstered Furniture
Upholstered furniture and mattresses that were contaminated with floodwater must be thrown away or professionally restored. If you have a valuable piece of furniture that you cannot imagine getting rid of, it may be possible to restore it professionally. It is not enough to simply dry them out, as the inside of the furniture is contaminated as well.
Wood
Anything made of wood in your home that has been affected by the flood might be salvageable. Whether it is flooring, furniture, or cabinets, there is hope of being saved! It is essential to take extreme caution and sanitize as much as possible. Make sure the wood is dried thoroughly, which may include special drying methods. Then, clean with a wood cleaning agent and disinfect thoroughly. Depending on the damage, you may have to sand down and refinish certain areas or pieces.
Contact Soil-Away
Soil-Away is a team of flood restoration specialists. We have years of experiencing cleaning up homes after floods and assisting in the salvaging process, making sure everything is safe. If you have gone through a flood and are looking for restoration assistance, make sure to give us a call today at (603) 641-6555, we are happy to help.
