Cleaning your house after water damage is crucial. You need to sanitize your place right away not only to eliminate germs but also odor. Letting your house soak into water can create a lot of hassles and dangers, as it will attract viruses and mold growth. You can make your house spotless and odor-free after it has been waterlogged.

Here are a few things you can do to prevent health hazards, save some of your stuff, and remove bad odor from your home after water damage:

Water Removal

The first step is the removal of water from your property. Use a sponge, towel or a mop to sip as much water as possible. Open your windows and doors to let the air flow in. If it is safe, turn on your electric fan or air clothes dryer to help circulate the air. If you have a badly-damaged leaking pipe, contact a plumber or a water-restoration company that can fix your water system and provide heavy-duty fans to speed up eliminating moisture and water in your home. You can also use a wet and dry vacuum that can sip out water and at the same time serve as a blower once the water is taken out.

Save Your Paper Stuff

You need to think quickly in the event of a water leak. It can be difficult to replace books and paper documents especially if they are old. Remove them from the water speedily and place them in an area where they can get enough ventilation. Save as much paper stuff as you can as they will wear out easily when soaked in water. Flip the pages if possible to avoid them from sticking to one another. You can cut plastic sheets and place them between the pages to save the prints on the pages.

Odor elimination

Water damage can make your home smell really bad so it is best to get a good deodorizer. Sprinkling baking soda on the cleaned area has been proven effective even in deodorizing other moist areas, such as inside the refrigerator. Washing your soiled carpets with detergent, vinegar and ammonia will also help dismiss the mildew odor as you dry them in the sunshine. Air fresheners are also available in the market to catch the bad scent and replace it with a sweet smell while you are drying out your house.

It is also  important to keep your pipes and waterways in good condition to prevent any chances of water damage in the future. House checkups and cleaning will also help you detect if there is anything that needs to be repaired or replaced before leaks happen. As they say, prevention is better than cure. The chances of seepage and drips into your home can be alleviated if you do regular inspection and proper home maintenance.

About the Author:

This guest blog was written by Teresa Adkinson, a guest blogger/writer with a wide range of knowledge when it comes to home improvement and other related topics. She has done an extensive research about water damage restoration while working with this post.