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How to Disinfect Flooded Clothing

How to disinfect flooded clothing

Dealing with water-damaged clothing is not for the faint-hearted. Seeing ones wardrobe fully submerged in flood water or soiled with contaminated indoor floodwater can be very disheartening to say the least.

Most water-damage restoration experts say though that one has to move on quickly from getting emotional over the sights of a flooded property. Time is of the essence, and the earlier a person acts to restore the damage, the minimal the risk of the properties getting further damaged.

This holds true even for clothes. Floodwaters, no matter where it originates can be contaminated with germs and bacteria that can be very harmful to the skin and the overall wellness of persons.

Live Well Utah came up with a guide on dealing with flooded clothing and carpet. In its advice, it included immediate actions that homeowners should take as soon as they can deal with the flooding aftermath. 

“Recovering flood-damaged clothing is a time-sensitive battle in preventing mildew. Most of the dirt can be washed out, but mildew can permanently damage clothes quickly. Be sure to wear rubber gloves when handling wet clothing and fabric. Since you likely have more clothes than you can clean all at once or want to have dry cleaned, let everything air dry as quickly as possible. Don’t leave clothes in a heap, as this promotes mildew growth. Once dry, shake them out or brush off loose dirt and dried mud.”

Read the continuation here.

Drying disinfected garments

The website The Spruce meanwhile says flood-contaminated garments should be dried with the highest heat setting its fabric can withstand. “Dry clothing in a dryer at the highest heat recommended for the clothing to help kill bacteria. White clothes can be hung outside in the sun where ultraviolet rays will help kill bacteria.”

More tips can be found here.

Stains and more stains

The cleaning institute of America meantime mentioned that for tough stains other than mud, special handling must be observed.

“IF there are rust or rust-colored stains on fabrics, use a commercially prepared rust remover to help remove them. Look for these products in the laundry or fabric dye section of the supermarket. They are generally intended to be used on white or colorfast fabrics. Because they can cause color removal, follow package directions and test first on a small, inconspicuous area of the garment before using. IF fabrics have been wet for any length of time, mildew might appear. Launder stained items using liquid household bleach if safe for fabric. Or, soak in oxygen bleach and hot water, then launder. Mildew is difficult to remove, and badly mildewed fabrics may be damaged beyond repair.”

The original article can be found here.

Losing clothes on top of losing some important property can be unnerving. Fortunately there are ways to salvage flooded clothing.

San Diego Flood Restoration

If you recently experienced flood damage or water damage, the team at Mighty Dry is here to help. Contact us today to get started restoring your home or business.

Contact Mighty Dry for Remediation Services

If you need immediate assistance please call 858-293-8322

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