Once a flood has occurred, especially on carpet, you’re fighting against the clock to prevent harmful mold from growing on your carpets. This means you must act quickly and do the necessary steps to save your carpet and prevent future mold growth from happening. In order to prevent mold growth and save yourself the expense of replacing your carpets, American Hometown Services outline these six essential steps to follow.

Step 1. Remove Water Fast

As soon as you have discovered your floor covered in water you will want to repair the source of the leak. In addition, you will also want to remove the water on the floor and carpets quickly. The machines designed to remove the water can be rented or you can contact a flood restoration company to do it for you as well. However time is the key when fighting against harmful molds that can begin to set in within 24 hours of the flooding.

Step 2. Use Fans to Dry Surface Level Dampness

Even with water extraction tools, it can take days to fully dry out the carpet. Using high pressure fans can help speed up the drying time. Again you can use house hold fans, but they aren’t as effective as industrial fans. Industrial fans have more speed and pressure and can be rented. Or if you have contacted a flood restoration company, they will come equipped with fans as well.

Step 3. Use a Dehumidifier to Draw Out Moisture

The use of a dehumidifier is essential when it comes to removing the excess moisture from out of the room and carpets. You will want to find a strong dehumidifier to help dry up the rest of the moisture completely. Some dehumidifiers can be rented or your restoration company will again already come with all the tools needed for the job.

Step 4. Steam Clean Carpets

The next step after the carpets and room has been dried out, it is important to sanitize and clean the carpets. This is where you can rent or buy a steam carpet cleaner or better yet, hire a professional like American Hometown Services. Use a cleaning agent that prevents and kills existing mold. Depending on how severe the flooding was, you may have replaced the padding underneath the carpet. However replacing just the pad is much cheaper than replacing the entire carpet.

Step 5. Clean & Disinfect Walls & Baseboards

After you have saved your carpet, you may feel like your job is done. However this is not the case. Mold will continue to develop on the walls and baseboards that also may have been affected by the water. Mold will grow on these places as well and its spores will disperse and land on your carpet where thy will continue to grow. That’s why you will need to either bleach your walls or use a cleaning agent that disinfects walls and baseboards of the mold.

Step 6. Disinfect Other Surfaces to Prevent Mold

The final step is to check other sources for mold, such as furniture, rugs and other items that got wet during the flood. You may need to disinfect them as well to make sure there are no chances of mold re-infecting the room or home.

Water Extraction, Drying, Cleaning, Damage Restoration, Mold Remediation & More in Quincy, Macomb, Hamilton, Warsaw & East Alton Illinois / Hannibal, Missouri and Norman, Oklahoma

You may find it will save you time and money by seeking out the assistance of a professional flood restoration and mold remediation company. We come with all the knowledge, experience and tools necessary to effectively save your home and carpet from water damages. American Hometown Services can help you in your time of need. We come equipped and ready to help you if a flood has occurred in your home. We can restore it or remodel it to become your dream home. Contact us right away in the event you have experienced a major flood in your home.