Able Restoration is your number one source for assistance with water damage and mold remediation. Read up on these helpful tips on what items you should keep and discard following a flood or water damage. Has your home recently suffered from severe water damage? If it has, it’s important to know what should be kept and what should be discarded before you are in need of mold remediation. Typically there is a general rule of thumb: anything that you cannot wash, disinfect or dry right away should be thrown away.

Following any severe flooding or water damage, it’s important that you take inventory of the items you have and whether or not the damage was caused by clean water or contaminated water. Contaminated water would be water that has possibly been mixed with sewage, chemical, or biological pollutants. If items in your house have been in contact with contaminated water it’s important that you consult a restoration professional immediately.

For Indoor Furnishings and Personal Belongings

- Upholstered Furniture – If furniture has been severely soaked or submerged in water for a day to two days, you may need to discard it.

- Hardwood Furniture – is salvageable if it is thoroughly dried within 24 to 48 hours and there are no signs of mold growth.

- Laminate furniture – if laminated furniture has been soaked long enough to delaminate, it should be disposed. Pressed wood absorbs a lot of water and is hard to dry out completely

- Any furniture that has been made of particle board should be thrown away.

- All appliances and electrical devices should be thoroughly inspected, if possible by a licensed electrician.

- Important papers and books can be salvaged if treated properly.

- Drapes can be saved by drying and restoring using an assortment of techniques all dependent on the fabric.

- Toys and play equipment should be discarded if they have become waterlogged or are not cleanable.

- Clothing, linen, and other fabrics can usually just be washed and salvaged unless contaminated.

For Food and Kitchenware Items

- All food, medicines and garden produce that have come in contact with flood waters should be discarded. Foods that have been sealed in airtight metal cans that are not bulging or damaged in any way can be properly sanitized and saved.

- If power has been off for two hours or more, you will need to discard any perishable food items like: meat, poultry, fish, eggs and leftovers.

- Dishes, silverware, cooking utensils and food prep areas should be sanitized before using them.

- Wooden cutting boards, plastic utensils, baby bottle nipples and pacifiers should be thrown away since it is nearly impossible to safely clean them.