A New Home Search
About Me
A New Home Search

After several years of diligently saving money, I’m nearly ready to purchase my first home. Because I’ve been thinking about buying a home for so long, I know exactly what I want my house to look like. I desire a place that has three bedrooms and three bathrooms. I also need a quiet space to set up my home office in. I want a massive, walk-in closet in my master bedroom. My master bathroom needs to have double vanities, a tiled, walk-in shower, and a Jacuzzi tub. On this blog, I hope you will discover how to set priorities during your new home search. Enjoy!

Tags

A New Home Search

Water & Mold & Odors—Oh My! How to Clean Up From a Flood

Elli Jokela

There's nothing worse than coming home from a vacation to find that there was a flood while you were gone. Now your hardwood floors are soaked and your rugs smell like mold. You'll need to act fast if you want to save your flooring. Here are some step-by-step instructions that will help you restore your flooring to pristine condition.

Ventilate the Room

The first thing you'll need to do is air out your house. A good breeze will help dry out your wood flooring and clear out the mold spores that might be circulating in the air. Mold spores can make the air in your home unhealthy to breathe, especially if you suffer from asthma or other breathing problems. Open up all the windows in your home and leave them open for several hours.

Remove the Water

If there is standing water on your wood floors, you'll need to remove that as soon as possible. Use a wet/dry vacuum to remove the water from your home. Once the water has been removed, allow your floors to air dry for several days.

Air out Your Decorative Rugs

Decorative rugs should be exposed to as much sun as possible. The sunlight will kill the mold spores that might be growing in the fibers. Remove the rugs from your home and hang them outside for at least 24 hours.

Once your rugs have dried out, you'll want to remove any moisture that might still be present in the fibers. Lay your rugs on the ground and sprinkle baking soda on them.  Allow the baking soda to sit overnight. In the morning, vacuum the entire area.

Be sure to empty your vacuum filter several times while you're vacuuming. This will ensure that you're not transferring mold spores back into the fibers.

Scrub with Vinegar

Once you have the moisture removed from your rugs, you'll be ready to do a thorough cleaning. The cleaning will remove any mold that may be hiding in the fibers and will remove any lingering odors.

Supplies You'll Need

  • Spray bottle
  • Water
  • White vinegar
  • Scrub brush

Directions

  1. Fill your spray bottle with 2 cups of water and 1 cup of white vinegar.
  2. Lay your rugs on the ground, face down.
  3. Spray the back of your rugs with the vinegar solution and allow them to sit for about 15 minutes.
  4. Scrub the back of the rugs with a scrub brush and allow the rugs to air dry.

Scrubbing the back of the rugs will remove the mold and odors without damaging the delicate fibers on the front of your rugs.

Water can destroy your flooring. The steps provided above will help you get rid of the mold and restore your flooring. If you've experienced a severe flood, you may need professional restoration services such as Spotless Carpet Cleaners & Janitorial Services Inc. A water damage restoration company will be able to help you recover from a serious flood.


Share