How do you soak up water damage?

When addressing water damage, it’s critical that you should not allow water to stand in your home. The longer the water stands, the more damage it can potentially cause to the floors, walls, cabinets, and personal belongings. What’s more, mold and rust are significantly more likely to occur if water damage is not tackled quickly and directly. 

So after identifying water damage, always seek to soak up the water swiftly to mitigate further damage and protect your possessions. Quickly drying out the affected areas prevents moisture from spreading, enables you to salvage many precious items, and makes the restoration job easier.

Type of water involved?

Before you can soak up water and dry out affected areas, know the type of water involved in the damage.

For instance, when water damage is caused by category-1 water, also called clean water, it’s generally safe to soak up the water on your own and with not much precaution as it does not pose substantial health risks. Examples of clean water damage include rain water, condensation, leaky pipe, sink overflow, or appliance malfunction.

But category-2 water, known as gray water, can be slightly contaminated and should be handled with safety gear. It includes water with a significant degree of biological, chemical, or physical contaminants that may cause sickness or discomfort upon exposure. Examples include damage from sump pump failures, toilet bowls of urine, water discharge from washing machines or dishwashers, and seepage due to hydrostatic failure.

The third type of water you may need to soak up is category 3 or “black water” which is grossly unsanitary. It may contain harmful fungi and bacteria, contaminate the indoor environment, and cause severe sickness or discomfort. Black water includes water from sewage, storm surge, rising water from streams or rivers, seawater, standing water, or ground surface water.

While you can safely soak-up and dry water damage due to clean water on your own, you should always involve water damage cleanup professionals to assist you with gray water and black water damage irrespective of the size. 

In these cases, consider contacting experts. Qualified licensed professionals have the right equipment and experience to soak up the water without exposing unaffected areas and inhabitants to dangerous contaminants.

Remove porous materials

Before you soak up water after damage, remove porous materials from the affected areas.  Materials such as insulation, fabric, unsealed cement, wood, carpet, and drywall easily absorb water and may make the cleanup process difficult. 

If the items have soaked in water, they may need to be cut and thrown away. That’s because water permanently damages porous materials by warping or shrinking them. They are also organic in nature and provide ample nutrients for the growth of mold.

If there is a gorgeous piece of furniture or other porous item you desire to save, try isolating it and drying it out. If the damage is already too much, especially if it is a drywall, you may need to eventually replace it.

Soaking up the water

To deal with water after damage, first focus on getting as much of the standing water as possible out of the house and affected areas. Also, consider purchasing an inexpensive squeegee to physically push the water out through your door, garage, or porch.

  1. Use a mop

The tried and true traditional mop is still incredibly effective at soaking up and removing water from the floor. A thick enough mop or towel will soak up a lot of water quickly. Again, you don’t need a special towel or tool for this; a regular mop can easily soak up standing water from around your home.

For water that is collected in only a portion of your home, take steps to prevent it from spreading to other rooms, especially if you have wooden floors and you’re worried about water seeping underneath. Focus your initial cleaning efforts on protecting more walls and flooring from the encroaching water.

  1. Use a pump

If the water is several inches deep, a mop may not be enough. Instead, consider using a sump pump, either rented or purchased. A sump pump is a submersible pump that constantly moves water through a pipe or hose. 

Another option is a wet or dry shop vacuum rated for use in wet conditions. Such a vacuum can powerfully soak up water from carpets and give you a fighting chance of saving your rugs and walls. Avoid an ordinary household vacuum whose interior is not protected from water.

  1. Dry out affected areas

After you soak up and remove standing water, dry the affected areas within 24-48 hours to prevent rust and mold. If there isn’t high humidity, open doors and windows to increase air circulation and get rid of moisture.

Next, use high-powered fans to increase air circulation in the affected areas, especially in case of smaller water damage. When a larger area is affected, engage a high-capacity dehumidifier to thoroughly dry out floors, walls, and surrounding carpet, wood, and other materials.

Lastly, when appropriate, use desiccants (silica gel, calcium oxide, clay) to soak up leftover moisture. Place the water-permeable desiccant packages (tubs or sachets) near affected flooring, walls or wet items to absorb moisture.

Once you remove the water and the porous and damaged materials, thoroughly disinfect the entire area before you begin repair work. Using bleach solution, lightly spray and wipe down the affected areas. Disinfection will ensure no mold spores are left behind to germinate.

Would you like help with water damage due to gray or black water? Are you experiencing the after effects of overwhelming water damage that merits advanced professional intervention?

At West Central Equipment and Restoration, our technicians tackle water damage on a regular basis so we’re prepared for the worst. 

We have some of the most effective equipment to target the removal of water and quickly dry affected areas quickly and safely.

For more information on water damage restoration, visit the site “West Central Equipment and Restoration.”

Cleaning vs. disinfecting/sanitizing: What’s the difference?

Germs are everywhere. They are in the air, soil, water, skin, bodies, and the objects and surfaces we touch. Some germs are useful, but many of them are harmful and can cause life-threatening infections.

How to minimize the problems associated with germs? Surfaces and objects need thorough cleaning, sanitizing, and disinfecting.

Related but different terms

Cleaning, sanitizing, and disinfecting are best practices for maintaining a healthy, habitable environment.

However, while the terms imply the same thing, the processes are quite different and not interchangeable.

Understanding the difference between these terms is valuable in knowing what cleaning products to buy and how to use them, ensuring a clean and safe environment.

What is cleaning?

To clean means to physically get rid of dirt, debris, impurities, organic matter, and germs from a surface. Usually, cleaning involves washing or scrubbing surfaces with water and soap, detergent, solvent, or enzyme.

Cleaning does not kill but merely removes germs from the surface being cleaned. The process lowers the number of germs on surfaces and minimizes the risk of spreading infection. Because it does not kill germs, cleaning does not guarantee that the surfaces will be safe since some harmful pathogens may remain.

When is cleaning appropriate?

Cleaning is ideal for almost every surface as a first step in making it dirt-free and safe. The process may then be followed with sanitizing or disinfecting. Hence, every visibly dirty surface should be cleaned as soon as possible.

Apart from noticeably dirty areas, surfaces that are touched more frequently need regular cleaning. Surfaces like desks, phones, door handles, phones, light switches, and faucets need routine cleaning—likewise, floors, doors, windows, carpets, and restrooms.

When cleaning, a suitable material should be used to wipe or scrub the surfaces for a better outcome. For example, a microfiber mop is more effective for trapping germs and dirt than a cotton-loop mop. With a microfiber mop, bacterial contamination can be reduced by 99% compared to only a 30% reduction when a cotton-loop mop is used.

What is sanitizing?

To sanitize means to reduce the number of pathogens on a surface down to a safe level. The bacteria are usually killed using chemicals called sanitizers. Sanitization does not remove bacteria or dirt but kills and reduces pathogens after cleaning to minimize the risk of spreading infection.

A sanitizer is a chemical product that can kill at least 99.9% of germs on a hard surface.

A simple water and bleach solution can be a sanitizer depending on the bleach concentration in the solution. If the solution has a lower concentration of bleach or is highly diluted, it is a sanitizer. But when a higher concentration of bleach is used, then the product is a disinfectant.

In a sanitation process, a sanitizer is applied on a surface and allowed to sit for at least 30 seconds to kill the pathogens. The process is less thorough and does not kill viruses and fungal growth, but it kills bacteria quickly and is a great way to reduce pathogens from surfaces.

Sanitizing is a common part of routine cleaning and is done only on surfaces that are already clean.

When is sanitizing appropriate?

When dealing with surfaces that do not often come into contact with dangerous bacteria or should be cleaned without powerful chemicals, it is best to sanitize.

For example, children’s toys, computer keyboards, desks, telephones, and cooking tools should not come into contact with certain powerful chemicals, so it is best to sanitize them.

You can also sanitize spaces that are not touched often, such as long-term storage areas. Actually, for out-of-the-way areas, cleaning and sanitizing are usually sufficient between prolonged disinfections. And for surfaces that cannot withstand disinfectants, such as hands, sanitizing is advisable.

What is disinfection?

Disinfection means killing every form of microbial life from surfaces or objects. It uses chemicals or physical methods (usually heat) to kill nearly 100 percent of germs. So disinfecting a surface kills almost all the fungi, viruses, and bacteria, helping to lower the risk of infection.

A disinfectant is more potent than a sanitizer and kills 99.99% of germs on hard, non-porous surfaces or objects. Though this difference seems minimal, it can make a big difference in stopping the spread of infections. But since the overuse of disinfectants can result in harmful health and environmental effects, disinfection is not a common part of routine cleaning.

Disinfection is usually done to tackle serious messes involving body fluids and other biohazards. It can be done on sinks or toilets at home or on anything that comes into contact with dangerous bacteria and viruses. High-touch surfaces like faucets and doorknobs should also be disinfected after cleaning them.

When is cleaning, sanitizing, or disinfecting ideal?

For low-risk surfaces like floors and windows, the likelihood of pathogen transfer from the surfaces is low. Hence, cleaning alone may be sufficient.

Sanitizing is ideal for food contact surfaces and other sensitive areas that can be adversely affected by disinfectants. But since sanitizing does not kill viruses and fungi, disinfection is appropriate for frequently touched surfaces and areas that are likely to harbor pathogens.

Safe, effective cleaning, sanitizing, and disinfection

At West Central Equipment and Restoration in Lecanto, Florida, we offer a comprehensive cleaning and disinfection service for homes and commercial spaces.

Our trained and experienced technicians are equipped with approved, effective cleaners and industrial-grade disinfection gear to clean and restore your property. Plus, we provide you with advice on the right tools and solutions for routine cleaning.

Want to ensure a continuously safe and hygienic environment? Call us today at (352) 270-8417 for help with your home or property cleanliness and disinfection issues.