Floor Cleaning Due to Flooding in Vaughan and the Toronto – How to Save Your Carpet and Flooring After a Flood
Office Cleaning Toronto – Tips
A flood can have a catastrophic effect on your home, causing stress and financial hardship for homeowners in Vaughan and throughout the Toronto region. We’ve been providing professional janitorial services since 1963 and during this time we’ve helped many homeowners recover after a flood. Mother Nature can carry a heavy punch, but there are some things you can do after a flood to prevent harmful mould growth and permanent damage to your carpets or flooring.
It doesn’t take a lot of water to cause damage to your home’s flooring. A little bit of moisture and a warm dark space can be a perfect environment for mould to grow. Unfortunately, a flood can cause power outages making it hard to regulate your home’s temperature and lighting. Mould can grow without you noticing it, especially in carpets, floor padding and within the insulation in your walls. Everyone will react differently to mould; health effects can range from cold-like symptoms, skin and eye irritation, or more severe reactions for people suffering from dangerous mould allergies.
Mould will grow quickly, so you’ll want to dry water damaged areas of your home quickly. Simple tools such as a strong fan, bleach, chemical cleaners, and some elbow grease can do a great job if they are utilized quickly. A hard day of scrubbing on your hands and knees is the best way to limit the growth of mould in your home after a flood. It is a good idea to wear a mask, especially if you have a history to mould allergies.
A wet/dry vacuum is the best way to remove standing water from your carpet or floor surfaces. They are easy and affordable to rent if you don’t already own one. Not only will they remove a lot of water, they will be able to help you dry hard to reach spaces. Removing all water right away is the most important step in your post-flood cleanup.
Try to get as many fans as possible blowing after you’ve removed the water from your floor. You’ll want to keep fans running non-stop after a flood to completely dry your floor. Fans will not only help dry your floor, they will also stop mould from growing by circulating air throughout your home. Try to keep your fans going for at least a full week after your flood. Again, industrial grade fans can be rented at various locations throughout the city. Be sure to open all the windows in your house right away to increase air flow. Dehumidifiers are another excellent tool for your flood cleanup. Running a dehumidifier will help remove excess moisture in the air. They will also instantly cool the air in the room, making it harder for mould the thrive. Badly damaged carpets will likely need to be pulled up to properly dry the floor underneath.
Once your carpet is completely dried you’ll want to make your carpet clean again. Steam cleaning all carpets after a flood is the best way to properly sanitize and deodorize them. You will probably need to replace your carpet padding, it’s going to be a small cost when compared to re-carpeting the areas impacted by the flood. It’s not just your floor, anything that was touched by water should be cleaned. Clean all the walls, baseboards, and any other surfaces with soap and water. Sanitize these regions with a solution of 1.5 cups of bleach to one gallon of water (be sure to wear a good pair of rubber gloves). Inspect the items in your house for water damage. Remove your furniture and other large items from the wet region of your home right away. Items submerged in water for more than 48 hours will likely be damaged beyond repair. Don’t try to safe items that have been contaminated by raw sewage, oil, or other harmful waste created by the flood. Appliances are often damaged by a flood, be sure to have the connections and electric components of your devices checked before turning them on again.
It may be emotionally draining, but it’s important to document all damages with a detailed inventory list and high-resolution photos. The insurance claim process can be challenging, and early preparation is the best way to make the process easier.
Water damage to your floors after a flood can cause some serious issues to your home and it’s something that needs to be dealt with right away. The long-term effects of mould, mildew and sewage on your flooring can negatively impact the health of your family and can cause your home to instantly decrease in value. Calling an experienced janitorial company is the best way to prevent long-term damages to floors after a flood. Our team of experienced floor cleaners have been helping Vaughan and Toronto area homeowners and businesses clean up after floods for over 50 years. You’ll have the peace of mind of knowing that your property is the right hands. Contact us today with any questions on how we can help with floor cleaning due to flooding.
