Mold Remediation After a Flood

12/14/2022 (Permalink)

Mold cleanup is only one call away

When you have a flood, it's important to get the water out of your home as quickly as possible. But that's just the first step—you still need to deal with any mold growth that was caused by the flood. We've put together this guide on how to remove mold after a flood in order to help you recover quickly and safely after your disaster.

Protect Yourself

When you're at an Affton, MO home or office after a flood, it is important to wear long sleeves, pants and gloves to protect your skin. You should also wear goggles when cleaning up any standing water in order to protect your eyes from dust particles. Note that your socks and shoes will likely have mold growing on them after being exposed, so be sure to take those off before entering mold free areas. You may also want to consider wearing a respirator mask if there are high levels of airborne particles that can be inhaled into the lungs (such as after a flood).

Check Thoroughly for Mold

You will need to check thoroughly for mold. Mold can grow in tiny, hard-to-see places. Be sure you are checking all throughout the house to ensure you don’t miss any: 

• Check the backs of cabinets.
• Look in hidden areas like behind the refrigerator, under sinks and in crawl spaces.
• Check for mold in hard-to-reach places like behind a wall or under the floorboards.
• Do not neglect to check for mold on your walls and ceilings if you have water damage from a flood or leaky pipes.

Get Ready to Clean

After the flood, you’ll want to start cleaning up as quickly as possible. Mold can grow at an alarming rate and soon spread throughout your home in ways that are difficult to contain.

A good scrubbing brush or sponge will help remove mold from surfaces such as drywall or plywood. Use hot water mixed with detergent to clean these areas thoroughly, paying special attention to any stains where water may have been trapped for a long time. If possible, wear gloves and protective clothing (like long sleeves) so that you don’t come into contact with any mold spores yourself during the cleanup process! If you do end up getting some on your skin, wash it off immediately with soap and water before it has a chance to get into your system through open cuts.

Goggles should also be worn when dealing with any kind of cleanup project inside—these keep your eyes protected against airborne particles without obscuring vision too much for safety reasons! A respirator mask is recommended if there's more than just light dusting around (more than 1/4 inch thick).

Dealing with Porous Materials

You'll have to decide what to do with your porous materials. Porous materials like wood flooring, drywall, or ceiling tiles that have been wet for more than 48 hours should be thrown away. You can clean and dry carpets within 24 hours—but if you have carpeting it is important to get it cleaned as soon as possible (within 24 hours) so that mold does not grow in the fibers of your carpet.

It's important to take care of any mold growth in your house as soon as possible. If left alone, mold will continue to grow and spread throughout your home—so it's crucial that you remove it quickly and completely. If you suspect that you have a recurring issue with mold growth or if there is a history of flooding in your area, consider hiring an expert to check up on your home regularly. Your professional should be able to find any signs of water damage or potential sources for future leaks (such as faulty plumbing) so they can be repaired before they cause further damage.

Now that you know how to deal with mold, you can put the power in your hands to prevent it from growing on your property. Remember that prevention is key when dealing with this issue because once you have a mold problem, it’s difficult to completely get rid of and may take months or even years before it goes away completely. When you have a serious mold problem in your home or business, the best course of action is to call SERVPRO of Affton/Webster Groves!