If you’ve had a plumbing leak or mishap, mould can grow on your flooring, and underneath too if left unchecked. Warm, dark and humid environments can allow mould and mildew to thrive.
Mould can also cause health problems for some people by irritating the nose, eyes, throat or lungs, so it’s imperative to not let mould form around hay fever, asthma and allergy suffers especially. Here are some tips to avoid mould after a water leakage.
Act quickly to dry water damage
The sooner you clear up after water damage, the sooner you can stop mould growth on or under your carpet. You can use a wet/dry vacuum to clean up as much water as you can. These can be easily rented if you don’t have one.
Use a dehumidifier
A dehumidifier takes our excessive moisture from the air, which also limits mould and mildew growth and makes the air feel colder. This will help speed up the drying process.
Use fans to speed up drying
Fans in a water-damaged area can assist with drying and also bring in fresh air to prevent airborne mould. You may need to run them for several days to entirely dry an affected area. High-powered fans can also be rented to speed up drying.
Steam clean your flooring and carpet
Steam cleaning can help dry, sanitise and deodorise your carpet.
Clean your walls and skirting boards
Anything near carpet affected by water should also be cleaned and sanitised.
Remember to move your furniture
If there is damp beneath furniture, it’s best to bite the bullet and remove the furniture from the room. This will keep the furniture safe from deterioration, and allow better access to the carpet underneath so it can be treated and fully dried.
Open all available doors and windows
Try to create as much airflow as you can in the water-damaged area to remove moisture and bad odour from the room.
Use baking soda
Baking soda is great when it comes to removing trapped moisture. Sprinkle some baking soda over your wet carpet and allow it to sit for at least 30 minutes. Then vacuum it up.
Your Queensland water damage and water extraction experts
Cleaning water-soaked carpets and floors is difficult under any conditions, but in the aftermath of an emergency, major storm or flood that has caused significant water damage, you need the professionals. You may also have contamination that needs to be remedied, e.g. silt, mud, sewage.
If you’ve experienced major water damage in the Queensland area, or need water extraction in an emergency, keep Disaster Recovery QLD on speed dial.
We specialise in water removal and structural drying. With the aid of high speed air movers, dehumidification units, injecti-dry systems, floor extraction maps and more, we can quickly help when disaster strikes.
If you’d like more information, please contact us on 1300 309 361. We offer a 24/7 Emergency Service. We are here for you 24/7, 365 days a year.