Can Delicate Items Be Cleaned After Flood Damage?

10/27/2020 (Permalink)

Storms happen in New York. Call SERVPRO when floodwaters enter your home for fast, effective remediation.

Not Everything is a Total Loss with Flooding in New York City – SERVPRO Knows How to Restore Treasured Items with Minimal Damage 

New York City is a coastal area that has experienced approximately 12 inches of sea-level rise in the last 93 years. While this may not seem much, having occurred over a long period, it increases coastal flooding risk. It not only raised the possibility of flooding but also the severity of the storms and floods. The highest observed flood in the area was in 2012 and reached 9 feet. If a flood level of below 6 feet were to occur, 91,000 people are at a high risk of being impacted. All these folks have homes that are at risk too. 

Can Stains Be Removed from My Antique Chair Cover? 

When homes experience flood damage in New York City, the initial focus is on emergency mitigation. Dealing with safety issues, water extraction, and drying out impacted areas is the critical focus. Floodwater is highly contaminated, and items may need to be disposed of, more so than in a home water intrusion. But some things may have peripheral damage, such as spots and stains that can be cleaned. Delicate items such as the upholstery on your antique chair can often be cleaned. While regular cleaning takes place, spot and stain removal is a bit different:

• Stain and spot removal are specialized techniques.
• This type of cleaning occurs before cleaning the entire item.
• Spot cleaning may cause discoloration to the affected material.
• Cleaning the content thoroughly after spot cleaning can reduce changes and help the stain blend in. 

Isn’t a Spot and a Stain the Same Thing? 

In most people’s minds, they would be the same if they even gave it much thought. However, there is a difference. A spot is produced when a component is added to the fiber of the material. Things like sugar, gum, or wax produce spots. A stain occurs when the grain of the material becomes discolored by something like wine or coffee. Our technicians are trained in understanding the cause and effect behind water damaged material, allowing them to apply the appropriate treatment. 

How Do Items with Spots or Stains Get Treated?

Different types of soils require specific treatments. Fabric items such as upholstered furniture, carpets or rugs, or drapes are examples of often treated possessions. The kind of dirt on them plays a role in the cleaning agent used. Soils can include: 

• Water-soluble– Sugars and starches fall into this category. These get removed with a water spotting solution.
• Oil-soluble– Greases and tars come under this heading. An oil-based spotting cleaner gets used to remove these soils.
• Insoluble– Sand and skin cells cannot be dissolved. Vacuuming works best or suspension and extraction if necessary.
• Protein-based– These would include soils such as milk or egg. In this case, an enzyme-based product gets used.
• Color adding– Tannins, think tea or toner are examples. Dry brushing is employed, followed by a spotting agent. 

When dealing with the home contents that need spot or stain removal, the first step is to extract as much soil as possible. The faster the stain is addressed, the better the chance of repair. The material should ideally be dry, but our technicians advise on the best approach. If the damage is extensive and the item is wet, the technique may vary. 

Restoring Your Possessions 

Once the excess dirt has been removed from flood damaged items in New York City, determining the type of soil is necessary. The fiber content of the item is also defined. Understanding the soil type being dealt with and the fiber content is vital to ensure the right cleaning method gets employed. Before SERVPRO begins any cleaning of your items, we explain the process and the expected outcome. Then the best solvent for the job is chosen, and the item gets cleaned. All content is rinsed and dried, and restored as close to preloss condition as possible. 

Flooding can result in devastation to your home and the contents. At SERVPRO, our goal is always to restore rather than replace it if we can. We sympathize with what our customers who have experienced flooding are going through. If we can save even a small portion of your treasured belongings, we are happy to do so.  

Your Home is Important to Us 

For around the clock professional flood damage, contact SERVPRO of Lower East Side Manhattan at (917) 423-6364. We not only restore the structure of your home but the treasured possessions inside.