RestorationsSOS.com - Fire and Water Damage Restoration

Clean, Dry, Repair and Disinfect Furniture

By Leo Nov
Published: April 1, 2006

If your furniture were affected by water damage, it is recommended to hire a restoration professional to help with restoring them as the main part of the restoration process is drying out the furniture completely to prevent mold and this task often requires the right knowledge, experience, and tools.

Depending on the extent of the damage, water damaged furniture may be salvaged. There are a few factors you will have to consider when trying to determine whether the damaged item is worth salvaging.

Value

Salvaging furniture may be expensive so before you decide to try and salvage it, assess its value. Try to estimate the items price and how much will it cost to replace this item.

While some furniture can be easily replaced, some have a sentimental value or simply are to rare to replace. Antiques are a good example for the type of furniture that cannot be replaced.

Damage Extent

If the furniture has been submerged in flood water and heavily soaked, it may be impossible to salvage. On the other hand, if the furniture has endured only mild water damage, it may be worth the effort to dry and clean it.

Water Type

If your water damage is caused by clean water, it may be dried and salvaged while if the damage is cause by contaminated water such as flood water or sewage, it may not be properly disinfected or restored.

Materials

While some materials are more water resistant and can survive almost any type of water damage, other materials are extremely sensitive and vulnerable and may suffer badly even when placed in a slightly damp environment.

Consider materials durability when prioritizing the order in which you will salvage your furniture.

Salvage and Restoration Techniques

The following guides will provide useful information on how to clean, dry, repair, and disinfect furniture based on the different materials they are made of.

Please refer to our article on what to keep and what to discard to get a better understanding of what materials can and cannot be salvaged.

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