Ameridry Blog Should You Keep a Flood-Damaged Mattress?

After a serious flood, you may be faced with a house full of ruined furniture and a host of repairs that insurance might not fully cover. You might be tempted to clean and reuse anything that appears salvageable. But should you try to save your mattress?After a Major Flood, Consider Your Mattress a LiabilityIf your mattress was completely submerged in water for a period of time, you absolutely should NOT try to salvage it. Any time your mattress gets wet, you run the risk that water has penetrated it, which makes it likely that mold can form inside it; if the mattress has been wet for more than 48 hours, this is a certainty. Even if the mattress dries out, it will be a continuous source of mold and bacteria that can trigger allergies and make you sick from breathing in the fumes.When flood water is involved, there may be sewage, toxins, and bacteria in the water that are absorbed into the mattress. The odor may not ever go away, which creates an unfriendly environment for sleeping. What you breathe in can be even worse than garden variety mold and can lead to serious illnesses.The only way you should even consider keeping a mattress that has been through a flood is if a company like AmeriDry, that specializes in restoration after water damage, is able to sterilize it and recommends that it is safe. Otherwise, FEMA recommends you pitch the mattress! Though you may lose hundreds of dollars, the risks of using a contaminated mattress are too great.Restoring a Mattress after Minor Water DamageWhat should you do about a mattress that has localized water damage, like from a leak? Here are some steps you might take:Clean the affected area with a citrus-based cleaner or detergent and follow up with a disinfectant spray, such as Lysol.Allow the mattress and box spring to dry completely, aided by fans. As box springs are often hollow, they are likely to dry out more quickly and safely.Watch for signs of mold growth. Though the mold will start inside as white fuzz, it will turn green and black as it moves to the surface.Discard the mattress if you see mold.Even in the case of apparent "minor" damage, consider working with a restoration company or upholstery cleaner to assess the damage and provide professional services. These facilities have machines that can send cleaning production deep into the mattress and suck it out with high power vacuums, then dry, disinfect, and assess the final results for safety. Even though the damage appears to be minor, better safe than sorry.Take Fast Action after Water DamageIf your home is damaged from a flood, you have to expect that some furniture and other items may sustain permanent damage. If you act quickly and work with a restoration company, you may have success in recovering many of your possessions. AmeriDry, an experienced water removal company that serves Naples, Cape Coral, Fort Myers, Marco Island, Port Charlotte and other locations throughout Collier, Lee, and Charlotte counties, will assess the damage and work quickly on your behalf to salvage and restore what they can. Whether your damage is major or relatively minor, AmeriDry is standing by ready to help you.If you have water damage, call us night or day at 239-225-1379. Check our website for more information about our water removal and restoration services.