Forgetting to turn off a faucet can turn into a nightmare. The result? Water damage. This could also be caused by a hard rain, plumbing leaks, a burst pipe or poor drainage systems. Whatever the cause, it’s bad, as water can damage a lot in a short time.

But once the damage is done, there is also a lot of cleanup required. Do you know how to do the water damage cleanup properly? Read on to find out.

The cleanup needs to be done immediately once the water is drained away. However, if the water damage has been caused by a flood, you need to make sure that the water damaged area is structurally sound and it’s safe for you to enter your home. If you’re not 100% sure this is safe, then it’s best to ask professionals to enter the unsafe area first. They will check if the foundations, wall partitions or the ceiling have been weakened by water.

There’s also a few other things you need to be careful with before starting the water damage cleanup:

1) Have your gas supply checked by a professional.

2) Make sure to cut off your home’s electrical power supply. Then have your system checked by an experienced electrician.

3) Wear proper working clothes for such conditions, like goggles, boots, waterproof coveralls, mask and gloves. These will protect you both from harmful biocide fumes as well as bacteria.

Once you checked all these, then you should start cleaning up right away. Or, if the water has done a lot of damage, you may want to call in a professional company to do the cleanup.

Even if you’re not doing the water damage cleanup yourself, do this: open all windows, turn on fans and bring in box fans. Why? Because you need to ventilate and get fresh air moving through the water damaged area. This is beneficial in two ways: it will dry the area and it will also reduce bad smell.

Removing standing water is another thing you need to take care of. Water might be at high levels in some areas of your house, like basements. In such situations using sump pumps is the best option. Again, do this only after your home’s electrical supply has been properly checked by a professional.

You will also need to use disinfectants to remove bacteria and mold. For example, wet carpets are the most ideal place for mold to grow and mold is extremely hazardous to both human and animal health. That’s why, after a flood, many people choose to throw away the water damaged carpets and replace them with new ones. Of course, if the water damage was light, you can just thoroughly wash carpets to remove mold and bacteria.

Bleach is a common disinfectant that is used in such situations. But do not use bleach together with ammonia because mixing them together can cause toxic fumes. Again, remember to wear mask and also gloves, as contact with strong disinfectants can lead to skin irritation.

Depending on the damage done by the water, you could do the cleanup just with your family. But make sure you put into practice the ideas above, as safety should be your main concern when doing the water damage cleanup.