Simple Ways to Reduce Water Damage Smells

If you have ever suffered the experience of having water damages in your home, it is likely you are also aware of the lingering smells that often accompany those damages. It is obvious that the next thought after dealing with water damages is to look for a way to eliminate the smell. The smell can even be an indicator that mold may be growing inside the home. This is why it is important to locate the source of the smell and dealing with it as soon as possible.

Drying out the standing water from the area

One of the first things you do before you start to clean out the standing water, is to make sure the rest of your home is completely dry. Look nearby and in other vulnerable parts of the home to make sure there are no other water problems elsewhere. Some of these areas can be the sinks in your kitchen, your bathroom walls and floors, and your attic and basement.

You can use equipment such as dehumidifier to help remove the moisture that is still left behind inside the home. You can also use fans and open the windows to get air circulating around the room so it dries up quicker. If you’re not sure how to use a dehumidifier or are unable to reduce the moisture in the area, contact a specialist to help you out.

Taking care of mold growth

One unfortunate side effect of lingering moisture is growing mold. Not only is mold bad to look at, it’s also a health risk. When mold is present in low concentrations, it doesn’t cause any harm. However, if it is provided with enough water and nutrients, the mold can grow and become a danger for you and your family.

Once you clean up all of the moisture and cut off the source for the mold, it will start to die out anyway. You can remove the mold altogether using soap and warm water to gently scrub the region, but make sure that you don’t leave any water behind because then the mold will just come back. If you can’t do that, you can also use vinegar to spray the area and kill the growing mold. The smell may be difficult, but it is effective and evaporates quickly.

Don’t ignore the problem or try to cover it up

After many unsuccessful tries, it may be tempting to just give up and have something that smells nice nearby to cover up the smell. However, this is a bad idea because your problem is still there and is still unresolved. If there is a continuous smell, it must have something to do with some kind of lingering water damages. This is why if you’re unsuccessful first, contacting a professional can be the best step to getting rid of those smells.

If you are a homeowner and you encounter smells like this in your home, do not take it lightly. Call up a professional restoration company to come and inspect your home for mold growth or water damages immediately.