3 Tips For Saving Wooden Furniture After A Flood
If your home has recently been flooded, you might be feeling extremely distraught over the idea of losing everything. Luckily, this might not be the case. Certain items, such as wooden furniture, can sometimes be salvaged after a flood that was caused by a natural disaster or a major plumbing issue in the home. These are a few tips that can help you potentially save your wooden furniture after your home has been flooded.
1. Get it Out Quickly
You should never risk your own safety by entering your flooded home before it is deemed safe to do so. However, as soon as you are able to enter your home without putting yourself at risk, you should get your wooden furniture out. The longer that wooden furniture stands in water, the more of a chance there is that the wood will begin to discolor, rot or otherwise become damaged. Getting it out of the flooded home is the first step to doing what you can to save it.
2. Dry it Thoroughly
The next step is to allow your wooden furniture to dry thoroughly. First, you can use a clean cloth or towel to dab the furniture dry; you should dab instead of rubbing, however, to avoid rubbing the finish. Then, place your furniture in a dry place with circulating air so that it can dry out thoroughly; you might choose to put it outside in the sun, or you can put it in a dry room with the windows open and with fans on. This will help get rid of all of the flood water.
3. Focus on Refinishing
The next step that you will want to take is to use furniture refinishing techniques to potentially save your furniture. For example, you may be able to sand it down if it has become warped and damaged from the water damage. Then, you can often use a stain or paint to help give your furniture the same look that it had before, or a totally fresh look, if you prefer. If you do not know what to do or are feeling overwhelmed, a furniture repair professional may be able to help make your furniture look like new again.
Do not automatically assume that you have to throw your wooden furniture away after a flood. Instead, follow these steps to potentially be able to save your furniture after a natural disaster or other flood that might have hit your home.