A water leak can cause considerable damage to your property and belongings. If your clothing has paid the price for the problem, you must find the cause and act swiftly to salvage your favorite outfits.
Avoid permanent stains and foul odors; read the following helpful advice on how to save your clothing from a household leak.
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Repair the Leak ASAP
You should start by identifying the cause of the leak to resolve the problem as soon as possible. For instance, a leak might have struck due to worn pipe joints behind your walls or flooring, causing damage to your clothing, meaning you’ll need to hire a plumber.
However, a leak might be due to missing shingles or tiles on your roof, which may have occurred during a storm, high winds, or heavy snowfall. If a leaky roof has caused damage to your home and belongings, organize a reliable roof repairs service to fix the issue and protect your property, clothing, and other items within the home.
Remove the Clothing Immediately
Next, remove and treat all wet clothing from the leak. If you leave the garments sitting in water for a long time, they are likely to develop large stains, mold, mildew, and foul odors. Always wear gloves when handling clothing that has been sitting in dirty water or has an unpleasant smell.
Pre-Treat Water Stains and Smells
Before placing the items in the washing machine, separate your clothing by material to wash them on the correct setting. For instance, you will need to wash cotton and polyester on a different setting than wool and silk.
If your clothing appears to have water stains or looks dirty, place the items outdoors and brush away any mud or residue. Once you’ve done so, apply a stain remover to the stained areas to banish any marks.
If you notice the clothing has a foul smell, grab an empty spray bottle and mix one part of white wine vinegar with two parts clean water. You should then lightly spray the clothing with the solution to banish the unpleasant aroma.
Carefully Wash and Dry Your Clothing
After completing the above steps, wash your clothing with a quality laundry detergent to remove all dirt and stains. It’s wise to wash the fabrics on the hottest setting possible to banish all bacteria.
It may even help to add half a cup of baking soda before the wash cycle to say goodbye to marks and smells. Once the cycle is finished, air-dry your clothes to speed up the drying process and prevent mildew.
Consider Claiming on Your Insurance
If your clothing was permanently damaged due to a water leak in the home, you could always claim on your home insurance. It’s a worthy consideration if your designer clothing or a significant number of outfits were destroyed.
However, your ability to claim will likely be determined by your home insurance policy and the cause of the water leak. For instance, your claim is more likely to be successful if the damage was caused by an unexpected roof leak or burst pipe.