Fabric Cleaning Tips After a Flood

Preventing mold and mildew growth on water damaged clothing

by Mary Yearns, Iowa State Extension

Clothing and household textiles often become wet and soiled if houses or basements are flooded after a storm, said Mary Yearns, Iowa State University Extension housing specialist.

Yearns said many items must be cared for immediately, but deciding what to do first can be difficult.

The first step to cleaning mud-soiled clothing is rinsing and soaking in clear water to remove most of the muddy residue. If the washer still works, use the prerinse spin-out cycle. If the washer also is flooded, wring out as much excess moisture as possible.

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"Don't leave wet clothes piled in a heap," Yearns said. "The moist, warm and dark conditions in the center of the heap will be perfect conditions for the growth of mildew."

Mildew is a growing organism that can permanently damage most textile fibers--especially natural fibers such as cotton, linen, rayon and wool.

If outdoor lines are available and it is sunny, clothes can be rinsed and hung up outdoors to dry. Indoors, air conditioning will assist drying, but in its absence, dehumidifiers or fans may help speed the drying process.

"Drying clothes quickly, even with soil in them, will help prevent growth of mildew," she said. "But drying in the dryer will not only mess up the dryer, it will also set the mud and other stains, making them more difficult to remove."

Try to wash clothes and get them really clean using manageable-sized laundering loads, as soon as possible, Yearns said. Do light-colored items first to help avoid permanent staining.

Drycleanable clothes, if worth salvaging, should be sent to the drycleaner. The chemicals in the cleaning process and the high-temperature steam pressing will sanitize the clothing.

In general, for washable clothes, the same procedures that one might use for dirty baby diapers in normal circumstances should be followed with all clothing after a flood, Yearns said.

After soaking clothes in cold water to remove as much mud as possible, wash them in hot water with a heavy-duty detergent. Using about one-half cup of water conditioner will boost the detergent's cleaning power.

Hot water and bleach are needed to reduce bacterial contamination that may have occurred. Add an all-fabric bleach when washing most colored clothing. For colorfast or white clothes, add a cup of liquid chlorine bleach to the wash cycle, unless the water contains a lot of iron. Iron in the water will stain the clothes if chlorine bleach is used, Yearns said. If iron is a problem, Pinesol may be an appropriate sanitizer.

"High temperature dryer drying also will help sanitize clothing, assuming it is clean after laundering," she said. "Another less recognized sanitation strategy is pressing with a hot iron. This may be helpful for some cotton clothes and bed linens."

Clothes that are not completely dried are good candidates for mildew--when conditions are damp and warm. Sometimes, clothes can be salvaged by putting them in the freezer until there is time to deal with them properly.

First Published: Early October 2004
Updated: February 2007

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