Drat! The water pipes in the bathroom have burst and now you are faced with mountains of soaked and sopping clothing. Although you received a check from the insurance company for replacement costs, you have been contemplating that pile for the last hour or so and are pretty well convinced that with some careful laundering you can salvage at least that gorgeous little sweater you have only worn a time or two. While there may be less health risks involved with water from burst indoor pipes than from flood water, you still have to take care that you get to the items before dangerous mold gets a strangle hold on your cherished item.

Water damage can cause more problems than what is initially noticeable so take care and understand a few key facts before you even dream of starting a water damage restoration project. A little preparation now can keep the amount of work that you do to a minimum. It is bad enough that you have this water damage to deal with, you do not want to make things harder or more complicated than they really need to be.

First: do not just pile your water soaked items into the washing machine and run it. The huge amount of water that is in your items may cause your machine to become unbalanced and cause damage to it- (this would more than likely not be covered by your insurance). Wring out as much of the water as you possibly can, or lay it flat in the sunlight to dry. Once it is dry, you can more closely inspect your water damaged item- is it stained beyond hope? Is there any hint of mold started on it? Will you be able to get that funky odor out of it ? If we are talking your one of a kind vintage concert tee, it might be worth the effort, if it is simply a tee that you already have four of in the hamper, then let it go.

Second: Realize that just regular washing may not be enough for this job. Use a extra strength laundry detergent for this project and consider adding some baking soda to boost the cleaning power. Terribly stained items might actually need to be washed more than once, but you should consider something permanently damaged after a second wash cycle has not improved either scent or appearance. Further washing of these items is a waste of your time and will probably lead to further damage to the material.

Third, if the items that need washed are white, you can toss in a cut lemon to boost the whitening and freshening power of bleach. Take care that your item is rinsed thoroughly or the residual bleach may eat through the material.

Finally, remember that your water damage has only potentially cost you a few articles of clothing. Many families lose their homes and all of their possessions every year, so losing a sweater or that killer pair of jeans should pale in comparison.