How to Clean Up a Little Water Spill

HOW TO CLEAN UP A LITTLE WATER

Let's face it, spills happen. Let's say a pipe breaks, or you spill a giant bucket of water on the living room floor. Do you know how to clean it up so that you won't have to worry about long term damage, mold or mildew? If you've spilled a little water in your house, follow these instructions to clean it up almost as well as a professional Roto-Rooter water damage cleanup crew from Roto-Rooter. But for big spills and leaks, you should always call in the pros at Roto-Rooter Plumbing & Water Cleanup. Yeah, we do both.

Obviously, not every water spill is serious enough to require the help of a professional water cleanup company. If you act quickly and know what you’re doing, you can clean up a little water and dry out the affected area before it causes permanent damage to your home.

If you have a sizable, but limited water spill in your house, for instance, an aquarium breaks in your living room causing several gallons of water to saturate the carpeting, here’s what you’ll need to clean up the mess:

• Towels – lots of them
• Wet/Dry Shop-Vacuum
• Box fan(s)
• Dehumidifier

The faster you clean it up, the better your chances of avoiding long-term damage. So, if you don’t have a wet/dry vacuum or box fan, perhaps call a friend or neighbors and ask to borrow. Since some people don’t own a dehumidifier, you would need to rent one. Look up local tool rental businesses to inquire about industrial strength models like the one shown in the video.

As soon as you notice the spill, take the following five steps to clean it up:

1. Stop the source of the water (if it’s a pipe or overflowing sink – shut off the water)
2. Use the wet/dry vacuum to extract as much water as possible
3. Use towels to soak up residual water
4. Turn on box fans and ceiling fans in the room
5. Dry the air with a dehumidifier

Watch Video: How to Clean up a Little Water

And, if these steps prove to be inadequate, your spill may be too large to handle by yourself. For instance, a broken pipe that has caused standing water in a basement. Sewage spills or backups are dangerous and should only be handled by a professional. To learn more about risks and mitigation of major spills, see our blog post titled How to Manage Water Damage in Your Home.

Call Roto-Rooter to discuss and arrange water cleanup services at 1-800-GET-ROTO, or go here to schedule service.