When it is flooded, not only do you have to worry about removing the water, but you also have to think about how to deodorize a flooded room as soon as possible. To do that, you first have to remove all the standing water with a wet/dry vacuum, then use baking soda, white vinegar, and hydrogen peroxide to disinfect and deodorize the room. You can also use a dehumidifier, activated charcoal, etc, to keep absorbing the smell.
When your room gets flooded, the water and the related damage are not the only source of your headache. If the water stands in the room for too long, it can cause the room to smell very badly, due to several reasons. The smell is a telltale sign for other things as well, such as germs and mold growth, which is why it is very important to deodorize the room as soon as possible.
Now, let’s have a look at how you should deodorize your flooded room.
Home Remedies for Odor Removal
The good thing about deodorizing the flooded room is that it is quite easy in most cases, and can be done in the DIY method. Here are the steps you need to follow for the best way to clean a flooded room.
- Wearing protective gear: Standing water is a haven for germs, harmful insects, mold, etc. This is why you must wear proper protective gear before getting to work. Ensure you wear protective masks, rubber gloves, and goggles.
- Removing the standing water: You can not deodorize a flooded room if the water is still in the room itself. So, you must remove all water before the deodorizing begins. If the amount of water is not too much, then you can use a wet and/or dry vacuum to remove it.
On the other hand, if the room is heavily flooded, you need to call in a professional water removal service such as us. You have to make sure there are no hidden pools of water under the floorboards, crawl space, carpet, or any other furniture.
- Completely drying off the room: Once you have removed the excessive standing water, you now have to ensure the room is totally dry. Using a dehumidifier is one of the best ways to dry a room. You can also use fans so that the running air can soak up all the moisture from the room.
Another trick is to open up all the doors and windows of the room. If the humidity outside is less than that in the room, it will dry off more quickly. If you are using a dehumidifier, keep it running for a long time, so that the air is completely free of moisture.
- Cleaning and disinfecting all the surfaces: Once the air is dry, the next step is to get rid of all the germs in the air. The best and affordable way to do so is to spray a mixture of white vinegar and water over the surfaces.
If your room were flooded with sewage water, then the simple vinegar and water spray would not suffice. In this case, you have to use a strong bacterial solution as a disinfectant. If needed, you might also have to use commercial-grade disinfectants.
Finally, carpets, when wet, can be extremely difficult to clean and dry. In that case, you must use a carpet and/or steam cleaner to clean and dry your carpet properly. Otherwise, you might lose the carpet.
- How to deodorize a flooded room naturally with baking soda: After the room is cleaned and disinfected, it is time to start deodorizing with natural materials. One of the best options you can choose for this is baking soda. Use a generous amount of baking soda all over your rooms, especially on the rugs, carpets, sofas, and upholstery.
Once sprinkled, ensure not to touch it and let the soda do its work for at least half a day. Waiting for 24 hours is the best, but half a day will also do if you don’t have that much time or don’t want to wait that long to use your room again. After that, thoroughly vacuum the room to remove the baking soda.
- How to get rid of musty water smell in the house: Sometimes, there is a musty smell that lingers in the house even after using baking soda. This might be because growing mold under the surface. In this case, use 3% hydrogen peroxide directly onto the surface with mold growing on it.
Apart from that, placing bowls with activated charcoal, baking soda, or other odor absorbers around the house will work wonders to remove the lingering musty smell.
- Replacing or deep cleaning damaged items: Sometimes, the drywall, carpets, padding, or insulation can get so wet that they become irreparably damaged. If that is the case, then you have to replace it as soon as possible to get rid of the smell.
On the other hand, if the carpet or rug is not beyond saving, then deep clean it either by the DIY method, or by hiring a professional deep cleaning service. Ensure the cleaning company has sufficient experience and the tools to deal with such cases.
Final Words
Knowing how to deodorize a flooded room is very important since it allows you to not only save a lot of money, but also ensures you can gauge the situation expertly. If the situation is too severe for you, then you should call on professionals to handle it for you. Otherwise, the natural methods can do wonders for you.
FAQ
1. How Does SOS Restoration Remove Odors?
SOS restoration is exceptionally well-equipped to remove odors from flooded houses. First, they identify the source of the smell and clean the room. Next, they ventilate the room and neutralize the odor using the perfect method for the situation. If needed, they also use specialized tools to remove the odor. Finally, they restore the property to finish up.
2. How do you get rid of the smell after a flood?
After a flood, there are a lot of ways to get rid of the smell. White vinegar, baking soda, hydrogen peroxide, and activated charcoal, along with proper ventilation and moisture removal, are excellent choices for this.
3. How to dehumidify a room after flooding?
After flooding, it is very important to dehumidify the room to both remove the smell and to stop mold and mildew from growing. To do that, you have to run a dehumidifier in the room for a long time, until the humidity levels drop.
4. How to disinfect walls after flooding?
When a room is flooded, the stagnant water can cause germs and insects to fester and cause further damage. To prevent that, a white vinegar and water mixture has to be sprayed on the walls to disinfect them.
Meta Description: A flooded room can be deodorized by cleaning the water, removing excess moisture, disinfecting the room, using baking soda and activated charcoal.