Speed is of the essence
Flood damage must be tackled promptly to stand a chance of success. If the householder is uninsured, then you should make this clear to them and ask them to prioritise the items they need urgently, followed by their valuable items which have a large replacement cost.
If the householder is insured, you will probably be dealing with the insurer or the loss adjuster. You should make clear to them that the number of textile items capable of recovery will decline markedly if they delay settling the claim and agree to send items for cleaning only after several weeks’ delay.
Infection risk
Flood water is usually contaminated with sewage and all of the undesirable bacteria associated with this. Ground floor curtains and suite covers exposed to floodwater will be difficult to recover successfully (although some tips are given later), so only accept these on a ‘best results’ basis. You cannot guarantee to remove watermarks, neutralise odours or avoid shrinkage.
Cleaning staff visiting affected premises should be equipped with protective coveralls (including foot, and head protection) as a minimum. They should also have suitable face masks sufficient to protect against bacterial infections. Storage in the cleaning unit should reflect potential infection hazards, with items kept in plastic sacks for example.
Wetcleaning will usually be much more effective than drycleaning at removing water damage, so those with wetcleaning and laundering machinery will find this a distinct advantage.
Odour removal
Odours on flood-damaged work generally stem from bacteria, the processes used need a good disinfection stage and you may need to consult your chemicals supplier for the correct additives to achieve this. Products are available for drycleaning, laundering and wetcleaning. Don’t be tempted to rely solely on a generous dose of an odour-masking fragrance. These should only be used after a searching cleaning process.
Dealing with insurers
If you are dealing with an insurer who has agreed to pay for freshening up of large numbers of clothes and items exposed to damp, cold conditions for several days or weeks, it pays to remember that the insurer may only be willing to finance restoration to the pre-incident condition, at a cost below the normal cleaning price. The owner could therefore have unrealistic expectations, and this might need careful explanation.
Recovery processes
Shrinkage is a risk with all water-based recovery processes, but wetcleaning normally offers less risk than laundering. If you do receive any watermarked curtains or suite covers, you will need to pre-treat the watermarks in order to stand any chance of removal. Foul odours indicate the presence of bacteria, so you will need a good disinfecting process followed by expert finishing.
Customer care
If you are dealing directly with the customer rather than an insurer it is always worth spending time discussing the cleaning in detail. Find out what is required urgently and discuss staining and other problems in detail, giving clear expectations. This should enable you to prioritise items and minimise the risk of disappointment with the outcomes. Shrinkage of curtains and suite covers is typically around 3% at best, which means a loss of 6cm in a 2m drop, which is going to be very noticeable.
Mildew is a common problem with work that has been left in cold, damp conditions for a period of time. It can be successfully reduced, but the strong oxidising agents needed must be used with great care (and speed) to avoid colour and fabric damage, so pre-testing and thorough flushing after pre-treatment are absolutely vital. Do not skimp these.
Conclusion
Recovering flood damaged work needs the correct equipment and a high level of expertise, but if you are prepared to invest in the equipment and training needed it can be very rewarding.
