Discovering water damage on your floors can be a discouraging sight. While hardwood is a sturdy and visually appealing type of flooring, any water damage needs to quickly be dealt with.

Here at American Floor Care, we’ve helped restore and repair all types of water damaged hardwood floors. Our floor care technician is sharing what you should do if you discover water damage on your hardwood flooring:

Remove as much water as possible

First things first: if there is still water on your floors, you should quickly remove as much as you can. The longer that water stays on hardwood flooring, the more damage it can cause. This is because hardwood is porous, so moisture can easily seep into the wood and wreak havoc.

Begin by using towels and rags to soak up as much water as you can. Even though you might not be able to tell, any liquid sitting on top of the floor is making its way into the deeper layers of the flooring, creating further damage. Soaking up as much as you can helps stop this process.

Use drying equipment

Once you’ve cleaned up the majority of the water, you should use drying equipment to address the deeper layers. Depending on how long the initial puddle of water or liquid sat on the flooring, there may be moisture that you can’t access from simply using rags and towels. It’s important to dry out the deeper layers of flooring as soon as possible to ensure any hidden moisture doesn’t continue to cause damage.

If you don’t have professional floor drying equipment, our floor care technician recommends using household items like space heaters or dehumidifiers. If you use a heater, be sure to run a fan as well and open a window. Keeping the room well ventilated will ensure the moist air can escape. Or, you can use the heater in conjunction with a dehumidifier.

Thoroughly clean the floor

As mentioned above, wood is very porous, which makes it susceptible to collecting dirt and debris, especially when the wood is wet. Thoroughly cleaning the floor will remove dirt and debris, and it can prevent the growth of mold.

Our floor care technician recommends first mixing up a solution of water and disinfectant. Then grab a sturdy brush, soap up the bristles with your disinfectant solution, and brush out the flooring to remove any debris.

Be sure to use just enough of the disinfectant solution that it cleans the wood, but doesn’t leave puddles. Otherwise, you’re recreating the issue you’re trying to solve. Once you’ve cleaned the flooring, use your heater or dehumidifier to ensure it fully dries.

Need the help of a professional floor care technician? Contact American Floor Care

When it comes to water damage, it’s always best to seek help from a professional floor care technician. Our floor care experts have been providing quality services in northeast Ohio and western Pennsylvania for over 20 years.

Whether you’re in need of repairs, finishing, or routine maintenance, we can help. Contact us today to learn more about our services.