Start with the water's source, not the object
Whether an item can be saved depends first on where the water came from. Clean water from a supply line is the best case. Water from a washing machine or a sump is dirtier. Flood water and sewage are contaminated, and soft items that absorbed them are usually discarded.
After the source, ask how long the item was wet. Things that dry within a day or two have the best chance. Things that stay wet for several days can grow mold and hold a smell even after they dry.
Take photos before you throw anything out. A list with photos and approximate values helps if you file a claim.
A quick sorting guide
Use this as a starting point, and let safety override it.
| Item | Clean water | Flood water or sewage |
|---|---|---|
| Solid wood furniture | Often dried and saved | Clean, dry, and judge case by case |
| Upholstered furniture | Often saved if dried fast | Usually discarded |
| Mattresses and pillows | Often discarded if soaked | Discard |
| Carpet and rugs | Dried or cleaned, see below | Usually discarded |
| Books and papers | Can sometimes be dried | Discard unless irreplaceable |
| Electronics and appliances | Do not power on until checked | Discard |
| Clothing and linens | Wash and dry | Wash hot or discard |
| Food and packaged goods | Discard if the water touched them | Discard |
Hard goods, soft goods and what makes the difference
Hard, non-porous items such as glass, metal, hard plastic and sealed ceramic can be washed and disinfected, even after contaminated water. Wood is somewhere in between. Finished wood furniture may be saved if it dries without warping.
Soft, porous items such as upholstery, pillows, mattresses and carpet pad absorb water. They are hard to clean and slow to dry. After contaminated water, they are usually thrown out. After clean water, an item that dries quickly may be saved.
Do not use heat to speed drying on wood or books, because it can warp pages and crack finishes. Air and low humidity work better, and dehumidifiers help.
Contents are only half of the problem
Call our 24/7 line and we will dry the building while you sort.
Special cases that people often ask about
These come up in almost every loss:
- Electronics: unplug them and do not power them on until a technician checks them. Water inside can cause shorts.
- Photographs: separate wet prints gently, keep them from sticking, and let them dry flat. Do not scrape the surface.
- Documents: dry them flat in a cool room. If you cannot dry them quickly, freezing paper slows damage until you can get help.
- Food: discard food, cans and bottles that touched flood water, and anything in a refrigerator that lost power for long.
- Medicines: if they got wet, ask a pharmacist before using them.
When the structure matters more than the contents
It is easy to spend a day sorting and let the structure stay wet. Remember that drying the building comes first. Our pages on water extraction and carpet water damage restoration explain how crews handle the floor while you handle the contents.
Move items out of the wet area to a dry room, and keep them off the floor. Put wet cardboard in a separate place so it does not feed mold. Throw out anything you are sure is a loss, so that crews can reach walls and floors.
How long is too long?
Time is the quiet variable in every sorting decision. Items that were wet for a day and then dried quickly are in much better shape than the same items left wet for a week. Cardboard, paper and fabric start to grow mold within days if they stay damp, and once growth has taken hold, cleaning is often not worth the effort.
A rough rule many restoration crews use is to dry what you can within 24 to 48 hours, which matches EPA guidance for preventing mold. If you cannot get to an item in that window, move it to a dry room, open it up so air can reach it and let a dehumidifier work on it. Do not seal damp items in plastic bags or boxes, because trapped moisture speeds up mold.
If you are unsure, photograph the item, set it aside in a ventilated space and decide after the structure has dried. A decision made while the house is still wet is usually a rushed one.
Cleaning what you decide to keep
Salvageable items still need proper handling. These steps apply to most hard goods after clean water:
- Wear gloves and, for dusty or moldy items, an N95 respirator.
- Wipe or wash with detergent and warm water, then rinse.
- Dry completely, using air movement and a dehumidifier instead of heat.
- Keep the item apart from other belongings until you are sure it is dry and clean.
- Check again after several days for odor or spots, which suggest hidden moisture.
Items that touched sewage or flood water need stronger cleaning, and soft goods are usually thrown out. Ask a professional about valuable pieces.
Keeping a record for your claim
A claim is easier when you can show what was lost. Make a list as you sort, with a short description, the room it was in and an approximate age or value. Photograph each item before it leaves the house, and keep a few samples, such as a piece of carpet, if your insurer asks for them.
Do not throw away anything your insurer may want to inspect until you have asked. Ask what documents they need, and ask whether they require receipts or accept photos and estimates. Policies differ, so check yours.
The published reference behind these rules
The sorting rules above follow the same logic as ANSI/IICRC S500, the published industry standard for water damage restoration, which ties what can be saved to the water category and the time wet. Ask a restoration company whether its crews work to it when they advise on belongings.
Dumont note: getting rid of what cannot be saved
A water loss can create a lot of waste in a short time, including wet carpet, pad and furniture. Ask the borough of Dumont what its rules are for bulk trash and construction debris, since many towns limit pickups or require special handling. A restoration company often removes the debris from the work area, but pickup rules apply to what you put at the curb.
Dumont has 6,572 housing units in 1.95 square miles, so a pile of wet carpet at the curb is likely to draw attention quickly. Ask the borough before you set it out. If you live nearby, neighbors in Cresskill and Demarest should ask their own boroughs, since rules differ by town.
Frequently asked questions
Rarely. A mattress holds water deep inside and dries slowly. After contaminated water, it should be discarded.
Do not power them on. Unplug them and have a technician check them first.
Keep what you can safely store and photograph the rest. Ask your insurer what they need to see.
Separate them gently, keep them from sticking, and dry them flat. Do not rub the surface.
Ask the borough. Rules vary by town and by the kind of material.