Title: AFTER THE FLOOD...DRY THINGS OUT
From: extinfo
Posted: 8:50am 7/16/93

Iowa State University Extension news release

AFTER THE FLOOD. . .DRY THINGS OUT TO AVOID MILDEW

Clothing and household textiles often become wet and 
soiled if houses or basements are flooded after a storm, 
said Janis Stone, Iowa State University Extension textile 
and clothing specialist.

Stone said many items must be cared for immediately, but 
deciding what to do first can be difficult.

The first step to cleaning mud-soiled clothing is rinsing 
and soaking in clear water to remove most of the muddy 
residue.  If the washer still works, use the prerinse 
spin-out cycle.  If the washer also is flooded, wring out 
as much excess moisture as possible.

"Don't leave wet clothes piled in a heap," Stone said. 
"The moist, warm and dark conditions in the center of the 
heap will be perfect conditions for the growth of mildew."

Mildew is a growing organism that can permanently damage 
most textile fibers--especially natural fibers such as 
cotton, linen, rayon and wool.

If outdoor lines are available and it is sunny, clothes 
can be rinsed and hung up outdoors to dry.  Indoors, air 
conditioning will assist drying, but in its absence, 
dehumidifiers or fans may help speed the drying process.

"Drying clothes quickly, even with soil in them, will help 
prevent growth of mildew," she said. "But drying in the 
dryer will not only mess up the dryer, it will also set 
the mud and other stains making them more difficult to 
remove."

Try to wash clothes and get them really clean using 
manageable-sized laundering loads, as soon as possible, 
Stone said. Do light-colored items first to help avoid 
permanent staining.

Drycleanable clothes, if worth salvaging, should be sent 
to the drycleaner.  The chemicals in the cleaning process 
and the high-temperature steam pressing will sanitize the 
clothing.

In general, for washable clothes, the same procedures that 
one might use for dirty baby diapers in normal 
circumstances should be followed with all clothing after a 
flood, Stone said.

After soaking clothes in cold water to remove as much mud 
as possible, wash them in hot water with a heavy-duty 
detergent such as Tide, Fresh Start, Fab, Sears or Amway.  
Using about one-half cup of water conditioner will boost 
the detergent's cleaning power.

Hot water and bleach are needed to reduce bacterial 
contamination that may have occurred.  Add an all-fabric 
bleach when washing most colored clothing.  For colorfast 
or white clothes, add a cup of liquid chlorine bleach to 
the wash cycle, unless the water contains a lot of iron.  
Iron in the water will stain the clothes if chlorine 
bleach is used, Stone said.  If iron is a problem, Pinesol 
may be an appropriate sanitizer.

"High temperature dryer drying will also help sanitize 
clothing, assuming it is clean after laundering," she 
said. "Another less recognized sanitation strategy is 
pressing with a hot iron.  This may be helpful for some 
cotton clothes and bed linens."

Clothes that are not completely dried are good candidates 
for mildew--when conditions are damp and warm.  Sometimes, 
clothes can be salvaged by putting them in the freezer 
until there is time to deal with them properly.

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Contact:
Janis Stone, Extension Textile and Clothing Specialist, 
(515) 294-6712