Your bed might be your favorite place in the house – ifyour bed has suffered from water damage, you have a big problem. Mattresses are one of the most difficult pieces of furniture to dry after a flood or water event. Although the prices vary widely, the average cost of a replacement mattress will set you back about $1000. So of course you want to salvage it if possible.
Can You Dry a Wet Mattress, or Should You Throw It Away?
But before you begin to dry a wet mattress, you need to consider the source of the water. You cannot properly dry a mattress contaminated with groundwater or sewage; it’s virtually impossible to kill mold, bacteria, and parasites. Therefore, you should only attempt to dry a wet mattress if the water is from a clean water source and has not sat longer than 48 hours.
Even if the source is clean water from a broken pipe, you should dispose of a wet mattress that is completely saturated with water. It will simply take too long to dry, increasing the chances of mold and bacteria developing.
Normal Mattresses
You may try to salvage a mattress that has suffered minimal clean water damage.
How to Dry a Wet Mattress
- Strip the bedding from the mattress.
- Soak up excess water.
- Press towels, sheets, or other fabric into the mattress to absorb as much water as possible from the bottom and sides.
- Use a wet/dry vacuum to suck water out of a wet mattress. Work in rows and make sure you get every inch of the mattress.
- Next, clean its surface with equal parts of water and rubbing alcohol. Make sure you get underneath rivets and in between seams.
- Then take it out to dry in the sun. Prop it to improve airflow around it.
Once your mattress is completely dry, check for musty odors and discolorations. If it doesn’t smell or look right, it’s safest to dispose of it. If it passes the smell test, continue to check it regularly for signs of mold. Next week and next month, remember to strip off the bedding and flip the mattress regularly to look for stains or discolorations that could indicate mold growing deep inside.
Memory Foam
Memory foam beds provide a great, pressure-free sleep surface and can be very supportive. Moisture is the worst enemy of a foam mattress, since it can:
- Hasten the deterioration of the foam
- Affect its performance
- Weaken the adhesive holding the layers together, and ruin the mattress
- Allow moisture to accumulate and support mold growth
It is best to have a restoration technician help you determine if memory foam can be salvaged.
Wet Box Springs
If your mattress is wet, chances are your box springs are wet too. The box spring contains wood, which can rot if not dried completely.
How to Dry Wet Box Springs
The process for drying a wet box spring is very similar to drying a wet mattress. Thankfully, the box spring is often much easier to dry.
- Allow fans to run longer than you think is necessary to ensure the wood is completely dry.
- As with your mattress, spray the box spring down with a solution of equal parts isopropyl alcohol and water.
Pillows
Again, water damage restoration is only possible for pillows that are damaged by clean water.
How to Dry a Wet Pillow
- Fiberfill pillows may be washed, two at a time, in the warm cycle of a washing machine.
- Add disinfectant to your regular detergent, and run through an extra rinse cycle.
- Dry the pillows in the clothes dryer (moderate heat). Make sure they are thoroughly dry before removing.
- For foam rubber and urethane pillows, after removing covers:
- Soak the pillows in cool water and machine wash.
- Do not dry in a dryer. Old foam rubber pillows will probably crumble and are not worth salvaging.
- Expensive feather pillows can be tossed in your washer but cycle without an agitator.
- Then set the machine on the delicate cycle and give the pillows a second rinse.
- Dry feather pillows using the air cycle to keep them fluffy; as the feathers dry, the slight odor will disappear.
- Drying feather pillows can take as long as two to three hours, so be patient and keep fluffing
Your First Step On The Road To Water Damage Restoration
Emergency restoration services are the initial steps in returning you to your home. Your furniture and mattress are big, bulky, and heavy. Let Southeast Restoration do the heavy lifting and get your home back in order. We also provide professional deodorization, complete sanitizing, odor removal, and structural repairs.
