Cloth Items Such As Clothing & Linens.

• Follow the instructions.

• Dry clean special fabrics like wool and silk. 

• Area rugs may be salvageable.

  • Wall-to-wall carpeting should be removed. Area rugs may be salvageable; however, the cost of salvaging them may exceed their value.

Textiles and Drapes.

• Remove from walls and cabinets/drawers if stored. Fill a clean bathtub with cool water and rinse dirt from textiles, then lay flat to dry. You may also use a fine spray from a garden hose. Be gentle with textiles and avoid wringing fabrics to dry quicker.

• The people living in damaged homes may not be in a frame of mind to have music of any type playing during their grief. 

Personal Belongings.

• Jewelry and photos often hold more sentimental value than other items. Try rinsing them with clear, cold water.  Do not rub.  Lay each photo face-up on paper towels and change every 1-2 hours. Dry photos indoors if possible.  An alternate process is to stack rinsed photos with wax paper in between each and freeze them in a ZIPLOCK bag, defrost, and preserve them.

Cleanable Items May Include:

• Books. Family Bibles or other treasured books may or may not be salvageable. Insert wax paper between tacky or sticky leather, cloth, or paper materials.  Dry out books by packing them spine down in a single layer in sturdy containers (don’t stack on top of each other as this will crush them). Place container in freezer with frost-free setting on lowest possible temperature.  This drying process can take weeks or months.

• Framed Art. Remove art from its frame unless image is stuck to glass. If wet, rinse off dirt with sponge and distilled water.  Anything stuck in glass should be kept in the frame and dried glass-side down. If cracking, flaking, or damaged, don’t try cleaning but consult a professional conservator. Let pieces dry without exposing them to heat or sunlight.