How to Fix Water Damage Under the Kitchen Sink

Updated: April 2, 2020

Having water damage under your kitchen sink is a common problem for homeowners, but fixing the damage is easier than you think. Slight damage can be fixed at home quickly on a weekend afternoon. With the right tools — that you can commonly find in your house — you can repair water damaged kitchen cabinets to look new. If you have more extensive water damaged kitchen cabinets, then you can try the steps below, but you might be better off just replacing the cabinets altogether or hiring a professional to quickly and efficiently remove and clean your damaged materials.

To fix the water damage under your kitchen sink, you’ll need:

  • Dry cloths and sponges
  • Hair Dryer
  • Bleach
  • Ammonia
  • Toothpaste and baking soda
  • Mayonnaise and cigarette ashes
  • Steel Wool and mineral oil
  • Polish

Step 1: Dry Water Spots

Before beginning any work under your kitchen sink, remove any cleaning bottles, garbage or clutter from the area. Then, take a dry cloth and soak up any visible pooling underneath your sink. Once the excess water has is gone, use your hairdryer to dry up even more water. Set your blow dryer on its lowest setting then hold it above the water spot about nine inches. After about three minutes, this spot should be dry. Repeat this step for the remaining water spots. If you have extensive damage, you can guide your hairdryer in even lines to dry an entire area versus small spots.

Step 2: Remove Any Dry Mold

With flood damage comes mold. Depending on the severity of the mold, you may be able to follow these steps in order to remove the mold yourself -

  • To remove mold from under your kitchen sink, dampen a sponge with bleach and water.
  • Wear a mask that covers your nose and mouth.
  • Scrub hard at the dry mold until it is gone. A benefit to using bleach is that it not only removes the mold, but also disinfects the area, keeping it safer for you and your family.

Mold is a huge safety hazard. Mold spores may be nearly invisible to the naked eye and are very easily displaced causing the air to be contaminated during your cleaning process. It is important to wear a mask over your nose and mouth. To ensure the mold is completely removed from your home, professional mold remediation is highly recommended. If the spores spread through the air, it could cause even more damage resulting in even higher expenses.

Step 3: Apply Cleaner and Remove Stains

Next, you’ll want to clean the areas affected by the water damage. A common household cleaner you can use for this task is ammonia. Wet another dry cloth and scrub away at the water damage under the sink.

If you prefer home remedies to clean your house, you can make a paste with a few commonly-found items. One option is by mixing toothpaste and baking soda. You can also create a paste by mixing cigarette ashes and mayonnaise. Apply either of these pastes to the affected area and let sit for 25 minutes.

If the options above aren’t working for you, a stronger solution to remove the stains is scrubbing the area with mineral oil and steel wool.

Step 4: Rub Kitchen Cabinet Dry

Once you’ve applied the cleaner and allowed it to sit, take a dry cloth and rub the cleaner or paste away. Rub your dry cloth in a circular motion to remove the cleanser and lift the water stains.

Step 5: Rinse with Water and Polish

Now that the cleaner is cleared away, take a cloth moistened with cool water and wipe down your cabinet floor, removing any residues. To make your kitchen cabinet look like new, use furniture polish to give it a fresh sheen.

If, at the end of this process, you still notice damage you can’t live with, call a professional to clear the damage for you. A benefit to hiring a professional is the speed with which they’ll remove the water staining and the industrial-grade cleaning agents they use that are much more powerful than the average home cleaning products

Fast and Friendly Water Restoration Service in Chicago

If you’re a resident of the Chicago, IL area, then let the professionals at ServiceMaster of Lincoln Park help you with your home cleaning needs. We offer a full range of services specializing in water damage restoration, mold and mildew remediation and flooring and duct cleaning. Because home disasters don't occur on schedule, we also offer 24-hour emergency restoration services for all of our customers. To restore peace of mind in your home, give us a call today at 773-346-6767 or fill out our online scheduling form.

 

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