Throwing away a sofa is easy to regret, and keeping a contaminated mattress is a health risk. The right call depends on two things, the material and the water. Clean water is forgiving. Contaminated water is not.
Start with the water category
If the water came from a clean supply line and was removed quickly, many belongings can be dried and kept. If it came from sewage, a backed-up drain or flood water, the rules change. Porous items that soaked in Category 3 water are discarded, and hard items are cleaned and disinfected. Our page on sewage backup cleanup and the flood damage page explain why.
The sorting table
| Item. | Clean water. | Contaminated water. |
|---|---|---|
| Solid wood furniture. | Dry and keep. | Clean, disinfect and dry, often salvageable. |
| Upholstered furniture. | Often dry-cleanable if caught fast. | Discard. |
| Mattresses and pillows. | Discard if soaked through. | Discard. |
| Carpet and rugs. | Can often be dried and cleaned. | Discard carpet, area rugs may be professionally cleaned. |
| Clothing and linens. | Wash and dry. | Wash hot or discard. |
| Books and paper. | Air dry or freeze quickly. | Usually discard. |
| Electronics. | Do not power on, have them checked. | Discard. |
| Glass, metal, hard plastic. | Clean and keep. | Clean and disinfect. |
| Food, medicine, cosmetics. | Discard anything that touched water. | Discard. |
| Toys, soft items. | Wash if clean. | Discard soft items. |
Use the table as a starting point. Sentimental and valuable items deserve a second opinion. A conservator or restoration specialist may be able to help with what the table says to discard.
Food and medicine
Discard food, drinks, cosmetics and medicine that touched floodwater or sewage. Cans and sealed packages are safer, but they need careful washing and disinfecting and a label check, and many authorities advise discarding anything you are unsure of. When in doubt, throw it out.
Before you throw anything away
Photograph it.
Take pictures of each item, with labels or serial numbers where possible.
List it.
Write down the item, age and approximate value for your insurer.
Ask first.
Keep high-value items until the adjuster has seen them or approved disposal.
Bag and remove.
Contaminated items are bagged and removed to keep the cleaned area clean.
Insurers often want to see what was lost. A good photo is usually enough, but ask. The carpet page explains why pad and carpet are judged separately, and the basement page covers stored belongings in finished and unfinished lower levels.
What this means near the Patapsco
Many Catonsville basements hold stored belongings, and the Patapsco River runs along the community's western and southern boundary. When floodwater enters a basement, the contents are often a larger part of the loss than the structure. Baltimore County says to stop using water in the house when a sewer backup occurs, which helps keep contents from getting worse.
If the loss came from a sewer backup in Baltimore City, residents report to 311 and may be eligible for the SOS Cleanup Program for basement sewage backups. A household gets one of the city's programs, not both.
Source type: Baltimore County sewer backup guidance, Baltimore City 311 and SOS Cleanup Program.
Documents and photographs are different
Paper, books and photographs have their own rules, which depend on how fast you act and what the materials are. Handle them gently and keep them separate from other items. Do not throw away irreplaceable papers before checking the guidance for them.
Special cases: mattresses, upholstery and antiques
Mattresses are the item people most often try to keep, and the answer is usually no. Foam and batting soak up water deep inside and cannot be rinsed or fully dried, so a soaked mattress is discarded. Upholstered furniture is more mixed. A sofa wet with clean water and dried the same day can sometimes be cleaned, while one that stayed wet for days breeds odor and growth inside the cushions.
Antiques and valuable wood pieces deserve a pause before a decision. Water can lift veneer, loosen joints and stain finish, but a conservator or furniture restorer can often repair what looks ruined. Do not strip or refinish a wet piece. Let it dry slowly in a ventilated room away from direct heat, and take photographs of the damage for your records.
What a restoration company can help with
A company can pack out contents, move them to a clean space and sort items into keep, clean and discard lists. It can document what was lost for your insurer. Ask whether contents handling is included or billed separately, and what happens to items you keep.
Wherever you live, similar steps apply. Howard County residents can read about local details on the Ellicott City page.
If your loss was in Elkridge or Baltimore, the same sorting rules apply, though the sewer reporting steps differ by jurisdiction.
The keep, clean or discard sorting above follows the water categories in the ANSI/IICRC S500 standard. The EPA likewise advises discarding porous items that cannot be cleaned and dried promptly.
Wet belongings and a decision to make?
Call the 24/7 line. Photograph first, then we help you sort.
Catonsville belongings questions
Sometimes, if it was caught quickly and the filling dries. Professional cleaning can help. If it stayed wet for days, discard.
Hard plastic can be cleaned and disinfected. Soft toys that touched contaminated water are discarded.
Keep high-value items and photograph all damage. For contaminated items, bag them separately and ask your insurer about disposal.
Yes, most policies treat them separately. Read yours and ask your insurer.