Yes, you can salvage wooden items such as shelves, work tables, cabinets and other pieces of furniture, but you need to clean and dry them properly.
- Clean dirt on the surfaces directly impacted by flood waters with a rag moistened with a household cleaning product such as non-abrasive liquid, powdered kitchen cleaners or liquid dish soap mixed with water. If the wood has a finish, then wipe the cleaned surfaces with a cloth moistened with wood cleaning oil.
- After cleaning, dry wooden items in a warm dry area out of the sun. Direct sunlight will cause uneven drying and shrinkage resulting in more damage.
- Don't force stuck doors or drawers; give them time to shrink back to their normal positions as they dry.
- Some items such as chair legs may come apart or veneer may peel away from dressers or tables. If you are interested in salvaging these items, keep the pieces as they can be re-glued after drying.