Call 24/7(773) 885-8528
Standing water in your home right now? We stop the damage, pull the water out, and dry your property before mold sets in. A real person answers, day or night.
If you are reading this with water on your floor, take a breath. You caught it, and that is the important part. The faster the water comes out and the drying starts, the less you lose, and the smaller the final bill.
We have run these calls across Chicago for 40 years. We have pumped out garden units in Rogers Park after a summer storm, dried two-flats in Edgewater after a pipe let go in a January cold snap, and cleared flooded basements in Lincoln Square when the sump pump quit during heavy rain. We know how water moves in old Chicago buildings, and we know how fast it needs to be dried before mold starts.
Sherman and the crew are IICRC certified, family-owned, and on call around the clock. We answer live, we come out fast, and we document everything for your insurance so you are not fighting the claim on your own.
People mix these two up all the time. Here is the plain-English version.
Think of mitigation as stopping the bleeding, and restoration as the stitches. Mitigation happens in the first hours and days. Restoration follows once your property reads dry. We handle both, so one team owns the whole job and nothing falls through the cracks. You can see our full water damage restoration service for the rebuild side.
Call us right away if you are dealing with any of these anywhere in Chicagoland. Water spreads by the hour, and mold can start within a day.
Different job, same proven path. Here is exactly what we do.
A real person answers day or night. We ask what happened and roll out fast, usually within the hour for emergencies.
We use meters to find where the water actually went, behind baseboards, under floors, and inside walls, not just what you can see.
Truck-mounted pumps and extractors pull the water out fast so drying can start the same visit.
We set air movers and commercial dehumidifiers and monitor moisture daily until the structure reads dry, not just dry to the touch.
We disinfect affected surfaces, treat for bacteria after any sewage contact, and clear the musty odor.
We photograph and log everything for your claim, then repair drywall, flooring, and paint so it looks like it never happened.
Once your property is dry, we do not just pack up and leave you with a bare room. We walk you through what is left and handle the rebuild.
That means replacing the drywall and insulation we removed, resetting baseboards and trim, matching paint, and putting flooring back. If mold turned up during drying, our mold removal team handles it before anything gets closed back up. When we are done, we do a final walkthrough with you and confirm the space is dry and safe with our own meters.
Single-family homes, condo buildings, rentals, and businesses across Chicago.
From bungalows and two-flats to high-rise condos along the lakefront. In shared buildings, water travels between units through walls and pipes, so we dry the whole path, not just one room.
Offices, retail, restaurants, and warehouses. We work fast and after hours when needed so you can reopen, and we keep the paperwork clean for your carrier.
One call handles a leak across multiple units. We coordinate with owners and tenants, check neighboring units, and give you documentation for every address.
Water damage is stressful enough without a claim on top of it. In most cases, homeowners insurance covers sudden water damage and the mitigation that follows, and we bill your carrier directly, so there is no big upfront cost to you.
From the first visit, we photograph the damage, log moisture readings, and record every material we remove and every day we dry. Adjusters want that documentation, and having it done right is often the difference between a smooth claim and a fight. We have worked with every major carrier in Illinois, and we speak their language so you do not have to.
Here is the part most people do not realize. Mold can start growing within 24 to 48 hours of water sitting. That is the real reason mitigation is an emergency, not a next-week job.
Proper drying is what keeps mold from ever taking hold. We do not just soak up what is on the surface, we dry the structure underneath and monitor it with meters until the moisture is gone. If mold has already started, our mold remediation crew contains the area, removes it safely, and fixes the moisture source so it does not come back.
Not all water is equal. The category decides how we handle it, and how urgent it is.
| Category | What it is | Common source |
|---|---|---|
| Category 1 — Clean | Safe, treated water | Broken supply line, overflowing sink |
| Category 2 — Gray | Slightly contaminated | Dishwasher, washing machine, sump overflow |
| Category 3 — Black | Grossly contaminated, unsafe | Sewage backup, storm flooding, river water |
Clean water left sitting can turn gray, and gray can turn black within a couple of days. That is one more reason not to wait. If you are dealing with a sewage backup, do not touch it, call us and stay clear of the area.
Here is how a typical Chicago job runs:
We do not pull the equipment early. Wood, drywall, and concrete hold moisture you cannot feel, and rushing that step is how mold gets a second chance. We dry until our meters say it is done, not until it feels dry.
Chicago buildings have their own quirks, and 40 years here has taught us where the water usually comes from.
If it is safe, a few quick steps protect your home and help us dry it faster. If it is not safe, just get out and wait for us.
Honest answer: it depends on the water and how far it spread. Here are typical ranges.
| Situation | Typical range | What drives it |
|---|---|---|
| Small, caught early | $1,200 to $3,000 | One room, clean water, quick drying |
| Moderate | $3,000 to $7,500 | Multiple rooms or a finished basement |
| Major or contaminated | $7,500 and up | Sewage, wide spread, or structural drying |
Local, family-run, and here when it counts.
Four decades of Chicago basements, cold snaps, and storms. We have seen your situation before.
Trained, certified drying crews. Not a call center, not a franchise handing you off.
Day, night, weekend, or holiday, you get a person who can dispatch a crew, not a machine.
We document everything and work with your adjuster, so the claim is on us, not you.
Verified reviews from Chicago homeowners and landlords.
"The Clean Up Guys were timely, professional and very easy to work with. They finished the job quickly and as promised at a very reasonable price. We would definitely use this company again."
"The crew began work two days later and operated with speed and professionalism. They replaced all materials and the paint matching was precise, the repairs are indistinguishable from the original walls. I am highly satisfied and will call them directly for any future repairs."
"The CleanUP Guys showed up the next day and did a fantastic job with the basement cleaning and mold remediation. The basement just smells better since we had it done professionally. We will use them each time from now on."
Water mitigation across Chicago and the surrounding counties.
Straight answers to what property owners ask us most.
Water mitigation is the emergency work that stops water damage from spreading and dries your property. It includes removing standing water, taking out soaked materials, and running professional drying equipment so moisture does not reach your walls, floors, and air. It is the first step, before any rebuild.
The meaning of water mitigation is simple: it is the work done to reduce, or mitigate, water damage after a leak or flood. It covers the emergency actions taken right away, removing the water and drying the property, to keep the damage from getting worse. Mitigation means limiting the loss, before any repairs begin.
As fast as possible. Mold can begin growing within 24 to 48 hours, so the sooner the water is removed and drying starts, the less damage you are left with. The CleanUP Guys answer day and night and are usually on-site within the hour for Chicago emergencies. Call (773) 885-8528.
No. Mitigation is the emergency step that stops the damage and dries the property. Restoration is the rebuild step that repairs drywall, flooring, and paint once everything is dry. The CleanUP Guys handle both, so one team takes the job from the first call to the finished repair.
In most cases, yes. Homeowners insurance usually covers sudden water damage, like a burst pipe or storm flooding, and the mitigation that follows. The CleanUP Guys document everything, work directly with your adjuster, and bill your carrier, so there is no large upfront cost in most situations.
It depends on how much water there is and how far it spread. A small, quickly caught leak typically runs $1,200 to $3,000, while major or contaminated jobs cost more. We start with a free on-site inspection so you know the scope and cost before any work begins, and insurance usually covers it.
A small spill you can handle. But water often spreads into walls and floors where you cannot see it, and household fans are not enough to fully dry a structure. Professional drying with commercial equipment and moisture monitoring is what actually prevents mold and hidden damage later.
You mitigate water by acting fast in a set order: stop the water source, remove standing water with pumps and extractors, take out soaked materials that cannot be saved, then dry the structure with air movers and dehumidifiers until moisture readings are normal. Speed is what limits the damage and prevents mold.
Mitigation is the emergency step that stops and dries the water damage. Remediation usually means removing what the water caused, most often mold, and cleaning contaminated areas. In practice, mitigation comes first to dry everything out, and remediation follows if mold or contamination is found. We handle both.
After mitigation, once your property reads dry, we move into restoration. That means replacing the drywall and insulation we removed, resetting trim and baseboards, matching paint, and putting flooring back. If mold turned up, we handle it first. We finish with a walkthrough and confirm the space is dry with our meters.
There are six steps: a live call and dispatch, inspection to find hidden water, extraction of standing water, drying and dehumidifying until the structure reads dry, cleaning and sanitizing, and finally documentation and repair. Each step is timed to stop damage from spreading and to prevent mold from starting.
A water mitigation system is the combination of equipment and steps used to control water damage: pumps and extractors to remove water, air movers and commercial dehumidifiers to dry the structure, and moisture meters to confirm it is fully dry. Some homes also add leak detection and automatic shutoff valves to catch leaks early.
Most water mitigation takes 3 to 5 days. Water removal happens on the first day, and drying usually runs three to four days while we monitor moisture until the structure reads dry. Larger jobs or contaminated water can take longer. Repairs come after drying is finished.
There are three. Category 1 is clean water from a supply line, Category 2 is gray water from an appliance or overflow, and Category 3 is black water from sewage or flooding that is unsafe to touch. Clean water can turn contaminated within a couple of days, so fast drying matters.
If it is safe, stop the water at the source, cut power to wet areas at the breaker, lift rugs and electronics off the floor, and take photos for insurance. Stay out of any sewage water and keep everyone clear. If it is not safe, leave and wait for our crew.
We answer 24/7 and respond fast across Chicago and the suburbs. Free on-site estimate, and we bill your insurance.
Every hour water sits, the damage and the bill grow. The CleanUP Guys have been Chicago's answer for 40 years. Family-owned, IICRC certified, 24/7, trusted by 143 reviewers at 4.7 stars.
Call (773) 885-8528 NowChat with us