Cleaning up your home after flooding is a huge and overwhelming task. It can also be dangerous as flood water comes with debris that can be hazardous. Improper cleanup after a flood can cause mold growth, food contamination, and severe property damage. As a result, it’s advisable to call in the professionals to kick start clean up.
However, if you opt to handle the cleanup yourself, it’s best to follow the correct procedure to prevent accidents, illnesses, and property damage. This article explains how you should clean up after a flood.
Before You Start
The essential thing before starting the cleaning process is to ensure that the affected area is safe to work on. This entails turning off the power and gas lines. If turning off the power requires you to step on wet areas, don’t bother; instead, call a Water Damage Specialist to assess and inspect the situation.
If you safely turn off the power, go ahead and look for any rodents, insects, and snakes that may have been swept inside your house. These creatures can be dangerous, especially snakes. You’ll also need to cover any holes or cracks to prevent excess water and debris from entering your home.
Furthermore, you should also contact your insurance company before cleaning, so they can send an insurance adjuster to evaluate and document the damage. If you clean and repair flood damage before informing your insurance company, they can legally deny you compensation. However, if they delay sending an adjuster, you can take pictures and video clips of the damage and the cleanup process and send them to the insurance company.
Finally, you’ll need personal protective gear such as electrically insulated boots, waterproof gloves, specialized goggles, knee pads, face masks, long pants, and long-sleeved shirts. You’ll also need cleanup supplies and equipment such as shovels, buckets, chlorine bleach, trash bags, fans, a dehumidifier, and a floor scraper.
How to Clean Up
To effectively clean a house affected by a flood, follow the following steps:
- Remove The Excess Water
Given that you’ve already covered holes and cracks that brought water into your home, removing as much water as possible to prevent further damage is the first step. Consider using a bucket or another container to carry the water out. You can also hire or buy a pump from your local hardware to remove significant amounts of water.
However, when pumping water, avoid pumping it fast because excess water around the property can damage the foundation. Therefore, learn to drain the water in intervals or drain the water as far away from the foundation as possible.
When only a small amount is left, use a wet or dry vacuum cleaner designed to suck water. Using normal vacuum cleaners on wet areas can lead to electrocution and damage to the equipment.
- Remove Contaminated Mud and Debris
After removing all the stagnant water, use your shovel and trash can to remove mud and debris. You can dispose of the mud in your backyard or in a dumpster. After removing as much mud as possible, use a garden hose pipe to wash away mud traces from your surfaces.
- Assess The Damage
After removing water and mud, assess the damage of the flood to determine what should be tossed out and what should be cleaned.
For any wood furniture fully immersed in flood water for more than 48 hours, check if you can still save it. If not, it’s best to throw it out or recycle the materials for other purposes. For furniture and other household items that aren’t heavily affected, take them outside under direct sunlight, so they can start drying.
Lastly, throw away the food in your fridge and other contaminated fruits and vegetables.
- Clean And Sanitize Surfaces And Items
Clean hard surfaces such as floors, walls, sinks, and benches using ammonia and trisodium phosphate. You can also use soapy hot water to clean the surfaces and then disinfect the surfaces using a chlorine bleach solution. Wash affected clothes, blankets, and linen using hot water. For furniture, take them to dry outside, then spray them with a disinfectant solution.
- Dry Your Home
To prevent mold growth, you’ll need to dry your house thoroughly. One of the simplest ways to dry your room is by keeping it well-ventilated. This allows hot, dry air to enter the room and moist air to exit. You can also use fans and dehumidifiers to enhance air circulation mechanically.
Conclusion
Cleaning up after a flood can be daunting, but follow the above steps, and your home will be clean in no time. Feel free to call a professional’s help if you think the task is beyond your control. A professional can also inspect to determine if your space is finally safe again.
