What To Do After The Flood:
When your house floods, the water can wreak
havoc on the structure of the house, your personal
belongings, and the health of the inside
environment can be affected. Flood waters contain
many contaminants and lots of mud. High dollar
items can get ruined all at once, even with just an
inch of water, for example: carpeting, wallboard,
appliances, and furniture.
A more severe storm or deeper flood may add
damage to even more expensive systems, like:
ducts, the heater and air conditioner, roofing, private sewage and well systems,
utilities, and the foundation.
After a flood, cleaning up is a long and hard process. Here is a list of common
techniques for sanitizing and cleaning flooded items:
First things first:
call your insurance agent. If your insurance covers the
damage, your agent will tell you when an adjuster will contact you. List
damage and take photos or videotape as you clean. You'll need complete
records for insurance claims, applications for disaster assistance and
income tax deductions.
Contaminated mud
-
Shovel out as much mud as possible, and then use a garden sprayer or
hose to wash away mud from hard surfaces.
Clean and disinfect every surface
.
Scrub surfaces with hot water and a
heavy-duty cleaner. Then disinfect with a solution of 1/4 cup chlorine
bleach per gallon of water or a product that is labeled as a disinfectant to
kill germs.
In the kitchen
-
o
Immerse glass, porcelain, china, plastic dinnerware and
enamelware for 10 minutes in a disinfecting solution of 2
tablespoons of chlorine bleach per gallon of hot water. Air-dry
dishes. Do not use a towel.
o
Disinfect silverware, metal utensils, and pots and pans by boiling in
water for 10 minutes. Chlorine bleach should not be used in this
case because it reacts with many metals and causes them to
darken.
o
Cupboards and counters need to be cleaned and rinsed with a
chlorine bleach solution before storing dishes.