How to Clean Up a Basement After a Flood

During a flood, basements are almost always at risk for flooding. Cleaning up a finished basement is as difficult as cleaning up a regular room in your house, but cleaning an unfinished basement after a flood is quite a bit easier. This article explains the steps you need to take to safely and properly clean your unfinished basement after a flood. Flood waters affect everyone around you, so your neighbors will probably be too busy cleaning their own basements to help you. Use this as your guide to clean your flooded basement correctly.

Difficulty: Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Rubber gloves
• Mop
• Sump pump
• Bleach
• Bucket
• Scrubbing brush
• Work clothes

1. Run your sump pump. If you don't have one, it would be helpful to get one now to drain your basement of any leftover water. If your basement has a floor drain, mop all the water to the drain. If your basement does not, mop up the excess water and squeeze it into your bucket.

2. Turn on a few large fans and a dehumidifier to dry out the basement. Typically this will take at least 24 hours, but you'll be too busy to notice. It is important to quickly dry your basement to prevent mold, mildew and extra bacteria growth. Bacteria love moist areas. Don't give them a nice home.

3. Haul up soggy and destroyed belongings while the basement dries. This is the hardest part of a flood cleanup effort. Always lift with your legs because wet boxes and belongings way much more than dry ones.

4. Discard anything that cannot be properly sanitized. Paper products like books, boxes and cards should get thrown away. Anything that can be hosed down with bleach and water, place in your yard or driveway to clean later.

5. Scrub the walls and floors that got wet with a solution made of 1 cup of bleach and 5 gallons of water. Be sure to wear rubber gloves and work clothes.

6. Run the fans and the dehumidifier once again. Again, this could take 24 hours or more. Although the moisture in your basement is now clean moisture, you don't want it to attract bacteria. Your basement should no longer look or feel moist and humid.

Tips & Warnings

• If you help with flood cleanup efforts, it is important to get yourself a tetanus shot. This will give you some protection from the harmful bacteria and diseases the water often contains.
• Do not pump your basement before the water has completely receded outside the house. The water pressure on the outer foundation walls could cause your basement to cave in without inside water pressure.