How to Clean After a Flood

Germs and bacteria are everywhere and your standing in the middle of it. What do you do to disinfect and clean this mess and what will work the best?

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Plastic bags
• Rubber Gloves
• Face mask is a good idea-get these in the paint department
• Vinegar- usually around $1.96 per gallon
• Ammonia--$1.00
• Powdered Bleach-such as Oxy Clean
• Baking Soda- Lg. box is $1.10
• Salt- used for an abrasive and disinfectant
• Hand soap and sanitizer
• Scrub Brushes for cleaning and
• Small one for hands
• Plenty of rags and sponges
• In addition, paper toweling

1. 1. Go through the house and place in plastic bags anything that
   cannot be saved. Bag it, tie it and get rid of it.

2. 2. Move any small items such as vases, knick knacks etc that need washing into the kitchen or bathtub area. Yes, use the bathtub to spray off the sludge etc. It is a larger container, all of the mess will go down the drain and you can fill it with enough water to totally cover several items.

3. 3. Pick up all of the clothing that is wet and water logged. Put someone in charge of spraying them down with a hose or in the shower, then they are ready for washing in the washing machine. You want to make sure that you have clean disinfected clothing to put on daily. Besides the health benefit, it will make you feel better.

4. 4. Now use a broom, mop large squeegee or shovel to get all of the sludge and water off the floor and out of the house. Once you get the thick stuff out, you can use a hose to spray the rest out. There has already been water damage, so your goal now is to get it out, disinfect your home and be able to see the floor.

5. 5. Now go through and get all of the furniture wiped off and as clean as possible. If it needs to be cleaned thoroughly (upholstery) this can be taken outside or to the garage for cleaning later. Vinegar and baking soda are great for cleaning upholstery and carpeting, but that can be accomplished after you have things in order.

Tips & Warnings

• The first hint that I will give you is to make sure that you let the chemical do the work for you. Wipe the sludge and loose stuff away and then recoat the surface with a cleaning agent and let it sit for a few minutes. Give the chemical time to work and do its job, then simply wipe clean the rest of the way. It will save those elbows and hands from over excursion.
• The second hint is to use newspaper to help wipe up the mess. It is absorbent, a product you will have to trash eventually, it saves money, and it is a large piece of paper that can absorb a lot at one time.
• These are all products that are Environmental Friendly, but do a terrific job at eating through dirt and grime and they will make your job a lot easier. Mold can show up days and weeks later, so make sure that you eliminate it as soon as possible. It can cause many medical problems and destroy your health.
• When using a bleach product, always use dry bleach, it is environmentally friendly, unlike liquid bleach.
• When mixing baking soda and vinegar, the chemical action will cause the combination to fizz and rise in the container.