Recipe For Flood Damage Cleanup

Typical flood water is contaminated since it brings with it a lot of organic materials. Just a few inches of water could damage the house structure, furniture and fixture; even appliances and expensive equipment which you have invested much in.

A flood damage cleanup is very strenuous and difficult since it requires time, money and effort. In order to make a flood damage cleanup a little bit easier, below are some suggestions on how to deal with the aftermath of a house flood:

1. If you have insurance for flood damage, contact the insurance company immediately. Then before starting the flood damage cleanup process, make a list of the damaged items and property, and take photographs or videotape the affected area or properties. Accomplish all needed records and forms because this will help in the insurance claims you have to make and in the deduction of income tax.

2. After finishing off the required paperwork, it is time to don on your cleaning clothes and equipment for the flood damage cleanup activity.

3. First that you must do is to remove the water inside the house or area where the flooding occurred. You will need a water suction machine in the form of a wet vacuum pump or a submersible vacuum pump that is either gasoline or electricity powered. Work on the high areas first before going to the lower areas when removing water.

4. When the water has already been reduced to a degree where it does not hamper your cleaning movements, the next process for the flood damage cleanup is to shovel out the mud. Take out all the mud if possible. Then clean up the leftover mucks with the help of water from a garden hose spray.

5. Employ the aid of the wet vacuum pump once again to suck out the water that is present because of the mud and muck cleaning done in step number 4.

6. Remove all movable furniture, equipment and appliances to a high dry spot outside the house. Blankets, beddings, curtains and clothes that came in contact with the flood water should be segregated in piles for washing. Do not mix clothes with other soiled fabrics, because your clothes should be washed independently from the rest.

7. After every possible damaged item has been taken away, tackle the carpet by rolling it and taking it outside to drip off. Now the next flood damage cleanup procedure is to scrub the wall, floor and other surfaces with a solution of warm soapy water. Properly rinse every surface afterwards and apply a disinfecting solution of one-fourth (1/4) cup chlorine bleach to a gallon of water. Disinfecting after doing a flood damage clean up is necessary to eliminate the presence of bacteria and germs.

8. Then the most important phase of the flood damage cleanup procedures is to dry the affected area properly and thoroughly. The drying process takes quite a while, around a week or more; and its also dependent upon outside weather conditions.

9. While waiting for the affected area or the house to dry out completely, start inspecting all the items that were brought out which were likewise contaminated by the flood water. If the items are cleaned and could still be used like before then segregate them from the ones that must be thrown away.

10. While you may consider saving your carpet, mull over the fact that you might not be able to clean and disinfected it perfectly. Most often the case with carpets is that they do not return to their original form once they have been under flood water. The best possible options are to take it to professional carpet cleaners or buy a new one later on when you could afford to.