Do I Have to Disinfect My House After Flood Restoration?

 

After flood restoration, it is always a good idea to disinfect all areas and contents affected by the water. This is to ensure that bacteria and mold don’t grow after the water has been removed. The following are some of the most common ways to disinfect your house after a flood:

Wash everything with a diluted solution of chlorine bleach, which is safe for all surfaces and people. Make sure to use a bleach that is water vapor permeable, as this will help your house dry out better.

Remove all furniture, carpets and bedding that has been flooded from your home as soon as the water recedes. Be sure to use contractor bags and a sturdy pry bar for this task.

Discard furniture made of laminate and composite materials, as these can swell, bubble or break when they come into contact with floodwater. This can make them unsafe to keep in your home, so haul them out to the curb and take photos for your insurance claim.

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Salvage any other items that may be salvageable, such as plastic, metal and solid wood furniture. However, these can usually only be restored by a professional company.

Throw out anything that is unsalvageable and won’t be restored or re-sanitized. This includes any furniture, carpets or bedding that have been soaked with floodwater for more than 24 hours.

Toys and stuffed animals that have been soaked should be thrown away as well, as they may not be able to be cleaned by the chlorine bleach solution you are using. This is especially true if the toys are food or drink containers, as these can hold dangerous bacteria even after they have been washed with a bleach solution.

Lastly, dispose of any clothing that has been saturated by the floodwater. Clothes can hold harmful pathogens that can contaminate the air and soil in your home, so they should be removed from the home and stored in clean, dry places.

Cleaning after a flood is often an exhausting and stressful process, but the effort will pay off in the end when your house is clean and dry. It will also prevent the build-up of mold and mildew.

If you have a professional cleaning service, ask to see if they will perform the disinfection of your home after the flood is complete. If they are unable to do so, you can do this yourself.

Then, if the items are dry, you can re-insert them into your home and begin using them again. Be aware that the dust in your home will settle over time, so it’s important to continue sweeping and dusting regularly to prevent the buildup of mold and mildew.

It is a good idea to have a professional cleaning company handle the disinfection of your home after a flood, as they will know what products are most effective in removing bacteria and mold. They will also have the training and equipment to do a thorough job.