What steps does he need to take cleaning up after a flood? Each year, floods ruin too many homes to count each year. It can be very overwhelming knowing how much damage may have been done. It not only creates stress, but he will see damage on his home or building, and for his belongings.

Without the know-how to clean up after a flood takes place; bacteria and mold forms, and it causes further damage down the line.

If his home has recently been damaged by a flood, there are several steps that he can take to bring his home back to a good condition.

The first step is to know and collect all the necessary supplies before his flooding cleanup. He should get protective eyewear, rubber gloves, face mask, chlorinate bleach, wear long-sleeved clothing, boots (not sneakers), trash bags, a strong dehumidifier, fans, hammer, broom, wet shop vac, large buckets, knee pads, and a utility knife. He should look online for any other important supplies that he may not already have.

The next step is to make sure that it is safe for him and others to be in his home. He will need to see if any possible inserts or rodents might have come in with flood waters. He should check for any possible gas or power lines that might have been damaged. He should not enter his home if he sees major structural damage, and to never walk on sopping wet floors.

A good step to take is to construct an area outside of his home or building if he sees an area where everything is in good enough condition to keep dry. Use an approved furniture cleaner and a clean cloth to wipe down each piece thoroughly. Once it has been cleaned, he should set them in his designated area to dry and wait until the rest of his flood cleanup is complete.

For a flooding cleanup, he needs to take down items like rugs and curtains and clean them thoroughly with any proper disinfectant so it can be brought back being usable. If he does not have any cleaners, he should take them to a professional cleaner.

If his floors have carpet, it cannot be saved a majority of the time since water soaks at a fast rate deep into the pad of the carpet. Mold will quickly form. If he has laminate or wood floors, they need to be torn up and thrown out.

After trying to clean up after a flood, he will need to disinfect thoroughly by wiping down everything that got damaged in the affected flood rooms. He should use the proper amount of bleach needed with water to wash down walls and prevent mold from growing.

If he sees any amount of dirt or mud on the walls, he should never sweep it up when it is dry. It can contain harmful bacteria when left over residue becomes dry. He should use a dry shop vacuum and it will take care of the job properly.

Before he starts his flooding cleanup, he should file for an insurance claim. He should take photos or videos on his phone. This will keep records of all expenses that need to be taken care of. He needs to contact his insurance company for other requirements needed to make his claim possible.

Once his home has been cleaned thoroughly, after a flood damage, he should call a professional so when they arrive to check out the repairs, they will assist him in any way possible.

Jeff Morgan

Jeff Morgan is currently associated with NetworksGrid as a technical content writer. Through his long years of experience in the IT industry, he has mastered the art of writing quality, engaging and unique content related to IT solutions used by businesses. Topics like network security, managed firewall services, managed IT services and cloud computing like Best QuickBooks desktop hosting are his favorite.