When flooding of an area has occurred, either due to heavy rains or sewer backups, important steps must be taken to assure the health and safety of individuals involved. It should be assumed, during cleanup operations, that all surfaces have been contaminated with disease-causing organisms. This important assumption must be considered in decisions involving personal the safety of cleanup personnel as well as what items may be salvaged and what should be discarded.

Only individuals necessary for cleanup should be in affected areas. Persons with respiratory health problems (e.g., asthma, emphysema) should NOT perform the clean up. Children and pets should not be allowed in these areas.

Boots and rubber gloves should be worn at all times. In cases where rigorous splashing of contaminated water may occur, a dust mask and eye protection should also be worn.

Do not smoke, eat or drink during clean up.

A tetanus booster is recommended if it has been more than 5 years since you received your last Td.

Be absolutely certain that there is no hazard of electrical shock! Wear rubber boots in wet areas until it is certain no electrical hazard exists.

Turn off main switches and unplug electrical appliances in wet areas.

Do not turn on any appliances that have become wet until they have been thoroughly dried and checked for proper operation.

Do not use matches or any other open flame until the area has been thoroughly ventilated from natural gas. The gas supply to all appliances in flooded areas should be shut off until the appliance has been checked.

Bacteria, viruses, mold, fungi, etc., must be killed in the clean up process. The most widely accepted, safe, and effective sanitizing agent is hypochlorite in the form of household bleach.  For all of the following procedures, the bleach solution referred to is one half cup (4 ounce) of bleach to one gallon of water. This will give a sufficient strength to kill organisms.

Time is an important consideration in clean up. Organisms to be killed will not become airborne as long as they remain wet. As long as surfaces remain wet, the only way organisms can enter the body and cause disease is by splashing into the mouth, eyes, open cuts, etc. Once dried, organisms can be spread on dust particles by air movement. It is, therefore, important to bring the bleach solution in contact with contaminated surfaces as soon as possible after rinsing off heavy soil. In order to prevent decomposition and rotting of wet items, immediate drying after disinfection is necessary.

Generally, if the bleach solution can be made to come in contact with all surfaces, an item may be salvageable. Stuffed furniture, pillows, and mattresses will have to be discarded. Indoor/outdoor carpeting and rugs may be salvageable. Thick wall to wall carpets and padding will have to be discarded or professionally treated.

Thoroughly rinse all visible soil from items to be salvaged. Rinse the walls from several inches above the highest level the water reached to the floor. Carefully hose behind any base coving to remove all soil. Hose down the entire floor.

Prepare the bleach solution of ½ cup (4 oz.) of household bleach to one gallon of water. Smaller items may be immersed in this solution. Hand scrub larger items with the solution. Pour this solution on the walls several inches up from the highest level reached by the floodwaters and over the entire floor. Make sure all affected surfaces have been contacted with the solution. An effective method is to use a broom or mop to splash the solution on the walls and over all of the floors.

Using various methods, dry all surfaces as much as possible (the bleach solution needs 15 minutes to kill organisms.) The wettest areas can be squeegeed or mopped to a floor drain. A wet/dry vacuum can be used on flat surfaces to further remove remaining water. Using fans and/or a dehumidifier thoroughly ventilate the rooms to dry all surfaces.

Indoor/outdoor carpeting and rugs need a very thorough treatment if they are to be safely salvaged. Remove them to a flat area such as a driveway. Hose down both sides of the carpet several times to thoroughly remove all soil. Follow this with several buckets of the bleach solution on each side, scrubbing with a broom. Then rinse both sides with clear water. Remove as much water as possible with a wet/dry vacuum and allow to thoroughly dry.

If you are wounded or punctured, while conducting cleanup operations, contact your physician.

A major health concern after flooding or other water damage in homes is the growth of molds, bacteria, and other biological contaminants. This is often associated with a musty mildew odor, as well as visible evidence of mold growth on walls, floors, carpeting, or other water damaged items. Some persons may be allergic to or develop allergies or asthma-like symptoms from exposure to these contaminants.

It is important that items in a home contributing to mold and bacteria growth be cleaned and dried as soon as possible. See item(s) below. If this is not possible the item(s) should be discarded. The following are provided as general recommendations for dealing with water damage.

Wash surfaces and floors with a household chlorine bleach solution. A ½ cup of household bleach per gallon of water is recommended. The bleach solution should stay in contact with affected surfaces at least fifteen minutes before rinsing off with clean water.

Seal all leaks (ceiling, walls, and foundations) and correct improper surface drainage.

Reduce moisture generation in crawl spaces by ventilation or covering the crawl space floor with a moisture resistant material such as polyethylene.

Inspect and clean all appliances that have been in contact with water.

Have professionals check heating/cooling ducts and wall insulation for mold growth.

Look for obvious mold growth throughout the house including attics, basements, crawlspaces, and around the foundation.

If energy shortages or severe weather shut off your electricity try to keep a cool head—but don’t peek in your refrigerator, say food safety specialists at the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection.

Prevent food spoilage by keeping the freezer or refrigerator closed. Foods can stay cold and safe for two days in a fully packed and closed freezer and safe for one day in a half-full freezer.

Don’t open the freezer until power is restored. If food items have ice crystals throughout and feel cold to the touch, they can be re-frozen.

But if in doubt, throw it out. Illness-causing food bacteria can grow quickly and can’t always be detected by smell or taste.

The same guidelines go for the refrigerator. However, refrigerators will not be able to maintain safe temperatures during a power outage for much more than six hours. When the power comes back on, take a temperature reading of some of the foods. If the reading is above 40 degrees (F.), discard all perishable foods such as: raw or cooked meat or seafood; milk and dairy products; cooked pasta and pasta salads; fresh eggs and egg substitutes; meat-topped pizza and lunch meats; casseroles and soups; mayonnaise and tartar sauce; and cream filled pastries.

Other items such as butter, ketchup, jelly, hard cheeses, and bread and rolls are usually safe if power is restored within two days.

Discard all foods that may have been contaminated by floodwaters or by raw meat juices.

Don’t risk your health with unsafe food. For answers to specific questions, call the USDA hotline at 1-800-535-4555 or call your local health department.