Floods can cause significant water damage. Not only will they ruin personal items, but they can also damage your home’s structure. You can clean and disinfect some items, while others will need to be thrown away and replaced. Due to the risk of contamination from mold and bacteria, you need to clean up immediately after a flood. This also increases the chances of saving items within your home. Learn what you can clean after a flood and what to throw away.
What You Should Do After a Flood
- Extract the water. You can do this yourself, but a restoration company has the equipment and skills to clean up after a flood quickly.
- Throw away items soaked by the flood or contaminated with sewage.
- Dry your home with structural drying dehumidifiers and high-velocity fans.
- Clean things that are slightly wet with soap, then disinfect with either bleach or rubbing alcohol.
- Have qualified repair technicians inspect appliances and electronics.
- Make repairs to your home, including replacing carpeting, hanging drywall, or installing new cabinets.
Who To Call In a Flood Emergency
You should call a water damage restoration company immediately during a flood emergency. The sooner you call, the faster they can extract the water and repair the damage.
Even if water is still coming into your home, they can dispatch a local flood restoration team to your home. This can limit damage and save you money in the long run.
If you are doing the restoration yourself, clean up immediately. Use a submersible pump to remove water. Then use high-velocity fans and drying dehumidifiers to repair the flooding.
What Can You Clean After a Flood?
You can clean most household items after a flood. However, you will need to throw away items submerged in floodwaters or contaminated by sewage. Also, throw away anything damaged or covered in mold.
Walls
You can clean and dry wet walls after a flood. However, water will break down drywall quickly. You will need to replace the wall if it’s crumbling, bubbling, or warping. Cut damaged drywall at least six inches above the water line and dispose of it in heavy-duty bags. Then dry the wall studs with fans and dehumidifiers. Clean with a mild detergent, then spray them with bleach to disinfect the surface. Allow to air dry before hanging the new drywall.
Hardwood Cabinets
Empty your cabinets first and throw away damaged items. Then dry hardwood cabinets with fans and dehumidifiers. Depending on the extent of the damage, you may need to sand and refinish cabinets to remove water stains and flood damage.
Composite or Laminate Cabinets
As with hardwood cabinets, begin by emptying the cabinets first. Due to the nature of composite and laminate materials, water can make them swell or crumble. If they are only slightly damp, dry them thoroughly and inspect them for damage. However, replace cabinets saturated with floodwaters. Wash your cabinets with soap and warm water, then wipe them down with bleach to kill mold and bacteria.
Upholstered Furniture
Use fans or dehumidifiers to dry furniture thoroughly. Clean with an upholstery cleaner or a carpet cleaner with an upholstery setting. Follow the manufacturers’ instructions when using an upholstery or carpet cleaner. Wipe down wood, metal, or other solid parts with a mild detergent, then spray with a non-bleach disinfectant and allow to air dry. To deodorize, sprinkle with baking soda and allow to sit for a few hours before vacuuming. Repeat as necessary.
Hardwood Furniture
If there isn’t mold, dry hardwood furniture with fans and dehumidifiers. Clean items with a mild detergent, then spray with a non-bleach disinfectant and allow to air dry.
Furniture Make of Composite or Laminate Materials
Furniture made from composite or laminate materials is likely to swell, warp, or crumble when they become saturated by floodwaters. Dispose of damaged or weakened items. You can dry them with air movers and dehumidifiers if they are damp. Then clean and disinfect them as with other furniture items.
Carpeting
Dry wet carpeting with fans and dehumidifiers, then shampoo or steam clean them. Spray a non-bleach disinfectant to prevent mold and bacterial growth. Use baking soda to remove odors. While you can dry carpeting, you should dispose of and replace the carpet padding. Review our dying carpeting after flooding guide for more carpeting drying tips.
Hardwood Flooring
Dry hardwood floors with fans and dehumidifiers, then clean them with oil soap. Then disinfect with a solution of bleach and water. Depending on the extent of the damage, you may need to sand and refinish the wood. You may need to replace warped or bent boards as well.
Vinyl or Laminate Flooring
You can clean and dry vinyl or laminate flooring after a flood. Wash the floor with soap and water, then mop it with bleach to kill mold and bacteria. Depending on the damage, you may need to replace some boards.
Mattresses
Always throw away your mattress if it is submerged in or saturated by floodwaters or sewage. However, you can dry your mattress after a flood if the water is from a supply line. Use towels to absorb the water from a slightly wet mattress. Then use a wet-dry shop-style vacuum to suck out the remaining water before using fans and dehumidifiers to dry it thoroughly. Spray with a solution of equal parts sterile 70% isopropyl alcohol and water to disinfect.
Electronics
Always have a qualified technician check wet electronics before using them and throw out anything soaked after a flood. You can clean the outside of most electronics with a damp rag, then disinfect them with bleach. Review the manufacturers’ instructions for cleaning the screen surface for flat-screen televisions. It is hard to clean and disinfect remote controls and video game controllers, so throwing them away is best.
Toys
You can clean most toys with dish soap and warm water and disinfect them with rubbing alcohol. As long as there is no sewage, you can wash plush toys in your washing machine.
Drapes and Curtains
Depending on the type of material involved, you may be able to wash them. Alternatively, you may need to have items professionally dry cleaned. However, it’s best to throw away curtains covered in mold or contaminated by sewage.
Books, Documents, and Photos
You can dry books, documents, and photos unless they are covered in mold. Water can break the spine on books, so open them carefully when drying. While a hair dryer will work, the best way to dry paper items is in the freezer. Not only does it limit the risk of damage during drying, but it takes almost no effort.
Artwork and Heirlooms
Depending on the extent of the damage, artwork and heirlooms can be restored after a flood. However, it’s best not to clean and disinfect them yourself. Always call a restoration specialist or an art preservation company for assistance.
What Appliances Can Be Saved After a Flood?
You can save most appliances after a flood. However, you should always have a repair technician inspect your appliances before you use them. Clean items according to the manufacturers’ instructions, then disinfect them with a bleach solution. Throw away any appliance used for cooking or food preparation that came in contact with sewage.
You can save these appliances after a flood if you have them serviced by a repair technician:
- Dishwasher
- Dryer
- Microwave
- Mixer
- Oven
- Refrigerator
- Washing Machine
However, it’s best to throw away small appliances like toasters and blenders after a flood. They are usually too hard to clean and cost-prohibitive to repair.
What To Throw Out After a Flood
You should always throw away wet food and medicine after a flood. Even in a clean water flood, medicine will dissolve and food will spoil.
Food
Always throw away wet food after a flood. The same goes for pet food as well. However, there are two exceptions to this rule. You can eat canned goods and food items stored in airtight plastic containers as long as the containers are intact. Clean and disinfect the outside before using it. If the power was out for more than four hours, you should also dispose of meat, poultry, eggs, dairy items, and other perishables inside. After eight hours, you should dispose of all the items in your fridge.
Medicine
Always throw away medicine damaged by flooding, including over-the-counter medications, prescription medications, and cough drops or lozenges. For prescriptions, contact your doctor immediately to replace those medications.
How To Wash Clothes After a Flood
After a flood, you should wash any wet clothes. While you can wash clothes contaminated with sewage, you should throw away anything saturated with mold.
- Soak clothing in water and baking soda to get rid of smells. Use half a cup of baking soda per gallon of water and let the clothes soak for at least an hour.
- Then wash clothing with regular laundry detergent. You may need to wash items several times to remove stains and odors.
- Only dry your clothes after the stains and smells are gone. For the best results, hang items outside in the sun.
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