3 Steps for Deep Cleaning Your Home After a Flood

9/8/2022 (Permalink)

Flood Damage can leave mud and debris behind in your homes.

Flooding in Bountiful, UT, can wreak havoc on your home, especially when it comes to the mud, sludge, and debris it leaves behind. Cleaning walls, floors, and all your belongings once the waters recede can seem like an impossible task, especially if you must follow specific cleaning requirements from your insurance company, city, or state.

Steps to Take For Flood Cleanup

1. Begin With Hard Surfaces

Once you call your insurance agent and storm damage and flood restoration company to handle the drainage and disposal of contaminated floodwaters, you can begin cleanup efforts by creating a flood disinfectant for your home’s hard surfaces. Use clean scouring pads and a maximum-strength cleanser on your kitchen counters and other surfaces, then disinfect them with bleach or other germicide diluted with hot water. Remember to ventilate the room when you work with these chemicals and wear a mask and gloves to protect yourself.

2. Disinfect Your Kitchen Goods

Once your surfaces are clean, you can move on to your dishes, silverware, and canned goods. China, glassware and plastic utensils can be soaked in hot water treated with disinfectant, while metal silverware and cookware can be cleaned by immersing them in boiling water for 10 to 15 minutes. Avoid using bleach on metal surfaces, as it may cause your items to stain or discolor. Remove labels from your canned goods, allow them to soak in disinfectant, and then air dry before you re-label them.

3. Sort Salvage From Trash

If you are following specific cleaning requirements from a local authority, it is important that you understand which items can be salvaged and which must be thrown away. As you were flooding clean, make piles of items that can be restored, such as non-porous toys and tools, and throw away mattresses, soaked bedding, and plastic toys that may have absorbed contaminated water.

Flooding in Bountiful, UT, can leave behind mud, debris, and soaked belongings. Following your city’s cleaning requirements and knowing where to begin may make the cleanup process simpler and give you peace of mind as a homeowner.