Cleaning up after a flood

Remember to follow flood cleanup precautions when handling debris or cleaning flood damaged areas and items.

Until you've cleaned up and dealt with any mould we recommended that you leave your property vacant. You should also contact your local council, as they might be able to help you with cleanup materials and further advice.

Clean up the mess

These simple steps will help you get your house cleaned up as quickly and safely as possible.

1. Remove the sludge
   Subsiding water will reveal large mud deposits on your walls and floors. Shovel out as much of it as you can and use a garden sprayer to hose down the surfaces. Pay special attention to ducts/pipes where mud residues gather.
2. Clean surfaces
   Use a brush, hot soapy water and a heavy duty cleaner. Pay attention to hidden areas where dirt can collect. Surfaces exposed to flood water contaminated by oil and diesel will need additional cleaning. A detergent solution is best for this.
3. Disinfect
   Follow the instructions on the packaging. All food preparation surfaces, equipment, containers, utensils, crockery and cutlery must be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected before use.
4. Dry
   Allow all cleansed and disinfected areas to dry thoroughly. Take furniture, rugs, bedding and clothing outside to dry as soon as possible – this will assist in the prevention of moulds.

Get rid of mould

Moulds can usually be detected by a musty odour and discoloration of surfaces. Mould can be cleaned up using a four percent bleach solution (four caps of bleach to 100 caps of water).

Before you start cleaning up mould you should kit yourself out with:

• A well-fitting respirator with toxic particle cartridges
• Gloves
• Mask

Remember to check for hidden moulds behind furniture like settees and wardrobes by pulling them away from the walls. This will also give air a chance to circulate and will help the area to dry out.

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