After Missouri saw devastating floods in the early and mid 1990s, the University of Missouri Extension office built a library of extensive resources to help Missourians cope with the aftermath of such a tragedy.
1. Keep children, sick family members and pets out of the flood-affected area until cleanup is completed. Before entering the home, make sure you are up-to-date with your immunizations such as tetanus.
2. Before beginning any cleanup, make sure you have the proper personal protection. You should wear rubber boots, rubber gloves and goggles during cleanup of the home. Make sure you wear a mask with an N-95 (not oil resistant, but filters at least 95 percent of airborne particles) or P-100 label (oil proof and filters at least 99.97 percent of airborne particles). If you can afford one, a half-facepiece respirator with removable cartridges is preferred instead of a mask.
2. Before beginning any cleanup, make sure you have the proper personal protection. You should wear rubber boots, rubber gloves and goggles during cleanup of the home. Make sure you wear a mask with an N-95 (not oil resistant, but filters at least 95 percent of airborne particles) or P-100 label (oil proof and filters at least 99.97 percent of airborne particles). If you can afford one, a half-facepiece respirator with removable cartridges is preferred instead of a mask.
3. Some badly soaked upholstered furniture that has been submerged may be impossible to salvage. If the piece of furniture seems worth the effort to save, see pages 5, 16 and 17 of MU Extension publication MP904, Resources for Your Flooded Home, for directions on cleaning. Mattresses can be sent to a commercial renovating company for cleaning and disinfecting; however, it could cost less to buy a good reconditioned or new mattress. Other items such as cosmetics, stuffed animals, baby toys, pillows, foam-rubber items, books, wall coverings and most paper products should be removed and discarded. For pillows and stuffed animals that have not been badly soaked, follow cleaning and disinfecting directions on pages 5 and 6 of MP904.
4. Remove and discard drywall and insulation that has been submerged and contaminated with sewage, floodwaters or mold.
5. Thoroughly clean all hard surfaces (such as flooring, concrete, molding, wood and metal furniture, countertops, appliances, sinks and other plumbing fixtures) with hot water and laundry or dish detergent. Allow these surfaces to dry thoroughly before disinfecting. You can speed up the drying process by using fans and dehumidifiers.
5. Thoroughly clean all hard surfaces (such as flooring, concrete, molding, wood and metal furniture, countertops, appliances, sinks and other plumbing fixtures) with hot water and laundry or dish detergent. Allow these surfaces to dry thoroughly before disinfecting. You can speed up the drying process by using fans and dehumidifiers.
Cleaning Up After A Flood: Tips For Restoring Your Home was first posted in http://lakeexpo.com
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