INFORMATION SHEET

CLEANUP AFTER A FLOOD

• Walls, hard-surfaced floors and many other household surfaces should be cleaned with soap and water and disinfected with a solution of 1 cup of bleach to 9 cups of water, making a 10% solution.
• Be particularly careful to thoroughly disinfect surfaces that may come in contact with food, such as counter tops, pantry shelves, refrigerators, etc.
• Areas where small children play should also be carefully cleaned.
• Wash all linens and clothing in hot water or dry clean them.
• For items that cannot be washed or dry cleaned, such as mattresses and upholstered furniture, air dry them in the sun and then spray them thoroughly with a disinfectant. If still contaminated, discard.
• Steam clean all carpeting. Dry thoroughly. If still contaminated, discard.
• If there has been a backflow of sewage into the house, wear rubber boots and waterproof gloves during cleanup.
• Remove and discard contaminated household materials that cannot be disinfected, such as wallcoverings, cloth, rugs and drywall.

Last Updated: Friday November 03 2006